Estate Planning Resources

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

Can I Make a Will if I am Physically Incapable of Signing a Document?

A Will is an important document. It allows you to specify who will receive your property when you die. To be valid, certain formalities must be followed. For example, if you want to create a

Is There a Way to Find a Deceased Person Missing Life Insurance Policy?

The sudden death of a spouse is devastating, and the devastation can be magnified when financial pressures abound. In families which rely on the deceased spouse’s income for meeting financial obligations, having one income suddenly

Is it Necessary for a Witness to Read my Will?

Wills include private information about how your property will be disposed of when you die. Clients often want this information to remain private and are therefore concerned about whether it is necessary to share the

A Year in Review

It’s been an exciting year for my firm. Below are a few of the highlights from 2015: My firm has a new paralegal. As my firm continued to grow, my workload increased significantly, and I

‘Tis the Season to be Swindled

Several of my neighbors have recently received calls from individuals impersonating IRS agents. The callers claim that back taxes are owed and threaten arrest if immediate payment is not made on the phone. The calls

How to Care for a Caregiver

November is not only National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, but also National Family Caregivers Month. Today, more than 5 million Americans are suffering with Alzheimer’s, and if a cure is not found, more than 16

The Characterization of Real Estate Purchased With Separate Property During Marriage

A reader asked a very interesting question recently after reading my article on the characterization of property in Texas. He asked whether a house purchased during a marriage wholly with the husband’s separate property will

2016 Gift and Estate Tax Limits

The IRS recently announced the estate and gift tax limits for 2016. In 2016, the exemption amount for individuals increased from $5.43 million to $5.45 million, which means that individuals can leave that much to

Wacky Wednesday: Wills That Make You Go “Hmmm…” Leslie Ann Mandel

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. Leslie Ann Mandel loved her animals: 32 cockatiels

What Happens if I Divorce After Naming My Spouse as a Transfer on Death Deed Beneficiary?

The Texas transfer on death deed is a document that allows homeowners to transfer property to their heirs outside of probate. Most couples who own property jointly in Texas own the property as tenants in

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