| Read Time: 4 minutes | Estate Planning

Texas Pour-Over Wills Overview

Setting up a living trust is often a highly efficient method of maintaining control over your assets while preparing to pass them on to descendants. However, you must take steps to prepare your assets for the trust. Transferring ownership of your property to your trust is one such step. Ensuring that a trust officially owns all the assets you...

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| Read Time: 4 minutes | Estate Planning

What Are an Estate Executor’s Responsibilities in Texas?

When someone passes away, the executor is in charge of handling the decedent’s estate. From finding assets to paying taxes to distributing real estate, the executor has a lot to do. Let’s walk through the different responsibilities of an executor of an estate.  If you have questions, please contact the Austin estate planning attorneys at Massingill today online or call us at 512-601-6741...

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| Read Time: 2 minutes | Estate Planning

How to Obtain Letters Testamentary in Texas

Being the executor of an estate is a massive responsibility. Executors must satisfy all the legal hurdles of the probate court and ensure that heirs and beneficiaries get the property they are entitled to. Unfortunately, many legal requirements of probating a will can be challenging for executors to satisfy. One of the first legal hurdles is obtaining letters testamentary....

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| Read Time: 3 minutes | Estate Planning

How to Claim Unclaimed Property of a Deceased Loved One in Texas

A properly formed and executed estate plan can ensure loved ones benefit from all a decedent’s property once they pass. Unfortunately, not everyone can perfectly manage their assets and make the proper arrangements to pass them on with little effort. Sometimes, valuable property can fall through the cracks. During the probate process, the families of the deceased might not...

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| Read Time: 3 minutes | Estate Planning

What Is a Texas Affidavit of Heirship?

When a loved one dies without a will, distributing their estate can add even more hardship to a grieving family. In most cases, the decedent’s estate will go through a probate process involving lengthy delays and court oversight. Fortunately, there are some methods heirs can use to receive the decedent’s property without going through probate. A Texas affidavit of...

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| Read Time: 2 minutes | Estate Planning

A Step-By-Step Guide to the Probate Process in Texas

The Texas Estates Code sets out a process for overseeing the distribution of an estate’s assets. Intestate estates (those where the decedent left no will), and an estate with assets that are not exempt, must go through probate. Though the process is relatively straightforward, several issues that might interrupt the distribution of the estate to heirs can arise. From...

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| Read Time: 3 minutes | Estate Planning

Does Texas Require an Attorney for Probate?

Probate can be a long, complicated process. Between the filings, deadlines, and court hearings, people often ask, Do I need a lawyer for probate? In most cases, the answer is yes. However, even when a probate attorney isn’t required by law, their services are invaluable and can often save you time and money when probating an estate.  What Is...

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| Read Time: 5 minutes | Estate Planning

What is a Medical Power of Attorney in Texas?

There may come a time when a person loses the ability to communicate his or her health care decisions. Whether the person loses capacity as a result of an accident, disease, or old age, it can be a difficult time for everyone involved. To ease the emotional stress of these types of situations, Texans should consider completing a medical...

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| Read Time: 3 minutes | Estate Planning

What Assets Must Go Through Probate in Texas?

When someone dies, their assets are usually divided into two legal categories: probate and non-probate assets. But what are probate assets? And what does it mean when something is categorized as non-probate? Whether an asset is considered probate or non-probate property will determine how it will be distributed after a person’s death.  In this post, the Austin probate attorneys...

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| Read Time: 4 minutes | Estate Planning

How Much Does an Estate Planning Attorney Cost in Texas?

Worries about the costs of estate planning are normal. Unfortunately, these worries often lead to prolonged procrastination. Many Americans let their concerns about costs stop them from formulating an estate plan. In fact, less than half of Americans have a will. Without a will, you are putting your estate and your loved ones in a bad position once you...

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