According to the Texas Probate Code, adopted children have inheritance rights when their parents die intestate. An intestate parent is one who dies without a valid will. An adopted child has the same intestacy rights of inheritance as a natural or biological child. The Texas Probate Code sets forth the rules of succession to determine which heirs are entitled to receive an inheritance when a Texas resident dies without a valid will. Pursuant to the Texas Probate Code, an adopted child has a … [Read more...]
The Texas Probate Code and Stepchildren
According to the Texas Probate Code, stepchildren have few rights to inherit from their stepparents if they die without valid wills. A person who dies without a will is an intestate. An intestate’s heirs have a right of succession as determined by the Texas Probate Code. A stepchild does not have a right to either of his stepparent’s intestate property under the Texas Probate Code because the state does not consider him a legal relative. This is true even when a stepparent has a very close … [Read more...]
The Texas Probate Code and After-Born Children and Half-Blood Children
According to the Texas Probate Code, half-blood children have half the rights to an inheritance than children of the whole-blood. A half-blood child shares only one natural parent as the rest of his siblings. Thus, when a decedent dies intestate leaving a half-blood sibling and whole-blood sibling, the surviving whole-blood sibling has a full intestacy right to his estate as predetermined by the Texas Probate Code. However, his half-blood sibling only has a right to half that right. An … [Read more...]
The Basics of Estate Planning for Blended Families
There are many challenges blended families face, and estate planning is no exception. Support groups and therapists are offered to help blended families learn to mesh in a way that works for everyone. Yet, it is uncommon to see this much attention paid to estate planning. This can be an unfortunate and expensive mistake, particularly if matters go into probate. Like estate planning for non-blended families, minimizing estate taxes is a priority. However, additional challenges include … [Read more...]
Put the Proper Estate Plan Tools Into Place
There are a large number of estate planning tools your estate planning lawyer is experienced with, and understands that you are not. Because there are so many options to explore and tools to put into place, it will be necessary to meet with your estate planning lawyer regularly until everything is complete. Even then, meetings will follow regularly in order to keep all the documents up to date. Often times, people believe they only have to worry about their estate plan during the planning … [Read more...]
Estate Planning Tips for Blended Families
If you are married (or in a marital-like relationship) and have children from a previous relationship, you have a blended family. As you likely have experienced, having a blended family tends to make life more complicated; it also makes your estate planning more complicated, but that’s a good thing. There is much you can do with your estate planning to keep the peace in your blended family. The two most important tips for keeping the peace are: 1. Get it in writing; and, 2. Talk it over. In … [Read more...]
Blended Family? Make Sure No One is Left Out in the Cold
The blended family has become the most common family arrangement in America, and if you’re a member of one of these families, you know firsthand how complicated the family dynamics can get. When it comes to estate planning, it can be a challenge to make sure you’ve protected everyone’s interests and taken care of everyone’s needs. Despite the best of intentions, unless you have the proper guidance it can be easy to unintentionally disinherit a child or step-child. Here are two scenarios: 1) … [Read more...]
