How does Divorce effect Estate Planning and Inheritance?Texas Estates Code: any pay on death arrangement ends upon divorce, annulment, or voiding of the marriage.
Why is the bank telling me to get Letters Testamentary?Dear Mr. Premack: My sister and I have a question about a bank account that belonged to our father, who died about two months ago. All of...
Probating Will Proves Property OwnershipOne part of Probate is the process of "proving" that a Will is valid. Another part is distributing the assets to the intended heirs.
Q & A on Community Property Survivorship AgreementsDoes having a Community Property Survivorship Agreement (CPSA) really avoid probate? Does it have to go before a Judge when one of us dies?
Handling Estate when all nominated Executors fail to qualifyThe process is called “Appointment of an Administrator with the Will Annexed”. All provisions of the Will relating to distribution ...
Who gets Stock when Will was never probated?If it is not admitted to probate by then, the law presumes that there was no Will at all which means that the resources pass by state law...
What happens when a traveler dies abroad?The most important factor is where you lived, not the location of your death. Dying away from your home city raises practical considerations
What happens when a non-Texas resident dies with property in Texas?Probate of a Foreign Will involves Texas probate of a Will from another nation or another US state when the decedent had property in Texas.
Can Mom’s house be transferred to her Sister?When a person dies owning real property, several legal pre-planning documents impact establishing the identity of the new owners.
Wills are not Self-Enacting 1) Wills are not “self-enacting”, 2) there is a legal time limit during which you must take legal action
Don’t Emulate Plan-less CelebritiesAretha Franklin died in 2018 in Michigan, with an estate that Forbes reports as about $80 million. Three papers have been filed in court. Tw
Why a person should never die intestateThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News and other Hearst Newspapers on December 18, 2018. Dear Mr. Premack: A married...
How should Will handle House issue?This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News and other Hearst Newspapers on November 19, 2018. Making a Will allows you, as...
Questions about MERP claimsThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News and other Hearst Newspapers on October 12, 2018. Dear Mr. Premack: My mother...
Both parents’ deaths leaves family with legal messThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News and other Texas Hearst newspapers on August 3, 2018. Dear Mr. Premack: Our...
New way to transfer car title upon deathThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express-News on June 1, 2018. Dear Mr. Premack: I worked with our Certified Elder Law...
Tax account record is not official ownership recordThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on March 23, 2018. Your mother fell victim to incomplete knowledge of the law...
To Whom Do I give my Friend’s Will?This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on January 19, 2018. You are right to be careful. If you gave the Will to one...
Must a Will always go to Probate?This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on November 20, 2017. When a person dies, they might have a Will, might have...
Late Probate of Will Requires Personal Notice to HeirsThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on September 25, 2017. There are a few things that you can say in your Will,...
Appraisal Letter should prompt ProbateThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on September 23, 2016. Dear Mr. Premack: This week I received a letter from...
Does a Lady Bird Deed supersede a Will and avoid Probate?Read this column on MySA.com (the Express-News) by clicking here. This column first appeared in the Express-News on May 17, 2016. A Lady...
How executors get paidThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express-News on April 26, 2016. Texas law has two patterns for paying Executors. First, the...
Probate, Mortgages and ForeclosureThis column first appeared in the Express-News on February 24, 2016. Dear Mr. Premack: I am an only child. My mother passed away recently...
Does a joint account grant legal rights to the money?This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on February 10, 2016. Dear Mr. Premack: A couple of years ago my friend put me...
Homestead rights, heirship and things to know about how property passes upon death in TexasThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on January 25, 2016. Proper planning can help preserve assets that would...
Failing to Probate a Will leads to Ownership DistressThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on January 13, 2016. Dear Mr. Premack: This is a long story. I do not get...
The Intersection of Medicaid and ProbateThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on December 11, 2015. Dear Mr. Premack: You are asking questions that deal...
Living (and Dying) in Two StatesThis column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on November 10, 2015. Each US state has its own distinct laws relating to...
What are Executor’s main duties?This column first appeared in the SA Express-News and its MySA.com website on April 17, 2015. Dear Mr. Premack: Many years ago I agreed...
Can One Sibling Block House Sale after Dad’s Death?This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News and its MySA.com website on April 7, 2015. Dear Mr. Premack: My mother died...
Naive short-cut increased conflict and expense of settling estateDear Mr. Premack: My mother transferred her money into an account owned by Roger, the person named as Executor in her Will. She gave him...
Can attorney be heir in a will the attorney writes?This column first appeared on the San Antonio Express-News.com and the MYSA.com websites. Dear Mr. Premack: I was a caretaker for a lady....
Step-up in Basis on Separate versus Community LandDear Mr. Premack: I read with interest your column regarding a widow’s step-up in basis. My husband recently passed away leaving me as...
Digital Assets and Passwords for Agents and ExecutorsDear Mr. Premack: Although I am 92, I have kept up with and use a computer regularly. My son has helped me to establish online banking...
When to Avoid using Community Property SurvivorshipOriginal Publication: San Antonio Express-News, June 3, 2014 Dear Mr. Premack: I have read your past columns about Community Property...
Is California daughter allowed to be Executor?Dear Mr. Premack: My parents live in Texas. I live in Texas and have a brother who lives in Texas and a sister who lives in California....
Sister lets Mom’s House Waste Away for Lack of Legal ActionDear Mr. Premack: My mother passed away in 2006 and named my older sister Executor. Now it’s 2014 and mother’s Will has not been...
How to Name Different Beneficiaries for Your EstateDear Mr. Premack: I previously had a will drawn up and I gave a copy to my beneficiary. Since then, I have decided to change my will by...
Discovery of Uncle’s Will Years Late Raises QuestionDear Mr. Premack: I just discovered my uncle’s will. He died in 2006. I have been told that the probate period has passed. He willed his...
Multiple Q&ACustodial Accounts for Grandchildren Dear Mr. Premack: A savings account is established in a credit union for my three granddaughters. My...
Must Oklahoma will be probated in Texas, too?Dear Mr. Premack: My father passed away, leaving me and my sister a house in Texas. My father also had two more houses in Oklahoma. We...
BRIEF: Can any creditor file probate for an intestate or must it be a secured creditor?Usually the will is filed for probate by the person nominated as Executor. If that has not happened, the Probate Code allows “any...
Small Estate Affidavit has Limited UtilityWhen there is no Will and the estate is smaller than $75,000 - not including the value of the homestead.