Wacky Wills
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.
Probate
Section 256.205 of the Texas Estates Code provides that “After a will has been admitted to probate, any interested person may commence a suit to contest the…
Choosing a Guardian
The thing that worries most parents about dying is typically not what will happen to their stuff. It’s who will take care of their kids. And the…
Requirements of a Valid Will
Texas recognizes two types of written wills: An attested will is the most common type of Last Will and Testament. To be valid, it must be in…
FAQs About Wills
Per stirpes and per capita are commonly used terms in wills, trusts, and intestate distribution statutes to describe how a deceased person’s estate is to be distributed…
Questions About Estate Tax
The short answer to the question is no. Before 1995, Texas collected a separate inheritance tax, called a “pick-up tax.” The tax did not increase the total…
Planning for Special Circumstances
A few years ago, I read an article that reminded me of the extraordinary lengths parents will go to protect and provide for their children. It was…
FAQs About Trusts
Whether a Settlor, the person who creates a trust, can revoke or modify it depends on if the trust is irrevocable or revocable. According to Section 112.051…
NB: Rocket Lawyer Press invited me to contribute another guest post on an estate planning issue. Below is an excerpt of the article I wrote, as well…
How Property Distributed When Someone Dies Without A Will
If you are a parent of an adopted child in Texas and you die without a will, your adopted child will be entitled to the same inheritance…