Blended Families

Have a Harmonious Family that Does Not Fight? You Still Need an Estate Plan from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

In many families, everyone gets along, happily gathering for the holidays, sharing laughs, telling stories, and enjoying each other’s company. Then the matriarch or patriarch becomes incapacitated. Suddenly everyone wants to step forward to be the loving, responsible relative. Questions of who will be the primary decision-maker for grandma or grandpa can lead to tension. […]

The Perils of Joint Property Ownership from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

People often set up bank accounts or real estate so that they own them jointly with a spouse or other family member. The appeal of joint ownership, specifically with survivorship rights, is that when one owner dies, the other owner(s) will automatically inherit the property without it having to go through probate. Also, joint property […]

Why Snow White’s Father Should Have Had an Estate Plan from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Many of us are familiar with the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Central to the story is the relationship between Snow White and her stepmother. After losing his first wife, the king decided to remarry in order to provide a motherly influence for his daughter, Snow White. While things were peaceful for […]

Why the Knives May Come Out at Death from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Long time readers of this blog know of our love of the 2019 murder mystery film Knives Out, for shining a Hollywood sized spotlight on the world of estate planning. With the release of the sequel, Glass Onion in 2022, now is a great time for a refresher into the world of estate planning and […]