Probate and estate disputes can tear families apart. Siblings who grew up together stop speaking when disagreements arise about their parents’ property. Adult children accuse stepmothers of manipulating elderly fathers into changing wills. Executors face criticism from beneficiaries who question every decision about selling property or paying debts. These conflicts often lead to probate litigation...KEEP READING
Families who suspect their loved one lacked mental capacity when signing a will face a difficult challenge in probate court. The deceased might have struggled with dementia, taken strong medications, or shown confusion in the months before death. Medical records might document cognitive decline. Family members might recall troubling conversations. These facts seem to prove...KEEP READING
Adult children sometimes find themselves caught between respecting their elderly parent’s romantic relationship and protecting the parent from financial exploitation. The parent might be dating someone new who suddenly appears to control all financial decisions. Large sums of money disappear from accounts that sat stable for decades. The parent makes uncharacteristic purchases or loans significant...KEEP READING
Legal Terminology Letter Testamentary Documents that the probate court provides to the executor of the deceased estate in order to enforce the terms of the deceased person’s will. Texas Law For counties that lack a statutory probate court, all probate matters will be heard by the county court. If the probate matter is contested, either...KEEP READING
A lot of planning goes into preparing a Last Will and Testament. The testator agonizes over who is going to take what asset and when. The testator thinks through who should serve as the executor and what powers they should have. Then the estate planning attorney carefully crafts the legal document. And great care is…Continue...KEEP READING
It is common for a parent to create a joint bank account with the intent that someone accesses the account to pay for their funeral or last expenses. Who owns this account once the parent dies? What about other bank accounts that are held jointly? Does the joint owner, surviving spouse or someone else inherit…Continue...KEEP READING
Yahoo! Finance ran an article entitled “How Long Does Probate Take.” The article sets out several circumstances that can slow down the probate process. The article is not Texas-specific, so many of the circumstances do not really apply for probates in Texas or are more nuanced than mentioned in the article. The article provides an…Continue...KEEP READING
Spurs fans have a rare chance to own a Tony Parker collectible curated by his No. 1 fan: his mom. Vogt Auction, a San Antonio-based company, is helping basketball mom Pamela Firestone downsize before she moves back to Paris. The estate sale is taking place on site, at her North Central home, on Friday, August…Continue...KEEP READING
During a coronavirus pandemic briefing on Friday, July 23, Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced that hospitalizations in San Antonio are now at 418 — and more than 95 percent of those patients are unvaccinated. The positivity rate has also jumped from 11.2 percent to 13.8, with a 7-day average of new cases being 363. More than…Continue...KEEP READING
It is common to see family members reach an informal agreement as to how to handle the estate when a family member dies. These informal agreements often lead to disputes and end up in probate litigation. This is especially true when it comes to real estate. Family members may put off dealing with real estate.…Continue...KEEP READING
