Texas Estate Planning
Estate planning is the process by which clients can control the distribution of their property after their death. We can help obtain your peace of mind by developing a personalized plan to provide for children and loved ones through estate planning planning tools such as wills or trusts. Our firm also handles "living wills" or advanced directives allowing you to memorialize your desires before you become incapacitated, taking the difficult burden of making these decisions off of your loved ones. We also provide legal representation to families who have lost a loved one and are seeking to probate the estate. Some of our estate planning practice includes:
- Simple Estate Planning
- Complex Estate Planning
- Wills
- Living Wills
- Gifts
- Trusts
- Tax Planning
- Probate and Estate Administration
- Social Security/ Retirement Planning
- Closely Held Business Models
The Importance of Estate Planning
If a person does not have a will or other estate planning device such as a trust in place for the distribution of his or her estate at death, family members may face an emotional, complicated, and costly process. Often survivors end up having to pay more taxes on their inheritance than they would have paid had there been a will or other estate planning tool. To provide for surviving friends and family, or to support favorite causes or charities, a person should plan for the distribution of his or her estate upon death. A carefully crafted estate plan can greatly ease the tax burden on an estate and still allow for your property to be distributed pursuant to your wishes.
A will is the most common document used to specify how an estate should be handled after death. A trust is another estate-planning device frequently used to manage the distribution of a person's estate. To understand the differences in these Estate planning tools and to determine which device best suits your needs, call for an individualized planning session.
Guardian Ad Litem
A person with minor or dependent children may designate in a will or trust a guardian to care for those children should there be no surviving parent. If an individual fails to name someone to assume the role of guardian, the probate court will appoint someone. The person chosen by the court usually will be a relative or family friend, but it may not be the person the parent would have wished. It is important that the prospective guardian understand the provisions of the will and be willing to accept the responsibilities of being a guardian to the children. Also, it is sound advice to name an alternate guardian should the primary guardian be unable or unwilling to accept the responsibility.
Contact our Houston law firm to help you with your Estate Planning needs at 832-699-1966 or submit a client contact form to have an attorney contact you.
