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...
Estate Administration
How the federal government can affect heirs’ tax responsibilities
There is an ongoing debate in Washington D.C. about the estate tax and how it will be handled. Texans who have a substantial enough portfolio where it will be affected by the estate tax if it stays in place or if it is repealed should keep track of the proposals and...
Overview of the claims process in Texas estates
One of the most important part of estate administration is the reviewing and paying of claims against a deceased Houston, Texas, resident's estate. After all, very few people leave this world with owing absolutely no money to anyone, especially if they have a final...
Placing a value on an estate’s property
Although sometimes not discussed as much as it really should be, one of the most important legal issues that comes up in the estate administration process is the valuation of the property of the estate. Valuation is particularly important because putting the wrong...
Preventing family fights over your estate
Watching your family grow and change, you may feel sad when you see the tensions that exist among your children, stepchildren or other family members. Perhaps you even anticipate that, after you leave this world, those tensions may become worse, especially if your...
Don’t navigate the estate administration process alone
Losing a loved one is one of the most stressful and traumatic experiences a person can go through. While dealing with the emotional impact, there are unfortunately a number of practical and important matters that need to be dealt with. When it comes to estate...
How trusts can be used to protect a child if a marriage ends
Texans who are considering ways to provide for their loved ones after they have passed will frequently be torn between wills and trusts. For some, the idea of inserting a trust into the will is taken into consideration. There could be a variety of reasons for this,...
Estate complexities and how to deal with them
Most Texans will understand the important of formulating an estate plan, but not have an in-depth knowledge of why it is important or what factors will come into play. Similarly, there are certain issues that will have an influence on an estate plan and must be fully...
Tactics to avoid probate problems
When a person dies, his or her property is known as that person's estate. A probate court oversees the administration of the estate, distributing the assets and paying off the debts. Unfortunately, the process of moving an estate through probate can be slow and...
The biggest parts of estate administration
Being named the executor of an estate is a big responsibility. First and foremost, it shows the trust that the a person had in you -- trust that you would be the right person to address the many different issues that can pop up in the process of estate administration....