Areas Of Practice
A goal without a plan is just a wish. – Antonine de Saint-Exupéry
Wills
A Will provides for the disposition of your assets upon your death. It also appoints an Executor to probate your estate and can include testamentary trusts for minor children to protect your assets before they reach an age when you believe they can handle the assets on their own. Our experienced will lawyer in Houston, TX, can help you navigate the process and ensure everything is in place to protect your family’s future. You can rest assured that you’ll work with an experienced will lawyer that is also a probate attorney.
Trusts
Trusts can be created for privacy and result in the separation of legal title to the assets. Legal title of the asset is held in the name of a “trustee” who manages the trust property on the behalf of the “beneficiary”. Since Trusts usually avoid Probate, they allow your beneficiaries to control your assets much quicker than going through Probate Court and save on court fees. However, every situation is unique, and I can help you decide if a Trust is the best way to handle your assets. Everyone needs a Will. Not everyone needs a Trust. Our probate lawyer in Houston, TX, can help you decide which one is right for you.
Declaration of Guardian for Minor Children
A Declaration of Guardian allows you to appoint someone to care for your minor children in the event of your death or incapacity. This only goes into effect if both parents are deceased or incapacitated and still requires approval of the court before a Guardian is declared. A “guardianship of the person” allows family members to make residential and medical decisions for minors who have no parents. A “guardianship of the estate” consists of appointing an individual as a guardian to manage a minor’s property.
Declaration of Guardian for Adult
A Declaration of Guardian for an adult allows you to appoint someone in the event of later incapacity or need for a guardian. A “guardianship of the person” for an adult allows someone to make residential and medical decisions for the adult who has a disability and cannot make such decisions on their own. A “guardianship of the estate” for an adult allows someone to manage the property of a person who has a disability or incapacity.
Power of Attorney
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
- A Statutory Durable Power of Attorney allows you to designate someone to pay your bills, make financial decisions, and handle real property transactions for you if something happens and you cannot handle that without assistance.
Medical Power of Attorney
- A Medical Power of Attorney allows you to designate a trusted person to make medical decisions for you if something happens and you cannot make those decisions for yourself.
Medical Power of Attorney for Minor Child
- A Medical Power of Attorney for Minor Child allows you to designate someone to make medical decisions for your child while the parents are out of town, unable to be located or contacted, or otherwise cannot make health care decisions for your child. This is very important if you have a minor child or children and you and your spouse take a vacation and leave your child or children behind in the care of someone else.
Advanced Directives
A Directive to Physicians is sometimes called a Living Will and allows you to elect the type of care you receive related to end-of-life medical treatment.
HIPAA Release
Probate
Probate is the judicial procedure where a Last Will and Testament is proven in a court of law to be valid and an Executor is appointed to mange the estate, gather assets, pay debts, and distribute the estate to the proper beneficiaries. This process is done with the assistance of a professional and compassionate probate attorney to ensure that each step in the probate process is completed and managed with care.
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