When investigators entered the home of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Machiko Arakawa, in a gated community outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26, 2025, they found the couple dead under mysterious circumstances. Following their investigation, authorities pieced together a timeline of the couple’s last days, indicating that a period of […]
Assets
Do You Go By Different Names? Ensure That Your Estate Planning Attorney Knows from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen
Your name is one of the most personal things about you. It can tell the rest of the world so much about your family, your history, and occasionally even your personality. But not everyone keeps the same name they were given at birth. If you are a beneficiary or a creditor of an estate, or if […]
The Trust Protection Myth: Your Revocable Trust Protects Against Lawsuits, By Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen
Many people believe the trust protection myth, i.e. they believe that once they create a revocable living trust and change the ownership of their accounts and property from themselves as individuals to their trust, those accounts and property are protected from lawsuits. This is not true. While trusts commonly protect a beneficiary’s inheritance, few trusts […]
Estate Planning Basics for Newlyweds: How to Prepare for the Unexpected From Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen
Getting married is a special time in your life; you may have a beautiful wedding, a fun reception (with a delicious cake and special gifts), and a romantic honeymoon. While estate planning might seem an odd choice, but it is also the right time for you and your new spouse to plan for your future—for […]