Estate Planning Resources

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

Happy Holidays from Rania Combs!

It’s hard to believe that another year has come to an end! If you’re like me, you’re scratching your head wondering where all the time has gone. As I look back on the year, I

What Is A Contingent Trust?

If you have life insurance, there is a good chance no benefits will ever be paid. An insurance settlement is contingent on you dying during the term of the policy. If the term expires before

Saying Goodbye

Not too long ago, my book club read a highly acclaimed book titled “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” I couldn’t finish it. In fact, I couldn’t get past the first chapter. Everyone who

Does Revoking My Will Revive a Prior Will?

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I received a question from someone who wondered whether revoking a current will would revive a will that was signed previously. Unfortunately, I seem to have accidentally deleted the email before

Happy Thanksgiving!

As families gather for Thanksgiving this year, estate planning is likely the last thing on their mind. Thanksgiving is a time to focus on the things for which we are most thankful, such as our

How Does Divorce Affect the Rights of Stepchildren Who Are Named In A Will?

I have written before that making a will is not a something you do just once in your life. Your will is something that should change as your life does. Otherwise it can become an

Estate Planning Tips That Prevent Family Feuds

When I was a girl, my mother enjoyed needlework. She would painstakingly sew for hours, crafting beautiful pieces like the one in the image above. My husband thinks that piece of needlepoint is a bit

Wacky Wednesday: Wills That Make You Go “Hmmm…” – Carlotta Liebenstein

Leona Helmsley left her dog, Trouble, $12 million in trust, but that amount seems paltry considering the amount Austrian Countess Carlotta Liebenstein left her dog. When she died in 1991, she left her entire $80

People Ineligible To Be Appointed As Guardian

When appointing a guardian for a child, the court will consider what is in the child’s best interest. According to the Texas Estates Code, certain people are statutorily ineligible to be appointed as guardian. These

What Happens If A Beneficiary Of A Will Dies First?

When Texans draft wills and name beneficiaries, they expect  that the beneficiaries they have named will outlive them. But that is not always the case. Sometimes a beneficiary named in a will dies first. Most

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