It is not unusual for those with inadequate assets or income to seek public benefits to help pay for care. Attached is a PowerPoint presentation describing the eligibility requirements for a non-service connected disability of a wartime Veteran or his or her spouse vs. eligibility...
What happens if you pass and if you named your spouse as the beneficiary of your Will, trust, life insurance policy, IRA or bank account and you never change the beneficiary after divorce? It depends on the state in which you live. In Texas (and...
Although there are dozens of new laws in Texas, the following (in no particular order) are just some that affect estate planning, probate, guardianship and the elderly. Homesteads Held in Revocable Trusts Need Specific Language to Have Homestead Property Tax Exemption and Homestead Exemption for Creditor...
It is no secret that people are moving to Texas for numerous reasons ranging from less taxes and affordable housing to Texas being more business friendly. As a result, estate planning documents prepared in other states should be reviewed when moving to Texas – even...
Where there is a will there is a way (and even if there is no will, there is a way – it’s just more costly). The probate process is designed so that an executor or administrator can pay the debts of the deceased and distribute the...
As of September 1, 2023, Texas law permits (although not mandatory) a court to approve a convicted felon to serve as an executor of an estate. Prior to that date, the only way a felon could serve as an executor (the one who: (1) gathers...
The Oscar-nominated film “The Blind Side” will never be seen in the same light after the recent petition by Michael Oher to terminate the rights of Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy to act as the conservator for the 37-year-old former football star who played in...
The opioid crisis is real. Fentanyl is in the news seemingly on a daily basis. Drug and alcohol addiction of a family member or relative is an issue often discussed in estate planning. A beneficiary with an addiction who receives assets outright will often simply...
Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Kouri Richins (“Kouri”) has been held without bail on charges of criminal homicide, aggravated murder and three counts of possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl) in connection with the murder of her husband, Eric. Based on autopsy and toxicology...
Scams seem to be increasing daily. Deed fraud (attempted transfer of property without the knowledge and consent of the true owner) could be on the rise. Criminals sometime forge deeds, have the deed notarized and record it with the county clerk where the property is...
