Marital Disclaimers and the Clayton Election: Last-Minute Estate Tax Planning from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Marital Disclaimers and the Clayton Election: Last-Minute Estate Tax Planning

Deferring, minimizing, or avoiding estate taxes altogether is often an important estate planning goal for married couples. However, uncertainty surrounding what the estate tax laws and the value of their accounts and property will be at the first spouse’s death can leave a couple feeling that they need a crystal ball to make the right […]

Yours, Mine, and Ours: How Including a Pour-Over Trust Can Simplify Your Planning from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Yours, Mine, and Ours: How Including a Pour-Over Trust Can Simplify Your Planning

A number of married couples think about their accounts and property as “yours, mine, and ours,” especially if either or both spouses have gotten or will be getting remarried, married late in life, or have brought or will be bringing significant amounts of money and property into the marriage. Deciding what should happen to all […]

To Have, but Not to Hold? Common Law Marriage and Estate Planning From Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Common Law Marriage by Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Marriage as a legal institution has taken a variety of forms throughout history. As society evolves, how we identify marriage in our society also changes. While not lawful everywhere, in Texas a couple may be deemed married without having participated in judicial or religious ceremonies. These marriages are called common law marriages. Their existence creates […]