A will helps to communicate a decedent’s final wishes, including how they wish for their estate to be administered and which assets are to be given to specific beneficiaries. However, what if the decedent wrote letters to an attorney before they passed away that requested changes to be made to the will? Can a letter...KEEP READING

Classifying assets as either community property or separate property significantly impacts division in Texas probate. Property acquired during marriage is generally community property subject to equal split. However, separate property brought into the marriage or acquired by gift or inheritance remains distinct. When spouses move from non-community property states, confusion arises over asset classification. In...KEEP READING

Crafting and signing a will provides comfort that a testator’s wishes will be honored after their passing. However, life circumstances may necessitate updates to even the most well-designed estate plan. Can a will be changed after its initial creation? The Mahan v. Dovers, 730 S.W.2d 467 469 (Tex. App. — Fort Worth 1987, no writ)...KEEP READING

Probate administration is the legal process of validating a will and distributing a deceased person’s assets to their beneficiaries. In Texas, if someone dies with a valid will, their estate will generally go through probate. It is during this process that an interested party can contest a will. Challenging a will’s validity faces imposing evidentiary...KEEP READING