Estate Planning Resources

Articles and guides to help you understand your options for protecting your family and your assets in Texas and North Carolina.

Who Can Apply for Probate in Texas?

Usually, a person a testator nominates as executor in a Will applies for probate, but not always. The Texas Estates Code provides that any interested person can file an application for probate. Who is an

What is a Holographic Will?

A holographic Will is a handwritten Will. And there have been some strange ones. For example, can you imagine writing your will on your bedroom wall? How about the fender of your vehicle? According to

What Is an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT)?

An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, or “ILIT” is an irrevocable trust that own life insurance.  Historically, Americans have used ILITs as a vehicle to make gifts to beneficiaries that take advantage of the annual gift

Can Physicians in Texas Withhold Life Support Against Patient’s Wishes?

Most of the time, Directive to Physicians are signed by patients who do not want their lives prolonged by life-sustaining treatments; however, sometimes the situation is reversed. For example, a Texas Tribune article in 2019

Who Will Raise My Children if I Die Without Naming Guardians?

The thing that drives most young parents to plan to make a will is not their stuff, but who will take care of our minor children if the unthinkable happens. Naturally, we all want our

Even Ancient Egyptians Wrote Wills!

Last July, I stumbled upon an ancient Will while visiting the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. As an estate planning lawyer, I was delighted.  The Will, written in hieratic script on papyrus, was made by Naunakhte, an

How to Name a Guardian For Your Children

The part of estate planning that most parents struggle with is naming a guardian for their children. For some parents, the process of selecting a guardian is easy. They have close relationships with certain family

Can An Incapacitated Person Make or Revoke a Durable Power of Attorney?

Generally, you can amend your durable power of attorney by signing a new durable power of attorney. You also have the right to revoke or terminate your durable power of attorney. But is it possible

What Happens if I Inherit a House with a Mortgage?

If you have inherited a house with a mortgage, you may be wondering what your options are. This is especially the case in light of today’s high interest rates. Will it be necessary to refinance

An Empty Nest

I remember standing in the checkout line at Babies-R-Us more than 23 years ago. My first baby was just a couple of weeks old, sleeping soundly on my shoulder. A middle-aged woman approached me. “Enjoy

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