If you've been shopping recently, you've probably noticed at least one retailer that is already stocked and decorated for the Christmas holidays. It seems as though Christmas decorations show up earlier each year. If you have any retail entreprene...
Senator Harry Reid, D-Nev., recently announced plans to submit the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to the Senate for a vote within the next few weeks. Though an earlier version of ENDA was passed in 2007, transgend...
The time it takes to probate a will depends on several factors, such as whether the estate can be administered in a simplified process or if a traditional, full-blown probate process is needed. A simple estate administration can be compl...
We've all seen a movie scene where a group of people anxiously await the reading of a will. These scenes typically involve a wealthy decedent and end with someone being left out or receiving a smaller inheritance than anticipated.
If you've lost a loved one and have been named as the executor of the estate, you already know you have your work cut out for you. The probate process does not have to be difficult, but it does require identifying and protecting ...
Texas community property rules apply to property owned at the time of a person's death if the person was married. Many testators who have adult children will name one or more of the children as executors. When a parent ...
The vast majority of parents want their estates to be divided equally among their children or grandchildren. But when the majority of an estate is made up of real estate — usually the family home — the mechanics of dividing the estate ...
It is rare for estate litigation or other probate cases to make the news. Other than the people who stand to inherit from an estate, few others are interested in will contests that might be going on at the cou...
We recently discussed the importance of protecting and preserving the assets of an estate when you've been appointed to fulfill the role of executor in a friend or loved one's will. In this article, we will talk about where you should ...
As we recently explained, a limited partnership is a legal business entity made up of at least one limited partner and at least one general partner. Limited partners enjoy limited liability, but are not allowed to carry out...
A limited partnership is a legal business entity made up of at least one limited partner and at least one general partner. Business people trying to decide which type of business entity to establish might choose a limited partnership because it offers the ...
Which Assets are Subject to Probate and Which Are Non-Probate Assets? Part of what we do when we help someone prepare a comprehensive estate plan is have a discussion about which assets are to be distributed through the Last Will and Testament and which assets are to be distributed by oth...
Fulfilling the role of executor for a friend or loved one's Will can be a daunting job if you choose to go it alone. Depending on the size and types of assets in the estate, the task can qu...
There are times when a person dies with a Will, but administration of the estate is not necessary. This may happen when a spouse dies, leaving everything to the other spouse, whose name is a...
Getting Guardianship of Minor Children After Someone Dies Losing a loved one is traumatic for adults, but especially for children who lose their parents. If you are the grandparent, aunt, uncle or other relative of minor children who are orphaned by the death of their parents, you should ...
Integrated Estate Planning Your College Station estate planning attorney understands that often a client's main concern when planning disposition of an estate is making sure that assets are available to heirs upon his passing. However, an optimal estate plan takes into consideration much ...
Workers' compensation benefits are generally paid to workers who were hurt on the job or contracted an occupational illness, regardless who's to blame for the accident which caused the injuries. Though there are som...
Contractors and materials suppliers are allowed under Texas law to place a mechanic's lien on property where work has been performed but payment has not been forthcoming. A mechanic's lien attorney in College Station understands the importance to your business of ensu...
A probate action is necessary when a decedent passes without a will. In such cases the estate is probated in court to determine appropriate heirs. It is important for an interested party to retain the services of an experienced probate attorney in College ...
Special Needs Trusts The special needs trust is designed to benefit those who cannot care for themselves, whether they be special needs children or adults, or an elderly person. When used properly, a special needs trust can be very helpful, and can even prevent loss of assets. A special n...
The family limited partnership can be a very useful component of a person's complete estate planning package. The purpose is to transfer assets from parents to beneficiaries (usually children and grandchildren) in such a way that estate taxes are minimized. H...
There is no state law in Texas requiring employers to give employees paid time off. Employers and employees may have an agreement otherwise as a condition or benefit of employment, but it is not required.
Texas has special rules for probating a small estate if the decedent didn't own any real estate other than a home and estate contains less than $50,000 in assets. A person's estate generally includes everything they own at the time of death. For small e...
One of the first things you should do if you've never served as the personal representative of an estate before is consult with an experienced Texas probate lawyer. The costs of legal services related to your duties is most ...
Do I Need to Prepare a Letter of Instruction for My Personal Representative? The majority of people named as personal representatives of a deceased loved one's estate have never acted in such a capacity before. Another complicating factor can be whether you and your personal representativ...