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What Your Will Can and Can Not Do (Hint: It's Not a Magic Wand)
July 12th, 2021
A will is a legally binding directive stating who will receive much of your property upon your death. Having a will allows you to appoint a legal representative or executor to carry out your bequests and name a guardian for your children. If you die…
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The Process of Probate
May 10th, 2021
When someone passes away, there is an often-lengthy legal procedure. This involves a court overseeing the process of authenticating the will, reviewing the deceased’s assets, paying outstanding debts, and distributing the remaining property to the…
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Property Co-Ownership Can Be Risky
April 26th, 2021
Too often, people try to circumvent probate challenges by deeding property away to someone else during their lives or by putting someone else on the deed to their home. Also too often, doing this leads to unintended consequences and higher attorneys&…
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How COVID-19 Might Change Your Health Care Planning and Directives
April 19th, 2021
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we have been forced, as individuals, to assess our values and priorities along with our overall health. The COVID-19 clinical information relating to treatment options and likely outcomes based on pers…
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Update Your Estate Plan to Cover Pandemics
April 5th, 2021
The World Health Organization (WHO) gave name to the disease causing the novel coronavirus outbreak on February 11, 2020. The coronavirus disease of 2019 shortly after became known by its abbreviation, CO for corona, VI for virus, D for disease, and…
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Four Estate Planning Steps to Take Right After an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
November 23rd, 2020
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it is important to start planning immediately. There are several essential documents to help you once you become incapacitated, but if you don’t already have them in place, you ne…
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Do You Need to Name Alternate Beneficiaries?
August 7th, 2019
What will happen to your estate if your primary beneficiary does not survive you? If your will does not name alternate beneficiaries, your estate will be divided according to state law. The way the state divides your estate may not agree with your wi…
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Categories: Wills
Planning Your Funeral or Memorial Service
July 16th, 2019
Thinking about your funeral may not be fun, but planning your funeral or your memorial service in advance can be exceedingly helpful for your family. It both lets them know your wishes and assists them during a stressful time. The following are steps…
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Are Handwritten Wills Valid?
June 30th, 2019
Maybe it was Patti LaBelle who asked, “Hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?”* But it seems it was Aretha Franklin who has left even more compelling questions after her death regarding what will happen to her estate based on three separate handwritten…
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Going to the Chapel and You're Gonna Get Married? Florida Updates Your Will Automatically
July 13th, 2018
By tradition, last month (June) was the month of weddings. In all of that wedded bliss, then, maybe seeing an estate planning attorney was not at the top of your list. On one hand, you’re safe: Florida adds your spouse to your will in your esta…
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Attorney Jana McCreary
Houston Estate Planning Attorney Jana R. McCreary has been an attorney for over nineteen years, a career move she made after working for over a decade with adults and children with intellectual disabilities and mental illness. Graduating summa cum la… Read More