When a loved one dies – particularly if it’s unexpected – surviving family members have a multitude of things to deal with. They’re usually doing this amid some level of grief and maybe shock and disbelief. Often, little if any thought is given to making sure the...
On March 17, 2022, Ford + Bergner LLP Managing Partner Don D. Ford III and associate J. Crispin Clarke had the honor of teaching other attorneys around Texas in a seminar entitled “Trust Taxes from A to Z.” As the title of the seminar implies, the all-day presentation...
Maybe you told your mother repeatedly that you didn’t want her house when she died, and that she should leave it to a charitable organization. Perhaps you told your father you didn’t want his vintage Rolls-Royce. They didn’t listen. Now they’re gone and you’ve...
It's something many of us would rather not think about: What do I do if my aging parent is disabled and requires care that I cannot give? Physical independence is often unappreciated freedom. Most of us would prefer to grow old in the comfort of our own homes and in...
If you’re the executor of the estate of someone who passed away last year, one of your responsibilities will be filing their final income tax returns. Note that this is not the same as an estate’s tax returns. The deceased’s tax return is due on Tax Day, just like...
A guardianship entails the appointing of an individual to care for the needs and wants of an incapacitated person, and responsibilities include managing finances. Texas adheres to strict guidelines and considerations before appointing legal representation of another...
Mineral rights are a problematic topic when it comes to both estate planning and estate administration. The United States is one of the few countries that will legally separate the surface property from the mineral assets underneath. Still, most people who inherit...
When someone passes away, the estate likely has both assets and debts. In some cases, these debts are very minor, such as a few hundred dollars on a credit card. In other cases, that debt could be significant, such as business loans or home mortgages for hundreds of...
If you and your partner are among the many who believe that a long-term, committed relationship doesn’t require a marriage certificate, you still need to protect yourselves via some legal documents. For example, you may have a cohabitation agreement to designate,...
Estate planning is a difficult topic for many people. Often, any thoughts or conversations about death are off-putting. For this reason, many individuals tend to procrastinate on the issue or put it off altogether. One way that people try to get around the cost and...