Law Journal
Practical guidance on estate planning, probate, elder law, and real estate from our attorneys.
Your parents spent decades building a retirement account for you. Congress quietly killed the rule that let you stretch it over your lifetime — and the IRS started enforcing the replacement in 2025. Here's what every Texas family needs to know.
A grandmother in Plano thought she was protecting her autistic grandson. The $150,000 she left him directly wiped out his Medicaid and SSI overnight. Here's how a special needs trust changes everything.
Texas allows handwritten wills — but a caretaker's discovery in a San Antonio probate court reveals the hidden traps that can make your final wishes legally meaningless.
A Plano firm killed the federal non-compete ban in court — but that doesn't mean your agreement is bulletproof. Here's what Texas law actually requires.
Texas has 1.5 million veterans — and thousands of them are quietly depleting their savings on long-term care without knowing about a federal benefit that can pay up to $2,874 a month.
You paid your contractor in full and got a receipt. Now a subcontractor has filed a lien against your Frisco home. Here's how Texas materialman's liens work — and the five things every homeowner must do before renovations begin.
Carla Alston had the trust, the will, the powers of attorney — everything an estate planning attorney is supposed to have. And still she couldn't access her husband Tom's crypto. This is the story of what went wrong, and what she now builds for every family that hires her.
Ronald Smith thought his wife's will had been handled. Five years later, an oil company told him he was wrong — and the clock had already run out. Here's the Texas probate trap that blindsides families every year.
Your will doesn't control your IRAs, 401(k)s, or life insurance — beneficiary designations do. Here's why updating them is the most overlooked — and most consequential — step in your Texas estate plan.
The federal estate-tax exemption is scheduled to drop from roughly $14 million per person to about $7 million on January 1, 2026, absent Congressional action. For families with estates between $7M and $28M, the trust you built under the higher exemption may not do what you think it does.
Most Texans assume they know what they own. A 2025 Texas appeals court ruling — and a new 2026 law — reveal just how wrong that assumption can be. Here's what community property actually means in Texas.
Texas is now America's premier cryptocurrency state — yet most Texans with digital assets have no estate plan for them. Here's what the law actually says, and what happens when private keys die with their owner.
Carla's son Christian — who has Down syndrome and autism — turned 18 four years ago. The week before his birthday, her pediatrician's office informed her, politely, that they would no longer speak to her about Christian's care. Here is what happened next, and what every Texas special-needs family needs to know about that week.
71% of DFW homeowners skipped their property tax protest in 2025 and left thousands on the table. Here's how to fight your appraisal — and why most Texans who try actually win.
Most Texas probate takes six to twelve months — but the right approach can cut that to weeks. Here's what actually drives the timeline and how to set realistic expectations.
Texas ranks third in the nation for elder fraud complaints — and 72% of perpetrators are family members. Here's what the law says and how to protect your family.
Your family doesn't automatically inherit your debt in Texas, but creditors may still have a claim against your estate. Here's what Texas law says — and how to protect your loved ones.
In Texas, a forger can walk into the county clerk's office, file a fake deed on your home, and transfer your title — without your knowledge. Here's how it happens and what the law can — and can't — do about it.
There is an account-transfer process at every major crypto exchange, but the timeline, the evidence required, and what the family has to know in advance are very different from what a brokerage estate transfer looks like. Here is what a Texas family can actually expect.
Well-meaning financial advisors tell clients all the time: 'Just gift the kids the appreciated stock — they're in a lower tax bracket.' For most highly appreciated assets, this is exactly wrong, and the reason is a rule you may have never been told exists.
A grandmother in Plano wrote her grandson a birthday check for $10,000 last Christmas. Her grandson has autism and qualifies for SSI and Texas Medicaid Waiver services. The check disqualified him for nine months. Here is how it happened and how to prevent it.
Beneficiary designations are a powerful probate-avoidance tool for brokerage and retirement accounts. They do not exist for self-custody crypto — and most crypto holders do not know that until it is too late.
Trusts hit the top federal income-tax bracket at a fraction of what an individual would need to earn. For a Special Needs Trust retaining investment income year after year, the compressed bracket can eat the trust principal over time. Here is the design fix.
It is not notarized. It is not filed with a court. It is not even legally binding. And for families with a child who has special needs, it is the single most important document in the estate plan.
Getting served with a lawsuit is stressful. Here's a step-by-step guide to what happens next, what deadlines matter, and how to protect yourself in Texas.
If you gift appreciated Bitcoin to your children during life, they take your cost basis. If you hold it until death, they get a full step-up — and decades of unrealized gain disappear. Most families are making this decision without knowing they are making it.
Your CPA is filing your return accurately based on the facts you give them. Your estate planning attorney is supposed to be structuring the facts before they exist. These are five places the gap between the two shows up most expensively.
Most families do not have to choose between an ABLE account and a Special Needs Trust. They should have both. Here is the decision framework, in plain English, from an attorney who has actually used both for her own son.
Turning 18 means your parents can no longer make medical decisions for you. Here's why a medical power of attorney should be on every grad's list.
A Lady Bird Deed lets you keep full control of your home during your lifetime while transferring it to your beneficiaries automatically at death -- without probate.
One of the most common estate planning misconceptions in Texas is that your spouse inherits everything. The reality is more complicated.
Many people are surprised to learn that a will does not bypass probate. Here's what Texas families should understand about wills vs. trusts.
Life changes like marriage, the birth of a child, or acquiring significant assets often signal the right time to consult a trust and will attorney.
Estate planning for blended families in Texas requires extra care. Without the right plan, your spouse and children from prior relationships may end up in conflict.
A Medical Power of Attorney lets you appoint someone to make healthcare decisions if you can't. Learn what Texas medical directives are, how to get one, and why it matters.
Learn about the role and benefits of trusts in estate planning, and discover how they can protect your assets, avoid probate, and ensure your wishes are fulfilled.
Being named executor of an estate in Texas comes with real responsibilities. Here's a practical guide to what the role involves and how to do it right.
Summer is the perfect time to revisit your estate plan. Take 10 minutes for this simple 3-step check-in to make sure your will, POA, and trust are current.
When a loved one can't make their own decisions and has no power of attorney, guardianship may be necessary. Here's how the Texas guardianship process works.
As a lawyer, sometimes the best legal advice is not to sue. Learn why reinvesting your energy into building something new can be more valuable than chasing a small judgment.
Wondering if you can handle probate without an attorney in Texas? Learn when it's possible using a Muniment of Title or Affidavit of Heirship, and when you need professional help.
Choosing between an LLC and a corporation in Texas? Here's a plain-language breakdown of the legal, tax, and liability differences to help you decide.
If you and your spouse agree on the terms, an uncontested divorce in Texas can be faster, cheaper, and less stressful. Here's what to expect.
Your home is often your most valuable asset. Learn how Texas homestead protections work with Medicaid and what strategies can help preserve your property.
Discover posterity planning -- a new approach to estate planning that goes beyond wealth transfer to create opportunities for future generations.
Learn the step-by-step process for revoking a Transfer on Death Deed (TODD) in Texas, including legal requirements and common questions.
Before applying for Medicaid to pay for nursing home care in Texas, you need to understand the five-year look-back rule and how asset transfers are scrutinized.
When an aging parent needs help, families face tough legal and financial decisions. Here's a practical guide to the options available in Texas.
A real case shows how a surviving spouse lost homestead rights after moving to assisted living. Learn what Texas law says about abandonment, renting, and protecting your home.
Understand the legal requirements for creating a valid will in Indiana, including age, capacity, witnesses, and self-proving affidavits.