While people used to think of trusts as something only used by the extremely wealthy, the popularity of revocable living trusts as part of a probate avoidance strategy has focused more attention on these versatile estate planning tools. Avoiding probate is just the tip of the iceberg. Trusts can accomplish […]
If you have created a revocable living trust to avoid probate or you are considering establishing a special needs trust or other type of trust, you may have heard that it is important to “fund” your trust. This is indeed an important task and it can involve some complex steps […]
Even when we’ve been preparing ourselves mentally and emotionally for the loss of a loved one, death usually takes us by surprise. Most of us are not quite sure what to do and when to do it. The full range of tasks to be completed between the time someone passes […]
When an adult is legally incompetent and not able to manage their own financial matters or personal care, family members often feel they have no choice but to initiate guardianship proceedings so that they can provide assistance. However, guardianship strips an individual of their rights, and therefore courts consider it […]
You may have heard that if you die without a will, or if the court determines that your will is not valid, then your affairs will be settled according to the Texas laws of intestate succession. And unless you’ve worked with probate before, you may have no idea what that […]