FAQs About Dying Without A Will

Can A Biological Sibling of an Adopted Child Inherit Under the Texas Intestacy Statutes

I recently got a note from someone whose biological brother had been given up for adoption while he was a baby. His brother had just died in…

FAQs About Estate Planning

The Top 10 Reasons Why You Need An Estate Plan

A recent survey found that approximately two-thirds of Americans don’t have a wills, and even fewer have power of attorneys or health care directives. Are you…

FAQs About Wills

Is Gift to Stepchildren Void if Testator is Divorced After Signing a Will?

I received a note yesterday from someone whose mother had recently passed away. His mother’s Will, which was made before she divorced, identified her stepchildren as beneficiaries.

FAQs About Wills

Can I Rewrite a Deceased Persons’ Will?

I received a message from someone this week whose husband had passed away seven years earlier leaving a Will that gave all his worldly possessions her. However,…

Wacky Wills

Wacky Wednesday: Wills That Make You Go “Hmmm…”- Harry Houdini

NB: This post is part of a series highlighting wills that contain some interesting, and sometimes bizarre, bequests and stipulations. You can see all these posts here.

Special Needs Trusts

What is the Difference between a First-Party Special Needs Trust and a Third-Party Special Needs Trust?

When planning for the future of a loved one with special needs, understanding the differences between a First-Party Special Needs Trust and a Third-Party Special Needs Trust is…

What To Do When Someone Dies Without A Will

Who May File an Application to Determine Heirship in Texas?

When an individual dies without a Will, a procedure called a Determination of Heirship proceeding can be filed establish the deceased individual’s rightful heirs. An application to…

FAQs About Estate Planning

What Will Happen To Your Facebook Account When You Die?

A friend from college died suddenly a couple of years ago. She was a healthy person, but contracted the flu and died from complications from it.

FAQs About Wills

Is A Will Signed By One Witness Valid If It Is Also Signed by a Notary?

I have written before about the requirements of a valid will in Texas. To be valid, a Will must be signed by the testator, or another…

How Property Distributed When Someone Dies Without A Will

The Complexities of Intestacy in Non-Traditional Families

I received a note last week that highlights the heartbreaking consequences of dying without a Will in non-traditional families. The couple had lived together for twenty-one years…