If you've ever known a family that had to create a guardianship, you may have heard that the expense was extremely high. It definitely can be. Guardianship is a complex process requiring the court to involve multiple attorneys that are highly trained to find the best solutions for someone who is mentally incapacitated. So, guardianship [...]
There is a “goldilocks” time to do Medicaid planning, but it can be a wide range. You can be too young, but you can also be too late. An ideal time to consider Medicaid planning is after retirement (unless your idea of retirement is 90!), especially if you have stable income and expenses. In almost [...]
Probate sounds like a nasty thing that your family is trapped into when someone dies. Probate can be difficult and expensive, even when there is no dispute, in some countries and some states. Luckily, Texas has very modern, streamlined probate rules. But why do we have those rules at all? Probate is the process of [...]
A common question we get is: Can I Just Continue to Live in Mom’s Property that I have inherited without going through probate and eventually get title? Most people think that if they live in the property of their deceased relative or if they pay taxes on the property they will eventually own [...]
Texas, to my regret, permits common law marriage. Cohabitation is a requirement to create a common law marriage, but it is not the only requirement. There also must be an agreement to marry and the couple must hold themselves out to the public as being married. Therefore, cohabitation alone, for any length of time, does [...]
Many of our clients self-direct their investments using discount brokerage firms or low-cost mutual funds. Some of our clients have done fabulously well in handling their investments; however, almost to a person, they do not believe anybody else in their family has the skill to handle it themselves. One option is to consider "retiring" from [...]
When you hear "estate planning", you probably think wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. That's what attorneys do think about. But estate planning is about transitioning your life. There is more than just transferring your assets, it is about transitioning the things you do and the ways people rely upon you. If you are a [...]
Affidavits of heirship are a shortcut procedure largely unauthorized by statute. The only statute that makes them effective is Texas Estates Code section 210.053 which states that a good faith purchaser, without the knowledge of an heir, can rely on an affidavit of heirship to obtain good title to property, except against certain undisclosed children [...]
Long-term care costs at an assisted living facility are scary. Even scarier right now is the thought of placing someone in a facility that then becomes a hot bed for COVID. If your loved one needs assistance, your choices are going to be narrow and expensive. You might be able to care for your loved [...]
The State of Texas has very generous debtor protection laws. As most know, we are the only state that provides an unlimited homestead exemption. There are many other exemptions, and with expert legal planning, you can protect almost all your assets! As but one example, it is important to understand the difference between community property [...]