Estate Planning Lawyer in Houston and Sugar Land, Texas

Thinking about the future is generally stress-inducing enough on its own, but making plans for reveling in and protecting yourself from it when it includes your health and money? Most people do not want to have their mind on sickness, disability, or dying, and it is also quite normal if the very idea of talking about these issues makes you anxious.

However, preemptive decision-making in these situations can be the best way to protect your family and the empire you’ve created. Estate planning is not just for the rich; it’s for anyone who wants to take charge of his or her own future and ensure their loved ones don’t get stuck with unnecessary hardship.

At the Law Office of Frederick K. Wilson II, I am committed to understanding what you want, and your vision guides the advice I give. I have offices in Houston and Sugar Land, Texas, and I represent clients from all over the Greater Houston Metro area, including throughout the State of Texas, after being licensed to practice law there. If you're in need of estate planning services, contact my office to schedule a consultation.

My Estate Planning Services

Every estate plan is different, but there are some key documents that often play a role in the process. These legal devices ensure your desires are known and followed under Texas law. It’s not merely a matter of having documents; it is about possessing the right documents that project your circumstances and desires. I can help you prepare some of the most popular estate planning documents, which are shown below.

• Wills: This provision names who inherits your property and assets and your choice of guardians for any minor children.

• Revocable living trusts: This acts as a flexible solution for managing and transferring property and does not require probate.

• Durable powers of attorney: This names someone to deal with your financial concerns should you become unable to (whether through incapacity or death).

• Medical powers of attorney: This form allows you to appoint someone to make health care decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to communicate.

• Directive to Physicians (Living Will): This record outlines what kind of medical and end-of-life care you wish.

• HIPAA consent: This paperwork permits specific people to view your medical records when required.

An estate planning attorney can assist you in selecting the best tools for your situation. They also ensure your wishes are respected, family fights don’t arise, and that things are as easy as possible for loved ones.

How Estate Planning Can Help

There is much to be gained with the creation of a good estate plan. At my law office, I work with you to draft all of the documents you need so that there are no disagreements and no errors after you are gone. There are several ways that my services for POAs can work for you with estate planning:

Avoid Probate and Protect Your Loved Ones

Probate is the court-supervised process of administering and (hopefully) distributing a person’s estate after he or she has died. Not all probate is bad, but it can be time-consuming, public, and expensive. Many individuals want their families to avoid court and not experience any delays in transferring assets. This can be accomplished when you live by means of instruments like living trusts and beneficiary designations. Some of the strategies that can help you reduce or avoid probate are:

• Through a revocable living trust: Trust property doesn’t go through probate.

• Listing beneficiaries on accounts: Life insurance, retirement fund, and bank accounts can be handed over directly.

• Solidifying co-ownership: Under some forms of joint ownership, specific types of jointly owned property transfer directly to the other owner.

• Establishing transfer on death (TOD) deeds: With the appropriate deed, real estate can transfer outside of probate to another person during your lifetime.

I’m committed to helping you figure out which of these would be best for your goals so you can bypass the probate process whenever possible and save your family time, money, and agony.

Prepare for Incapacity and Medical Choices

Estate planning isn’t just about what happens when you die; it’s also about what happens if you can’t speak for yourself. When accidents and illnesses happen, they often come out of nowhere. Without a plan, your family members could be left without any guidance for making decisions on your behalf, or might encounter obstacles in the law when they try to do so. Some important strategies I can guide you in creating for incapacity planning are:

• Durable power of attorney: Appoints a person you trust to manage your finances.

• Medical power of attorney: Allows someone you designate to make medical decisions on your behalf.

• Living will (directive to physicians): Provides your detailed wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment.

• HIPAA release: Provides access to your medical records as necessary.

Having these papers in place allows your family to advocate on your behalf with no confusion or delay. It also gives you a voice, even if one has been taken from you. I assist clients in thinking through these scenarios with care and intention.

Plan for Families With Children

The concern that is most common for parents when they come to see me is this: What happens to my kids if something were to happen to me? This is a compelling reason to have an estate plan. If you have small children, your plan will ease this difficult transition, providing for how guardianship of the kids will work financially. Here are some things you need to do as a parent:

• Appointing a guardian: Determine who will look after your children if you are gone.

• Establishing a trust for your children: With one of these, you can dictate when and how they receive assets.

• Draft a letter of intent: Detail your wishes regarding how you want to raise your children, such as religious values, education, and daily routines.

Failing to do these things will leave it up to a court to determine who will care for your children, and that person may not be one whom you would pick. A good estate plan allows you to take care of your children even after you’re gone.

Business Owners and Estate Planning

If you own a business, your estate plan should be planning for what’s going to happen to your business if you become incapacitated or die. Without one, your business may get enmeshed in court or end up in the wrong hands. Here are some essential actions you will want to take to safeguard your business:

• Plan succession: Determine who will lead or take over the business.

• Create a trust or buy-sell agreement: Determine how ownership will be transferred to others.

• Designate a power of attorney: Choose someone to look after your business affairs if you are unable to take care of them yourself.

At the Law Office of Frederick K. Wilson II, I help business owners throughout Houston and Sugar Land, Texas, preserve what they have built at all stages of ownership. Estate planning is not just about your personal life; it’s a way to safeguard everything you’ve worked so hard for.