Your estate plan may represent the most important set of legal documents you create over the course of your lifetime given that the purpose of your estate plan is to protect you, your assets, and your loved ones. Given how important your estate plan is, selecting an estate planning attorney to assist you in the creation of that plan should be done with a commensurate level of care and consideration. At The Mendel Law Firm, L.P., we are devoted to helping our friends and neighbors in The Woodlands, Texas community create an estate plan that accurately reflects their needs and wishes as well as achieves all their estate planning goals and it would be our privilege to have the opportunity to work with you on your estate plan.
The Woodlands, Texas
Located about 30 miles north of Houston, The Woodlands, Texas is a planned community that was conceived after oil industry investor George P. Mitchell attended a symposium by the Rouse Company subsidiary American City Corporation on how to develop HUD financed Title VII towns like Columbia, Maryland. Mitchell planned to establish a conference center, hotels, office parks, retail malls, schools, large distribution centers, and golf courses. The original development plan included environmental design principles espoused by Ian McHarg, a distinguished landscape architect, teacher and author of the seminal work Design With Nature. The community was finished and dedicated by Mitchell in 1974 and managed by The Woodlands Corporation as an extension of Mitchell Energy & Development.
In The Woodlands, each village is like its own small town, complete with shopping centers, community organizations, exceptional schools, extensive recreational facilities, healthcare and welcoming places of worship. Within the villages are individual neighborhoods, each with its own charm and identity.
The Woodlands has grown steadily, both residentially and commercially, since its original construction. In addition to Chevron Phillips, Huntsman, Anadarko, Hewitt Associates, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Mærsk Sealand, Chicago Bridge & Iron, M&S Engineering and Woodforest National Bank have set up operations. The Town Center includes shopping and eating facilities, a waterway resembling the San Antonio River Walk, and water taxis known as “Waterway Cruisers” that are enclosed and cooled for added comfort.
As of 2016, the Woodlands Development Company estimated the population to be almost 115,000 residents; however, The Woodlands is also part of the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area which has a population of 2.3 million.
The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. in the The Woodlands, Texas Community
Estate planning, when done correctly, is a highly personal, and sometimes, sensitive endeavor that requires the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney. At The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. we understand that it can be difficult to divulge personal and financial details to a stranger which is one reason why we work hard to develop and nature relationships with our clients. Our goal is to help our friends and neighbors in The Woodlands community to create a plan that will achieve their estate planning goals and objectives, both now and in the future.
Although a successful estate plan requires a solid foundation, that foundation must then be built upon to fortify the foundation. The plan you create when you are young, single, and just beginning your career will not be sufficient to meet your needs later in life when you have a family and a larger estate to consider. Routine reviews and revisions are crucial to ensure that your estate plan reflects your life as it is now, not as it was several years ago. Your initial plan may focus almost entirely on the distribution of your estate assets in the event of your death; however, in time your needs will exceed such a simple plan. If you get married, for example, you will undoubtedly want to include your new spouse as a beneficiary in your Last Will and Testament, trust agreement, and/or life insurance policy. Likewise, becoming a parent may cause you to feel the need to incorporate incapacity planning strategies in your estate plan to ensure that your child is well cared for in the event of your incapacity. As the value of your estate grows, you will need to consider tax avoidance and asset protection tools as well. Finally, as you look toward your “Golden Years,” you will want to incorporate your retirement plans into your estate plan and add Medicaid planning to your comprehensive estate plan along with funeral and burial planning tools to ensure that your final wishes are honored.
At The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. our goal is to establish a lifelong relationship with you to ensure that your estate planning needs are met now, and in the years to come.
Contact Us
If you have specific questions regarding your estate plan, contact the experienced The Woodlands, Texas estate planning attorneys at The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. by calling (281) 759-3213 to schedule your appointment today.