Attorney referral wanted - Kingwood, Humble, Porter area

[justmax]

The title says it all. I am looking to establish a relationship with someone local before I should need one.
We can start with some simple estate planning issues.
Any recommendations or warnings?

 

[popper]

PM me. Estate planning ( I know of a good one) and financial planner are different.

 

[nothankyou]

Smart thinking, I should fine myself one in the Greater Austin area.

 

[V-Tach]

Not to derail....but......anyone with any assets at all no matter your age should have a will.......

Just something to think about............

 

[candcallen]

Ya, I think I actually have a net worth now. Not much but maybe 6 figures and 4 heirs so....will definitely.

The handwritten note to burn our bodies in the street and avoid the organized crime syndicate that are funeral homes probably wont cut it anymore.

 

[toddnjoyce]

Food for thought. A will and/or estate planning is a tool to 1. Ensure your intent is carried out, and 2. Distribute real assets that are titled.

If you want to skip probate, make sure all your accounts (Bank, brokerage, etc.,) have a Payable/Transferable on Death (POD/TOD) form on file. Same for insurance, only referred to as beneficiaries. For all these instances, there should be primary (husband/wife first to die transfers to surviving spouse) and contingent (both spouses die simultaneously) transferees/beneficiaries named.

A will should dictate how to dispose of real assets. If your married and die, the house usually (in Texas) will be a Joint With Rights of Survivorship title. Give a copy of the death cert to the mortgage holder or county clerk and it transfers to the surviving spouse. In the event of simultaneous death, by law it will probate to next of kin according to the will (percentages) or equal percentages if no will. Same for other titled property.

That leaves all the trinkets and other shit which can be wrapped up in the will as ‘remaining assets distributed per letter of instruction’. A Letter of Instruction to the executor transfers all that )not getting into NFA stuff here). Ex: Mom wants daughter #3 to get all jewelry and daughter #1 all the sex toys without daughter #3 finding out about the dildos and stuff, while son gets all the firearms, etc.,.

Paying for estate planning should be reserved for those estates valued above the threshold for federal estate taxes, currently set at $5.5M per spouse or estates with multiple real properties.

Wills can be done for less than $200 for most people.

 

[V-Tach]

I was the Executor for an estate of a friend of mine....everything was covered we thought before he passed.....

He had never listed a beneficiary on his bank account..............

The Bank withheld the cash in his account after his death and after 3 years it transferred to the State of Texas..............

 

[ZX9RCAM]

My brother didn't have a will, or beneficiaries for any of his accounts.

 

[toddnjoyce]

I was the Executor for an estate of a friend of mine....everything was covered we thought before he passed.....

He had never listed a beneficiary on his bank account..............

The Bank withheld the cash in his account after his death and after 3 years it transferred to the State of Texas..............

That’s a bank error. As executor, you should had a durable power of attorney that came along with executor duties. At death, the account should have transferred to the estate of (deceased person) if no POD/TOD filed once the death certificate was presented. As executor, you should have been able to distribute that estate account as you saw fit.

Having said that, most banks don’t have a real good process in place to do that and even fewer banks have specially trainer employees to handle retitling the account.

The state should have allowed the estate to claim the undistributed funds.

 

[Mongo]

I also need a lawyer to change my will. It would help if they knew some stuff about NFA. Sean Cody did mine originally.

 

[justmax]

A lot of good info from many of you, but no referrals. Thank you, but most of the adviced points have already been address in my situation.

A simple will update is my way of meet and greet.

 

[popper]

713-783-7444, ref. in Houston.
Trusts come in many flavors. Have some advantages, some dis advantages. Good lawyer will get the right version.
POD doesn't always work, will and attachments go through probate usually.

 

[justmax]

713-783-7444, ref. in Houston.
Trusts come in many flavors. Have some advantages, some dis advantages. Good lawyer will get the right version.
POD doesn't always work, will and attachments go through probate usually.

Thanks

 

[V-Tach]

That’s a bank error. As executor, you should had a durable power of attorney that came along with executor duties. At death, the account should have transferred to the estate of (deceased person) if no POD/TOD filed once the death certificate was presented. As executor, you should have been able to distribute that estate account as you saw fit.

Having said that, most banks don’t have a real good process in place to do that and even fewer banks have specially trainer employees to handle retitling the account.

The state should have allowed the estate to claim the undistributed funds.

I may not remember all the details, but the attorney we hired at the time agreed with the bank....