Articles and guides to help you understand your options for protecting your family and your assets in Texas and North Carolina.
Texas is a community property state. The law presumes that all property a couple acquires during the marriage belongs equally to both spouses, unless it was received by gift, inheritance, or descent. If you have
Same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since 2015, when the Supreme Court decided Obergefell v. Hodges. And in 2022, Congress added another layer of protection by passing the Respect for Marriage Act, which repealed the
A Living Will, also known as a Texas Dreictive to Physicials and Family or Surrogates , is a document that allows you to express your wishes about when life-sustaining treatment should be administered or withheld
North Carolina has specific legal requirements that must be met for a Will to be valid. A Will is valid when the person signing is at least 18 and of sound mind, intends the document
Both Lady Bird Deeds and Texas Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs) are essentially beneficiary designations for your real estate. Both Lady Bird Deeds and Texas Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs) allow property owners to transfer
One factor that often motivates people to choose a revocable trust over a Will is privacy. Assets held in a trust pass to beneficiaries without going through probate, which means there’s no public filing of
For most Americans, federal estate taxes will never be a concern. Under current law, the federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per person in 2026. For married couples, that means up to $30 million
The document that is often most difficult for my clients to sign is what many people call a living will. It’s known by different names in different states. For example, in Texas, it’s called a
Many people may assume that if they are married and die without a Will in Texas, their surviving spouse will inherit their entire estate. You might be surprised to learn that this is not always
Texas is one of a growing number of states that allow owners of real estate to transfer property to their beneficiaries outside the probate process by creating a Texas Transfer on Death Deed. The deed
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The information contained in this website is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as offering legal advice or creating an attorney-client relationship between the reader and the author. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this website without seeking appropriate legal advice about your individual facts and circumstances from an attorney licensed in your state. Rania Combs is licensed to practice law in Texas and North Carolina. Rania Combs is physically located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and meets with clients in Houston, Texas by appointment only.
