blog & insights

Why a Trust Is the Best Option for Avoiding Probate

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As Ambrose Bierce once darkly observed, “Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.” Obviously, ideally, when someone passes away, the paperwork and material concerns associated with the estate are so flawlessly handled (thanks to excellent preparation) that they fade into the background, allowing the family to grieve and remember in…

3 Celebrity Probate Disasters and Tragic Lessons

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With extreme wealth accumulated, one would assume that celebrities would take steps to protect their estates. But think again: Some of the world’s richest and most famous people enter the pearly gates with no estate plan in place, while others have made estate planning mistakes that tied their fortunes and heirs up for years in…

Avoiding an Eviction

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You love your new house or apartment, but unfortunately you’ve fallen on hard times. Maybe you had an unexpected medical bill or were laid off. If you’re at the point of risking eviction, you want to avoid a lengthy legal dispute with your landlord. It is very likely they have more time and resources than…

How to Pick a Trustee, Executor, and Agent Under a Power of Attorney

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While the term fiduciary is a legal term with a long history, it very generally means someone who is legally obligated to act in another person’s best interests. Trustees, executors, and agents are all examples of fiduciaries. When you pick trustees, executors, and agents in your estate plan, you’re picking one or more people to…

The Grace Period Conundrum in Texas Residential Lease Agreements

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If you’ve been a renter under a residential lease in Texas, chances are you have come across language something this: After reading something like this in a lease agreement you are very likely to think, “OK cool, I have until the 3rd of the month to pay my rent each month without anything bad happening…