Planning for Special Circumstances

Estate Planning Gone Wrong

If you’re like me, you’ve probably received at least half a dozen emails like the one illustrated in the cartoon below:…

Planning for Special Circumstances

Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead!

Obituaries are typically an opportunity honor family members who have passed away with details about their lives, accomplishments and the people whose lives they…

Probating a Will

What is a Muniment of Title?

Full administration of an estate is not always necessary. If an estate has no unpaid debts, except those secured by real property, and administration is not…

Medical Powers of Attorney and Directives

Can A Spouse Access Health Care Information Without A HIPAA Authorization?

A few weeks ago, my husband received a bill from a medical provider for some routine blood tests his physician had recommended. We had…

Financial Powers of Attorney

Sign A Durable Power of Attorney Before It’s Too Late

I got a message recently from a woman with questions about getting a power of attorney to handle her ailing father’s financial affairs. Her…

FAQs About Estate Planning, FAQs About Powers of Attorney and Directives

Does My College Student Need Estate Planning?

A couple of years ago, I wrote blog post titled “Three Estate Planning Documents Every College Student Needs.” The post was prompted by…

How Property Distributed When Someone Dies Without A Will

If You Don’t Have a Will, Texas Makes One For You

I received a phone call this week from a woman I’ll call Ellen, whose grandfather had succumbed to pancreatic cancer. His own children were unwilling to care…

Requirements of a Valid Will

Defining “Handwriting” for Purposes of a Holographic Will

In a post explaining the requirements of a valid will in Texas, I wrote that a holographic will…

FAQs About Wills

How Many Witnesses Need to Sign A Will In Texas?

Texas recognizes two types of written wills and the witness requirements are different for both. Holographic Wills are Wills that are completely in the…

Questions About Estate Tax

IRS Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages For Federal Tax Purposes

A couple of months ago, after the Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, I explained that there was…