When planning for the end of life, you trust a lawyer to help you design an effective and efficient estate plan. Ensuring you select an experienced, knowledgeable lawyer who listens can help you attain the peace of mind of having a good estate plan. Understanding what your plans say and what will happen during estate and trust administration brings...
Continue ReadingWhen you plan your estate, providing for your loved ones is often priority number one. You want to make the transition as stress-free as possible, minimize costs, get property in their hands quickly, and distribute assets fairly. You can often accomplish these goals through probate avoidance—creating legal documents that pass property to new owners without court involvement. At Robbins...
Continue ReadingAfter a person dies, their loved ones must usually manage their final affairs through estate administration in probate court. Naturally, people often look for ways to make the process less burdensome. One possibility is to seek independent administration, which requires everyone entitled to receive something from the estate’s consent and allows the estate’s representative to act without court approval. ...
Continue ReadingWhen a loved one dies, the last thing many people want to think about is navigating an unfamiliar legal process through probate court. If your loved one left a will, you may be able to bypass many of the steps of probate through muniment of title. Texas law authorizes this simplified process in limited circumstances, particularly if your loved...
Continue ReadingManaging a loved one’s affairs after they die is a process filled with grief and stress. Unfortunately, a lot of the stress comes from navigating the probate process. In limited circumstances, you can simplify the legal process using a small estate affidavit. Texas allows people to bypass parts of the probate process if the deceased person, the decedent, left...
Continue ReadingLosing a loved one is a painful experience, and dealing with this loss while also figuring out what to do with their belongings can be even more challenging. If you find yourself in this position, you might be dealing with intestate probate. This is the legal process of handling someone’s estate (everything they own) when they die without a...
Continue ReadingThe emotional toll of losing a loved one can be incredibly devastating. During this time of grief, you might find yourself named as the executor of your loved one’s estate. Suddenly, you’re responsible for handling probate tasks, which can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with the process. You may have heard that a probate attorney can help, but you’re...
Continue ReadingProbate hearings can be confusing, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the legal process. Understanding what questions are asked at a probate hearing can help you feel more prepared and confident. This blog will give you insight into the types of inquiries you might encounter and offer tips for navigating the probable court proceedings. As experienced estate planning attorneys, our...
Continue ReadingThe Texas Probate Code is a set of laws that govern how a deceased person’s property, or “estate,” is handled after they pass away. Whether you’re dealing with losing a loved one or planning for your own future, understanding the Texas Probate Code can be helpful. This blog will give you a basic overview of some critical components of...
Continue ReadingUnderstanding the role of non-probate assets is crucial in estate planning for anyone looking to ensure they are distributed smoothly and according to their wishes. Non-probate assets, such as life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and jointly owned properties, bypass the probate process and are transferred directly to the designated beneficiaries upon one’s death. This direct transfer mechanism simplifies the...
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