Adoption is a lifelong commitment to a child, and must be entered into with the utmost consideration and care. The public agency responsible for adoptions requires prospective parents to meet certain standards to ensure that the adoptive children are pla...
Among the most prevalent concerns for married couples who are engaged in estate planning are how to delay payment of estate taxes, and how to make sure that the proper heirs receive the assets in the trust. Numerous trusts exist that allow both for the postponement o...
In Texas, when a person dies without a will and owned property at the time of death, an estate is usually opened to receive claims against the estate and transfer remaining property to the surviving relatives. In...
We've written several articles about the disadvantages of dying without a will, including greater expense in handling the estate and the inherent frustration for family members who are left to sort it all out. While Texas law provides clea...
In all likelihood, the average person has never served as an executor for someone's estate. In many instances, the executor named in a will remains unaware of having been chosen for the position until after a loved one's dea...
A limited partnership is an entity formed to conduct a for-profit business and is comprised of a least one general partner and at least one limited partner. The partners may be persons, corporations or partnerships and their business relationship is s...
When ownership of real property is transferred a deed is signed, after which all rights and responsibilities to the property are handed over from the seller to the buyer. Few purchases are more expensive or important than that of real estate, and it ...
Changing a Living Trust Modification of a Living Trust When most people speak of a living trust, they are referring to a revocable living trust. In fact, however, a living trust can be either revocable or irrevocable. As your College Station living trust attorney will tell you, he ter...
The two most common reasons people put off making a will are that they think they have plenty of time to worry about it later or they think hiring an attorney to draft a will is too expensive. We can't know how many days we have left ...
Contesting a will is very uncommon, and unless you have very good cause the challenge will not hold up in probate court. If you believe that it is necessary to contest a will, then, you need to work with a College Station probate attorney who will fight fo...
If you are starting a business and have decided upon a corporation structure, you are likely aware of the advantages and disadvantages. It is important that you follow the procedures for forming a corporation closely. A College Station corporate atto...
Texas is one of a handful of U.S. states to recognize common law marriage. This means if you decide to live with your significant other and hold yourselves out to be married, Texas law may deem you to be husban...
Inter Vivos Trust An inter vivos trust is a trust created while you are alive in contrast to a testamentary trust that is created by the terms of your will upon your death. As your Bryan TX living trust lawyer can tell you, inter vivos trusts serve purposes such as avoidance of probate, m...
Probate is the process of transferring title from the name of the deceased to the beneficiaries as directed by the terms of the will of the deceased or by the laws of intestate succession if there was no will or the will was found to be inv...
How Does the Hobby Lobby Decision Affect My Business? The Supreme Court recently announced its decision in the landmark Hobby Lobby case, where Hobby Lobby and several other for-profit corporations argued that the companies should not be legally required to provide certain health insura...
How to Transfer Assets to a Trust Transferring Assets to a Trust Creating a trust can be beneficial in avoiding probate after your death as well as in managing your financial affairs in the event of a disability and ultimately when you pass. However, the trust is ineffective concernin...
A professional association is a group of professionals in an industry who consolidate their practices without forming a partnership or corporation. Under the Secretary of State guidelines only the following may file for a professional association in Texas
Any fees or costs associated with probating an estate reduce the amount the beneficiaries will receive; obviously, it is most desirable to minimize that amount as much as possible. As your College Station probate attorney will tell you, there are, h...
Estate Tax Planning Strategies Minimizing any taxes due after one's death is the goal of estate tax planning. Part of the strategy involves keeping up on any change in federal or state law. The most recent legislation to impact the federal estate tax, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2...
How to Establish a Trust A trust is a great way to avoid having assets delayed in probate court. In some cases it can reduce the estate so that beneficiaries avoid estate taxes as well. Numerous types of trusts are available in Texas, and it would be in your best interests to speak with a...
The idea of running one's own business is very enticing to many individuals. The nature of your business is limited only by your imagination. That said, you will want to make money at your enterprise, so it is important to plan everything out with the assistan...
Sometimes mistakenly referred to as a “quick claim,” the quitclaim deed is a legal instrument which has extremely limited value or use in Texas. Because of this fact, you should consult with a College Station real estate lawyer before accepting a quitc...
Probate is considered by many a necessary evil. When a testator dies, beneficiaries often are frustrated to learn that the will must be probated. However, the purpose of probate is important, if misunderstood. A probate attorney in Conroe can help you through the prob...
Having a plan for the future gives us peace of mind. Proper planning can help you be financially and legally prepared for both expected and unexpected life events. But having a plan in place doesn't mean you never have to think...
Pour-Over Wills Pour-over wills are generally used in conjunction with a living trust, and provide for certain assets not yet in the trust at the time the settlor dies to be moved from the will into the trust. There are both advantages and disadvantages to using a pour-over will, and you ...