A mistake made by many Texans who do not consider themselves wealthy is to shun creating a will. Wills are an integral part of an estate plan and should not be ignored, no matter the amount of money and assets. They will often believe that they do not have an estate...
Year: 2017
Legal requirements to create trusts in Texas
For many Texans, drafting estate planning documents can be a difficult chore. Knowing the preferable strategies is often difficult, but it is worthwhile. One estate planning document that can be beneficial is a trust. With a trust, there are certain requirements....
Turning over the reins of your family business
Although you run your small business efficiently and successfully, you may never have needed to follow many of the formal management processes that a larger company relies on. Your staff probably consists mostly of members of your family, and your business may be more...
Personal property, a major factor in estate litigation
Texans preparing for the future have well-crafted estate plans, focused on assets that are obvious, like a home, financial accounts, vehicles and similar items. However, estate litigation often arises not over the big-ticket items, but also for personal property and...
Estate planning and handing assets over to children
Texans who are constructing an estate plan might wonder whether it would be preferable to hand certain assets over to children and other heirs before death. They believe that this is a sound strategy to ensure that their assets stay in the family's hands, and their...
Estate tax implications could be part of Trump tax plan
Texans who have substantial portfolios will keep a close eye on tax implications for their estate after they have passed on. People who are leaving behind a lot in assets will undoubtedly want to protect their heirs from a major tax hit by engaging in estate tax...
What a special needs trust can do for your special needs child
If you are a parent to a special needs child, you have concerns for your child that many other parents may not understand. For instance, when it is time for you to pass on, how will your child manage any assets you leave behind for him or her? How will an inheritance...
Estate planning for those living in more than one residence
Texans who have retired will often want to travel to different areas and spend significant time in other states. A question that should be considered is how this might affect an estate plan. Those who have the means to have several residences are undoubtedly lucky,...
Keep your estate plan up to date
Estate planning lawyers frequently tell people it is important for everyone to have a will. What they may not explain often enough is the fact that people should not think of creating an estate plan as a one-time event. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney and other...
Appeals court rules against people claiming to be Prince heirs
To demonstrate the best reason to create a good estate plan, one need only look at what happens to estates after a person passes away without one. There is perhaps no better such cautionary tale today than the continuing saga of the Prince estate and the probate...