Estate Planning, FAQs About Estate Planning

Can My Husband Give His Children Our Homestead If He Owned It Before We Married?

I received a note from a concerned wife. Her husband had purchased the home in which they resided two years before they were married. Throughout their marriage,…

Financial Powers of Attorney

What is a Texas Durable Power of Attorney?

A durable power of attorney is a written document that authorizes another person, known as an agent, to engage in specified business, financial and legal transactions on…

The Complexities of Intestacy in Blended Families

The Complexities of Intestacy for Blended Families in Texas

Having a will is important for every adult, but especially so if you are part of a blended family. Without a will, your assets will…

FAQs About Trusts, Trusts

Designing a Trust if Asset Protection is Your Goal

Attorney Rania Combs explains how to design a spendthrift trust for beneficiaries if asset protection is your goal.

Estate Planning, Planning for Special Circumstances

Will Distributions from ABLE Account for Food or Shelter Reduce SSI Benefits?

What is an ABLE Account? An ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) account is a type of savings account for individuals with disabilities and their families. The account…

Estate Planning, Planning for Special Circumstances

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas ABLE Accounts

Barrack Obama signed the Achieving a Better Life Experience “(ABLE”) Act into on December 19, 2014. It requires each state to pass its own ABLE Act. Governor Greg…

Estate Planning, Planning for Special Circumstances

Estate Planning for Your Graduate

If you are the parent of a high school senior about to graduate, you’re probably feeling a whirlwind of emotion right now. I…

FAQs About Wills

Is The Will I Signed In Another State Valid in Texas?

I have written before that a move to another state can trigger a need to update your will. It’s not necessarily because the move invalidates…

FAQs About Probate

Is It Always Necessary to Probate a Will in Texas?

A person who dies typically has two classes of assets: probate assets and non-probate assets. Probate assets are property titled in the deceased person’s name. For example, if…

Probating a Will

Do I Need a Lawyer to Probate a Will in Texas?

“Will it be necessary to hire a lawyer to go through probate?” That’s a question I get each week from Texans who have lost friends and family members.