Texas is where east meets west and north meets south in terms of climatic variation, vegetational striation, and wildlife diversification. “Nowhere but in Texas” is an apt statement to describe the diversity that ranges from seashore to mountains, from swamps to desert, from subtropical lands to windswept plains, from pine forests to short grass country, with a variety of plant and animal life unparalleled elsewhere. … [Read more...] about Texas History – Do You Know Texas Is the Crossroads of the Nation?
Appoint a Trustee You Can Trust
If you have a trust, it is extremely important that you appoint someone responsible as the person to take over as trustee when you are no longer able to do so. It is called a "trust" for a reason. You need to appoint someone trustworthy who will look after the trust's financial interests. Consider the current issue surrounding the trust of Susan Strong Davis. She is 87 years old and has dementia, so she is no longer handling her affairs or her trust's. Instead, a man named James E. Larkin whom … [Read more...] about Appoint a Trustee You Can Trust
Texas History – Do You Know When Texas Became a State?
Texas became the 28TH State in the U.S. on December 29, 1845. … [Read more...] about Texas History – Do You Know When Texas Became a State?
Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) - Business Magnate & Philanthropist Carnegie was born in Scotland and emigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1848. In the 1870s, he founded Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Steel Company, which cemented his name as one of the "Captains of Industry." By the 1890s, the company was the largest and most profitable industrial enterprise in the world. Carnegie sold it in 1901 for $480 million to J.P. Morgan who created U.S. Steel. From 1901 forward, he devoted his time to … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?
Inheriting an Underwater Home
Usually, inheriting real estate is a good thing. However, in today's real estate market many homes are underwater. That means there is more debt on the home than there is equity in the home. If you inherit an underwater home, it is important that you speak to a Probate lawyer right away. Should you choose to do nothing and inherit the property, it is likely that you will also be inheriting the debt. Obviously, leaving you with debt was not the deceased's intent, but the possibility is a fact of … [Read more...] about Inheriting an Underwater Home
Texas History – Do You Know How Big Texas Is?
The total area of Texas is 268,581 square miles. In terms of land mass, Texas is larger than five (5) contiguous nations in Western Europe, and larger than thirteen (13) contiguous U.S. states. Texas shares a common boundary with four (4) U.S. States (New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana), and four (4) Mexican states ( Temaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, and Chihuahua). … [Read more...] about Texas History – Do You Know How Big Texas Is?
Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump
Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) -- 33RD President of the United States, 1945-1953. 37% Shrinkage of the Estate $747,648 Gross Estate $ 90,986 Less Settlement Costs $188,666 Less Death Taxes $279,652 Total Costs $467,996 Final Estate Value Truman might have been the President of the United States, but even Presidents can fail to properly plan. You decide. Is a 37% loss of the Estate good planning by someone with a vast array of professionals available to assist him? If you … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump
Thought for the Day:
Anytime we say “yes” to something, it occupies space in our future. That is precious territory and should be mostly occupied by very outstanding opportunities, only those worthy of all out massive action and implementation. Otherwise, it is just clutter, potholes, things that might be nice to do but in reality block a desired future. Do less. Accomplish more. Larry Parman … [Read more...] about Thought for the Day:
Planning for Long Term Care
Long term care in a nursing home can be very expensive. If you do not plan properly, you can lose most of your assets before Medicaid will start paying for your care. Because you do not know whether or not you will need it, planning for the possibility of long term care should be a part of your overall estate plan. You have several options to plan for long term care. In Texas, you even have a unique option that is not available in most other states. In Texas, you can use a particular type of … [Read more...] about Planning for Long Term Care
Texas History – Do You Know the Six Flags of Texas?
Texas is the only state in the nation to have been under six separate flags. The flag of Spain was the first to fly over Texas from 1519 to 1821, when the Spanish explorers came to Texas. The French concurrently flew their flag over Texas from 1685 until 1690 starting with the French explorer Robert La Salle. The flag of Mexico flew over Texas beginning in 1821 when Mexico gained independence from Spain and the region of Texas became part of Mexico. On April 21, 1836, Texas won independence from … [Read more...] about Texas History – Do You Know the Six Flags of Texas?
