Houston Estate Planning Lawyer

Protect Your Life And Legacy Goals Through Well-Thought-Out Estate Planning

“Estate planning” means different things to different people. Generally, it involves more than just creating a will or trust to manage your assets after you pass away. It often includes setting up powers of attorney and medical directives, which specify who you want to make decisions for you if you’re unable to do so yourself. While we cover powers of attorney elsewhere, this section focuses on other parts of estate planning.

Ford + Bergner LLP is a Texas law firm with over 20 years of experience in helping families create solid estate plans tailored to their unique needs, whether simple or complex. Our Houston estate planning attorneys are dedicated to reducing taxes, protecting future generations, and ensuring effective plan execution.

 We understand the importance of asset protection and securing your family’s future, offering personalized guidance and honest advice. Don’t leave your estate planning to chance. Contact us today for a confidential consultation and take the first step toward securing your legacy. 

Call us at 713-260-3926 to speak with our dedicated Houston estate planning attorneys and start the estate planning process with confidence.

Why You Need a Houston Estate Planning Lawyer

Estate planning is about more than distributing assets; it ensures your wishes are respected and your loved ones are taken care of. Without a plan, the state decides how your estate is divided, which might not match your wishes, leading to unintended allocations of homes, cars, and bank accounts.

A Houston estate planning lawyer can make this process easier by ensuring your estate plan is legally sound and tailored to your needs, helping you avoid costly mistakes. Having a professional by your side also helps prevent legal disputes and misunderstandings that often occur with poorly planned estates.

Starting the estate planning process now will prevent future issues for your loved ones, ensuring a smoother transition when the time comes.

Services Offered by Houston Estate Planning Lawyers

At Ford + Bergner LLP, we offer a wide range of estate planning services to address every aspect of your needs:

• Wills and Trusts- We help you draft legally sound wills to ensure your assets are distributed as you intend. Trusts can also provide additional benefits, such as avoiding probate and reducing tax burdens.

• Powers of Attorney- Our Houston estate attorney can assist in drafting financial and medical powers of attorney, ensuring trusted individuals can make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

• Living Wills and Advance Directives- We guide clients in creating documents that outline their preferences for medical care, providing peace of mind that their wishes will be honored.

• Asset Protection Planning- We design strategies to shield your assets from potential risks, such as creditors or lawsuits, ensuring your wealth remains secure for future generations.

• Special Needs Planning- Our team can create trusts and plans to provide for loved ones with disabilities without jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits.

• Business Succession Planning- For business owners, we offer strategies to ensure a smooth transition of ownership while preserving the value of your company.

• Probate and Estate Administration- In addition to estate planning, our attorneys assist with navigating the probate process, ensuring estates are administered efficiently and in accordance with the law.

You can rely on our professional guidance through all phases of estate planning. Our clients come from all walks of life – some with modest assets and others with extensive, complex assets. We customize our services to meet individual needs.

A simple estate plan might include just a few documents:

• A will with trusts for children or grandchildren, if appropriate
• A financial power of attorney
• A medical power of attorney
• A living will (also known as a Directive to Physicians).

More extensive estate planning may include more involved, sophisticated tools such as:

• Special needs trusts
• Complex wills incorporating trusts
• Complex strategies for minimizing taxes at the death of one spouse or another
• Strategies designed to maximize a family’s control over assets, such as the creation of a family limited partnership (FLP)
• Foundations to purposefully channel extraordinary wealth portfolios

Understanding Wills and Trusts

Wills and trusts are key parts of estate planning, each serving different purposes. A last will and testament specifies how your assets should be distributed after your death, ensuring your personal preferences are honored. 

Wills, however, must go through the probate process, which can be lengthy and public. The probate process in Texas is a judicial procedure that involves the validation of a deceased person’s will, settling their debts, and distributing their assets according to the will or state law.

Trusts, on the other hand, can provide more control over when and how your assets are distributed. Unlike wills, trusts can be active during your lifetime, allowing you to manage your assets while you are alive and ensuring they are distributed according to your wishes after your death. Trusts also remain private, offering a level of confidentiality that wills do not.

Consulting with experienced Houston estate planning attorneys provides the guidance necessary to make informed decisions, benefiting you and your family.

Special Needs Planning in Houston

For families with members who have special needs, the main goal of planning is to provide for these family members while maintaining their government benefits. An estate planning lawyer can help set up special needs trusts to ensure the individual gets the necessary care without affecting their eligibility for government help.

For parents of special needs children, having an estate plan suited to their unique situations is essential. This includes planning for future care when the parents are no longer around. While not all special needs children need someone to make decisions for them, those who do will benefit greatly from a well-organized estate plan

Updating Your Estate Plan

Estate planning at its best is an ongoing process over a lifetime. An individual or a couple will naturally have a different perspective at different stages of life. A good foundation with appropriate documents should be reviewed and possibly updated every three to five years or when there is a major change in someone’s family circumstances, such as:

• When families change through marriage, births, divorce or deaths
• When minor children become adults
• When long-term legal and financial priorities change, such as after someone has started a business

You can enjoy peace of mind when you know your affairs are in order and your family will be cared for and ready to respect your wishes in case of the unexpected.

The Importance of Estate Planning for Your Future and Loved Ones

Estate planning isn’t just about distributing your assets after you’re gone; it’s about making your wishes known, minimizing stress for your loved ones, and protecting your legacy. Proper planning can:

• Ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
• Appoint guardians for minor children.
• Minimize estate taxes and probate expenses.
• Protect your wealth from creditors and lawsuits.
• Provide for loved ones with special needs.
• Prevent family disputes.

Probate Process in Texas

The probate process in Texas is a judicial procedure to settle a deceased person’s estate, ensuring proper asset distribution and debt settlement.

Common probate issues include:

• Questions about mental capacity
• Undue influence
• Will contests
• Breaches of fiduciary duty

Choosing a trustworthy executor is important, as their management significantly affects the process’s efficiency.

Effective communication can help reduce misunderstandings during probate disputes, potentially leading to smoother resolutions. An estate plan can streamline the process for your loved ones, helping them avoid the lengthy probate system. Involving an experienced probate attorney minimizes errors and effectively manages complex probate matters.

Ensuring the will’s validity in probate court is vital to avoid complications. The executor files for probate and manages the distribution of the deceased’s assets, making their efficiency critical to the process.

Choosing the Right Houston Estate Planning Lawyer

Picking the right Houston estate lawyer is key to a successful estate planning process. Look for an attorney with a strong track record and positive client feedback. Collaboration skills, open communication, and an understanding of client needs are important qualities to consider.

A good estate planning attorney should have a client-focused approach, tailoring strategies to meet individual needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all method. Understanding the fee structure and ensuring transparency about costs is also crucial when hiring an estate planning attorney.

Consider any unique requirements you may have, such as the need for knowledge of elder law or specific timelines. Selecting an experienced estate planning lawyer provides peace of mind, knowing your estate planning matters are in capable hands.

How Ford+Bergner, LLP Can Help You

At Ford+Bergner, LLP, we have successfully represented over 6,300 clients in estate planning and probate matters, demonstrating our commitment to client satisfaction. Our attorneys are board-certified in estate planning, a distinction held by less than 3% of Texas attorneys, which highlights our exceptional qualifications.

We focus on understanding your needs to provide tailored solutions for effective estate and guardianship planning. With a proven track record of winning cases in both the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, you can trust us to handle your estate planning with the utmost care and proficiency.

Request A Review Of Your Estate Planning Needs

In our initial meetings with each client, we evaluate the client’s needs and discuss their intentions for their estate plan.  Following the initial meeting, we prepare drafts of your documents for you to review and develop questions.  Once we have answered all of your questions and made any corrections, we will assist you in making sure that your documents are executed to comply with Texas law.

Ford + Bergner LLP provides a robust service to all of its clients.  To begin discussing your estate planning needs, please call us at 713-260-3926 or send an email.

Additional Resources

What Is an Estate Planning Lawyer Responsible For?
5 Things to Know About Estate Planning
What Should You Know Before Creating An Estate Plan?
Why is An Estate Plan Important?
What Happens if an Executor Does Not Pay Estate Taxes?
Debunking 3 Estate Planning Myths
Do You Need to Discuss Your Estate Plan With Your Family?