Estate Administration

Under Texas law, people can become administrator of an estate through several ways. Perhaps the most familiar is a situation in which an executor is appointed in the text of the will. In other cases, the court must appoint an administrator. In most of these...

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...

Texans who have significant assets or properties that could be the foundation for dispute after they have died will seek to prepare for the future by addressing these probate issues beforehand. Unfortunately, even the most well-crafted estate plan can have...

We hear it all too often... "The original signed will is missing. I know it was in that box. I saw it. It had been there for years!" Usually by the time a last will and testament has been determined to be missing, every possible heir to the estate is in an uproar, and...

So far in our executor duties series, we have identified the first two steps an executor of an estate should take. Those were to locate and secure all assets and to consolidate all estate funds into a newly formed estate account. That brings us to the third task of an...

In the second installment of our Executor Duties series, we are going to discuss consolidating estate funds. Our first post determined that the first responsibility of the executor of an estate is to locate and secure physical assets owned by a decedent. Bank...

There are three types of wills recognized as valid by the state of Texas, and all have two mutual requirements. The testator must be at least 18-years-old, and he or she must be deemed to have a sound mind. This means that a general, valid will is based on the wishes...

When a loved one dies in Texas, there are many things that a family will need to think about. Apart from the grief, there are legal factors that must be accounted for in the aftermath. Some of these can be complicated. Probate is an important part of the legal process...

It can be difficult for Texans - even those with significant assets and wealth - to compare themselves to famous people and their estate plans. However, important lessons can be gleaned when examining the legal issues that often surround a celebrity and their estate...

A Texan who crafts a will does so to ensure that the assets and anything else he or she owns will go to the designated heirs. Regardless of the intent and the comprehensive nature of the document, legal issues can often arise with wills and other estate planning...