It isn’t uncommon for a person to try to save money by writing a will themselves without the guidance of a qualified attorney. Recently, we helped a family probate one such will. The person typed up a will using a form they bought at an office supply company and later signed a handwritten codicil that […]
Author: lsdrake01
Client Stories: the client with cancer
I worked with a client who was dying of cancer. A few weeks before his death, he decided to hire me to prepare his will and powers of attorney. I traveled to him because he wasn’t in a position to leave the house, brought my portable office equipment, and we talked. He usually took pain […]
Emergency Planning during Covid-19
What can be done to complete an estate plan during this unprecedented time? Clients have been asking how they can finish a will and powers of attorney when it isn’t safe to interact with others. After much brainstorming, lawyers across Texas came up with options. So what do you do? Start regular estate planning beginning […]
What is “probate” and independent administration?
Probate is not probation. Probate is simply the legal process of transferring property after a person’s death, usually achieved through a court procedure. Probate of a will is required to occur within four years of the date of the person’s death. Spouses don’t automatically take ownership of property and must act within four years in […]

Five Reasons to Update Your Will
Wills and other incapacity documents are necessary for everyone: grandparents, parents with young children, single adults. If you want to have a say in what happens to your things when you die or, more importantly, what happens to you when you can’t make your own decisions, drafting your will and other incapacity documents is vital. […]