Wills

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 […]

Who Should Be the Trustee of a Third-Party Special Needs Trust? from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

Family members with special needs may require assistance throughout their lives. If you want to ensure that a loved one with a disability is taken care of after you are gone, you can help manage resources for them by using a third-party special needs trust (SNT). Also known as a supplemental needs trust, a third-party […]

Demystifying Probate and the Executor’s Role from Austin Estate Planning Attorney Liz Nielsen

When creating a last will and testament (commonly known as a will), one of your most important considerations is who to choose to serve as the executor (sometimes called a personal representative) of your estate. As the name implies, the role of the executor is to execute the instructions that you provide in your will. […]