Avoiding Probate

Many of my clients are interested in avoiding the time and expense of probate. Probate is the legal process in which title and legal ownership is passed from the decedent to a designated beneficiary or beneficiaries. It is a public record and the Will must be filed in the record. That means anyone can see what you had, who you owed, how much you owed, and who got what from your estate. In Texas, a valid Last Will and Testament must be probated. When you pass, your spouse cannot sell the house until the Will has been introduced into probate and the judge has named the executor. Depending on the county, this process could take a few months. In addition, real-estate agents may recommend certain improvements to the property before the sale. Before authorizing any improvement, the executor needs to consider whether he or she is authorized to spend estate assets to make such improvements.
Rather than going through that process, we can help you set up your estate so that title can transfer privately in our conference room in less than month and for much less than a probate attorney would charge.