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Serving All of Texas
Wills and Trusts TX (512) 337-7070
wills and trusts tx frequently asked questions
Will my documents be prepared by a lawyer?
Absolutely! All Wills, Trusts, and estate documents you receive will be drafted and reviewed by a lawyer licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. You will only speak with a lawyer about Wills, Trusts, and estate documents from start to finish. We will not refer you to a paralegal or administrative assistant.
What is a non-taxable estate?
As of 2019, the IRS does not tax estates valued up to $11.4 million per individual. That means you don't have to worry about estate tax unless you are very rich. Estate tax used to impact a significant number of people but it hardly affects anyone anymore.
How do the free updates for two years work?
For two years following the date the final Wills, Trusts, and/or estate documents are delivered to you, we will update those documents free of charge if you have changes in your beneficiaries, assets, executors, trustees, or fiduciaries. Please note that updates do not include fundamental changes in distributions or status. For example, going from an individual estate plan to a married estate plan would be a fundamental change, not an update. Going from a pour over Will into a Revocable Living Trust to a Will with Testamentary Trusts and no living trust would also be a fundamental change, not an update. Please inquire before retaining us about limits to these updates.
What if I don't live in Texas?
Unfortunately we can only prepare Wills, Trusts, and estate documents for residents of Texas.
Do I have to travel to your office to meet with you?
Not at all. Everything can be handled on the phone and through email. In fact most of our clients prefer this for convenience and because it keeps costs low. Handling legal matters like this is commonplace these days and perfectly safe. Of course if you would like to meet in person we would be happy to accommodate you. If you have any concerns about us, please see our law firm website and online reviews. If you have questions, feel free to call us and ask.
When are my documents legally binding?
All Wills, Trusts, and estate documents should be signed by the owner of the documents in front of a notary and must bear the notary's signature and stamp. Many of the documents must also be witnessed by two adult witnesses who are not listed in the documents. You will receive explicit instructions on how to do all this with your final documents. A signing ceremony where you sit in our office to finalize all the documents is not included in our estate plan packages. We do this in order to keep costs down and for logistical reasons with clients from other parts of the state. We are always available before, during, and after document signing to answer questions about the process and help you make them legally binding.