At the heart of all probate litigation is the quest to uncover the intentions of the deceased. That person is no longer around to answer any questions or clear up any confusion, and so probate courts rely on a written will. This is why courts are so strict about...
Month: May 2019
Transfer-on-death deeds for real estate
Estate plans often use complex trusts to avoid probate, but avoiding probate doesn't always have to be complicated. For example, one way to have real estate avoid probate is sometimes to simply name a beneficiary to a transfer-on-death deed.A transfer-on-death deed...
Duties of an estate administrator
When people pass away, all their assets and liabilities become known as the person's estate. Someone has to be in charge of settling the estate's affairs and transferring assets to the heirs and beneficiaries. Under Texas law, this person is known as the executor or...
Divorce means it’s time to update your estate plan
Before your divorce got fully underway, you likely knew that you would need to make many changes in life. You undoubtedly considered the arrangements you would need to make for the children, what you should fight for during property division and numerous other factors...
Mother, son dispute ownership of classic art collection
Disputes over inheritance can be very ugly. These fights can turn sibling against sibling, or even children against a parent.A long-running case of probate litigation is unusual both for its ugliness and the beauty of the disputed assets, a collection of fine art. The...
How often should I update my estate plan?
Your will is meant to be the last statement of your intentions about how to distribute your property after you are gone. However, a lot can happen in your life after you sign your name on your finished will. If you don't update your will to reflect these changes, you...