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Living Trusts in Texas: What They Do and When You Need One

A living trust in Texas is an estate planning tool created during your lifetime to hold and manage assets for your benefit now and for your beneficiaries after death. When a living trust is properly drafted and funded, it can help your family avoid probate for the assets owned by the trust. It can also provide smoother management if...

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How to Probate a Will in Texas Without a Lawyer

You may be able to probate a will in Texas without a lawyer only in limited situations, usually when you are truly representing only yourself and are not asking to serve as executor for the estate. If you are applying for Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, a determination of heirship, or authority to act for an estate, many Texas...

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Small Estate Affidavit in Texas: When It Works and When It Does Not

A small estate affidavit in Texas is a simplified probate procedure that may let heirs collect estate property without a full administration when someone dies without a will and the estate meets strict legal requirements. It can be faster and less expensive than a full probate case, but it is only available in limited situations. The phrase “small estate”...

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How to Create a Trust in Texas: A Step-by-Step Guide

To create a trust in Texas, you generally need to decide what kind of trust you need, identify the trustee and beneficiaries, create a written trust document, sign it properly, and transfer assets into the trust. The trust document is important, but funding the trust is what makes it useful. A trust that owns nothing may not avoid probate...

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