What happens if you are not married but have a child with someone, and then you die when the child is a minor? To further complicate it, let’s assume you do not have a will. Who has the right to serve as the personal representative of your estate? If you are survived by your mother,...KEEP READING
When it comes to life insurance policies, it’s important to make sure that the beneficiary you have designated is the person you truly want to receive the death benefit. Unfortunately, there are situations where someone may use undue influence to change the beneficiary of a policy without the policyholder’s knowledge or consent. In this blog...KEEP READING
Writing a will is an important step in ensuring that your assets and property are distributed according to your wishes after your death. In Texas, there are specific requirements that must be met in order for a will to be considered valid. One option for creating a will is to write it by hand, also...KEEP READING
In Texas, the news of the recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot winner has brought attention to the importance of protecting wealth. Lottery officials announced that a single ticket holder took home the largest prize in U.S. history. But history has shown that many lottery winners find themselves in financial trouble within five years of hitting...KEEP READING
Under U.S. tax law, gifts and inheritances are generally excluded from gross income. This means that you do not have to pay taxes on gifts or inheritances that you receive. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you receive a gift of property that has appreciated in value since it was...KEEP READING
What exactly is probate? It’s a legal process that takes place when someone dies, and it involves the distribution of their assets. While this may sound like a simple enough process, there are actually several different types of probate in Texas that you should be aware of if you are dealing with an estate or...KEEP READING
When you’re the beneficiary of a Texas trust, there are certain things that you should know. From understanding the different types of trusts in Texas to knowing your rights as a beneficiary, these six things will help you navigate your way through the process. Whether you’re setting up a trust for someone else or establishing...KEEP READING
In Texas, if you want to contest a will or trust on the grounds of undue influence, you must be able to show that the person who created the document was unduly influenced by another person. This can be a difficult burden to meet, but it is not impossible. If you suspect that someone unduly...KEEP READING
If a person dies without any heirs, their estate is called intestate. This means that the state will decide what happens to the estate. The laws surrounding intestate estates can be complex and vary from state to state. In Texas, if a person dies without any heirs on either the paternal or maternal side, their...KEEP READING
When a person dies, their property must go through a process called probate. Probate is the legal process of distributing a deceased person’s property. The court will appoint an executor to oversee the probate process and distribute the deceased person’s assets according to their will or, if they didn’t have a will, according to Texas...KEEP READING
