In a recent survey, 56 percent of Americans reported not having a will. In other words, most Americans have not determined how their estates are to be divided once they die. A few tips may help with completing well-thought-out estate planning, which includes coming up...
Year: 2017
What are some of the best estate planning strategies?
Houston residents who begin the estate planning process want to get it right the first time. The problem is, most people who begin the estate planning process have quite a few questions about the options that are available. So, what are some of the best estate...
Estate planning involves addressing beneficiary designations
As time passes, life circumstances change. The problem for many in the state of Texas, however, is that they fail to develop estate plans that reflect their circumstances, or they do not keep their estate plans updated. In these cases, they essentially end up...
Preventing elder financial abuse
It takes time and effort to plan an estate well and to ensure long-term financial well being. But, planning and preparation will not always prevent being taken advantage of. Even if it is not common, elder financial abuse is an unfortunate reality for some people....
The power of trustees, executors and fiduciaries
Residents of the Houston area likely know that having an estate plan is important, but they may avoid this process for a variety of reasons. For most, it is probably that they just don't understand many of the terms involved, which can admittedly be quite...
Estate planning involves creating will, living will
Aging and dying are two admittedly unpopular topics in Texas and elsewhere. However, they are also inevitable occurrences, so it makes sense to address them through detailed estate planning. A comprehensive estate plan features several important components.The last...
Different power of attorney documents
Most of our readers in Houston know that estate plans aren't made up of just a will. A good, comprehensive estate plan will have several other documents included as well, especially if avoiding probate litigation is a goal. And, among the most important documents in...
Estate planning critical for parents with special-needs children
Developing an estate plan is a necessary process no matter what one's family size or financial situation. However, it is especially critical for the parents of children with special needs. In Texas and elsewhere, one potentially helpful estate planning tool for such...
Facing the possibility of probate litigation
When Texas residents begin to think about their estate planning needs, they will likely start to hear a term they may not be familiar with: "probate." Probate courts are the courts that hear the cases having to do with the distribution of assets upon a person's death....
Estate planning begins with a discussion
With 2017 in full swing, now is an ideal time to focus on developing estate plans. Many people spend their entire lifetimes building their estates, so it only makes sense to take time to ensure that all of one's assets end up in the intended hands when one dies....