The advancements in medical technology, even in the past 5–10 years, have been quite remarkable. The average life expectancy in the U.S. continues to climb each year; the latest figures are almost at 79 years. Still, tomorrow is never guaranteed — the COVID-19 pandemic, though somewhat subsiding, reminded us of that uncomfortable fact.  Before it’s your time to go, you need to set aside some time for estate planning. Read More

The question of not only whether you own real property, but how you hold title to that property,  has significant implications on your rights as a property owner and how the property can be passed down to your heirs. It’s exceedingly common for married couples to own property together, but there are several different ways that spouses can hold titles. We’ll take a deeper dive into this subject below and lay out some Read More

Just about everyone understands what a Last Will and Testament is and the purpose it serves. That legal document is the foundation of many people’s estate plans, but it is also not the last word on estate planning for plenty of people. Another estate planning document that might be important for you, your family, and your property is a power of attorney. There are several types of power of attorney; we’ll go over Read More

Many states require buyers of real property to purchase title insurance. Texas, however, is not one of them, though your mortgage lender might require you to purchase a policy to protect their interests.  Because title insurance is not required for real estate transactions in Texas, many buyers take the short-term savings, believing that having title insurance (or at the very least obtaining a title report) is a Read More

The basic purpose of estate planning is to have a distribution plan for your assets in your estate. Many estate planners have a Last Will and Testament, which bequeaths certain assets (like a house, car, bank account) to beneficiaries. Estate planning can accomplish other things, like naming successor guardians for minor children, shielding assets from lawsuits and creditors, and avoiding probate court Read More

A universal truth among all adults who own any assets or have children is that they should have an estate plan. A Last Will and Testament is all many people need. Unfortunately, many people also pass away without any estate planning documents in place.  This situation can trigger a long and costly process in probate court, but there are ways around this. If your parent or loved one passed away without Read More