“No, I am your father.” These words, uttered by James Earl Jones in his voice-over role as Darth Vader, are indelible in the minds of Star Wars fans. Jones is also well known for voicing Mufasa in The Lion King and a series of cable news promotions in which he declared, “This is CNN.” But Jones’s […]
Probate
What You Can Learn from the Leno Conservatorship Proceedings from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen
When most people think about creating an estate plan, they usually focus on what will happen when they die. They typically do not consider what their wishes would be if they were alive but unable to manage their own affairs (in other words, if they are alive but incapacitated). In many cases, failing to plan […]
Are Pensions Treated the Same in Your Estate Plan as Other Retirement Accounts? from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen
The first private pension plan in the United States was established in the late 1800s. Through 1980, nearly 40 percent of Americans were covered by a traditional employer-funded pension. But employer-provided retirement plans have now largely shifted away from pensions to retirement savings vehicles like 401(k) plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) that place most […]
If My Will Is Filed with the Court, Will It Go through Probate? from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen
Death is a personal and private affair that affects the deceased’s close family and friends. However, there is at least one aspect of death that may require state oversight: probate. But what does it mean to probate an estate and how does that different from when a the court requires a trusted helper to file […]