A loved one’s passing is felt by their entire surviving family. But when it comes to carrying out the decedent’s final wishes, not everyone has an equal say. In fact, in many cases, only one person—the executor (for a will) or trustee (for a trust)—plays a role in carrying out the final wishes. This role includes things […]
Studies[1] have shown that the largest contributing factors to generational loss of wealth are a lack of communication and trust among family members and the failure to prepare heirs.[2] Often, fear is what underlies the lack of communication and trust that inevitably leads to unprepared heirs. The following are some of the fears that prevent people […]
Asking someone to serve as your fiduciary (trustee of your trust or personal representative or executor under your last will and testament) is not something you should do lightly. Serving as a fiduciary is a heavy responsibility that requires significant time and effort. If you plan to nominate a family member or friend to serve in […]
Despite what some believe, children born to unmarried parents are commonplace. Historically, children in this category have been treated poorly by both society and the law. In many cases, they had no right to inherit from either parent. This legal scheme eventually changed and provided means for these children to inherit from their mothers, but rarely […]
Many people associate spring with cleaning out the old, brushing off the dirt accumulated from the long winter, cleaning out their closets, and starting projects around the house that have been neglected for far too long. Perhaps, however, your home is fine as is and there’s something else that needs to be updated this summer. Estate […]
In honor of the recent Teacher Appreciation Week (the first week of May), we are taking this opportunity to say a bit “thank you” our teachers for their time and dedication to teaching the future generation. Teacher, you provide the foundational knowledge necessary to ensure the success of tomorrow’s leaders. We are here to make sure […]
The number of marriages in Texas has been in steady decline for years. The reasons for this vary, but it hardly means love or romance is dead. Most young couples choose instead to cohabitate, effectively acting as a married couple without the formality of a ceremony or even creating a common law marriage. Yet, these unmarried […]
Now, more than ever before, Americans are using a variety of tax-deferred accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs to save for retirement. And while the laws are currently designed so that people must start withdrawing the money when they retire, it is not uncommon for many of these accounts to still have significant value at the […]
When reading through a will or trust agreement, you may see language that grants a right to an individual to purchase certain property from the estate or trust at “fair market value.” At first glance, this phrase may seem a perfectly reasonable method of setting a suitable purchase price for a property to be sold. But […]
The death of a loved one is never easy. Regardless of your relationship with the deceased, you need space and time to process and grieve your loss. Once you have had time to cope with all that has happened, you should consider updating your own estate plan in light of your loved one’s death. We are […]
