Estate Planning Resources

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

Where there’s a Will…

A few weeks ago, a journalist emailed me to ask if she could interview me for an article she was writing. The article she wrote appeared in the Statesman 50ATX Guide for Young Boomers and

Can I Change My Will Before My Divorce is Final?

There is a Texas statute that prohibits Courts from entering any orders that prevent parties in a divorce proceeding from changing his or her Will. Section 253.001 of the Texas Estates Code provides that a

How Will My Property Be Distributed If I Die Without A Will Before My Divorce is Final?

If you and your spouse are planning to divorce, you probably wouldn’t want your property distributed to him or her if you died while your divorce is pending. But if you die without a Will

Should I Name My Executor As The Beneficiary of My Financial Accounts?

I received an email from a client over the weekend that alarmed me. So much so that called them on a Sunday afternoon to make sure remedial action was immediately taken. When I transmit my

What Rights to Beneficiaries of Transfer on Death Deeds Have During the Homeowner’s Life?

A Texas transfer on death deed is a beneficiary designation for your home. It works like a beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or a retirement plan. If you sign a transfer on death

Should I Name My Estate as the Beneficiary of my IRA?

A client was confused. He knew that the federal estate tax only applied to estates in excess of $11 million, so he didn’t understand why significant taxes were due on an IRA he inherited from

Avoiding Guardianship in Old Age

A few weeks ago, a client alerted me to an episode of the John Oliver show about guardianships gone wrong. A guardian is someone appointed by a court to act on behalf of a person

Can I Change My Will Before My Divorce is Final?

Couples who are happily married make different estate planning choices than couples who are separated and heading towards divorce. Happily married couples generally create Wills that protect and provide for their spouses, but in the

Will The State Get My Property If I Die Without A Will?

Everyone needs a Will. A Will allows you to dictate how your property will be distributed after you die. If you don’t have a Will, you lose control over that decision. Texas has statutes that

Does Your Insurance Policy Name Your Ex-Spouse As a Beneficiary?

Suppose you have a life insurance policy issued as part of an employee benefit plan which identifies your spouse as your primary beneficiary and your adult daughter as the contingent beneficiary. Years down the road,

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