Kingwood , Texas Probate without Wills Attorney

Experienced Texas Estate Planning Lawyer

A will is a valuable estate planning instrument that allows you to determine before your death how your estate will be passed on to those still living when you are gone. Probate is the legal process in which a will is recognized and an executor is appointed to handle the transfer of your assets to the specified beneficiaries. If no will was filed, then your assets will be transferred to family members.

Estate Planning Through Wills

We help people discuss, devise, draft, review and execute wills that are binding and enforceable in the state of Texas. We encourage newcomers to the state to have a Texas lawyer examine their existing will. We also urge everyone, Texan or not, to have an existing will reviewed any time there is a change in family status, business ownership, or other major life circumstance.

Texas Probate Lawyer

Attorney Byers handles probate without wills proceedings for people who have passed away as residents of Texas. Family members in Texas or outside of the state are encouraged to contact our law office to learn how we can help streamline and facilitate the probate process. In most cases, probate can be completed in about 60 days and an estate will be ready to be distributed to heirs or beneficiaries without much delay. Talk to our law firm for more information on our probate practice.

Questions and Answers

The following are some the more frequently asked questions I often receive.

What is Probate?
Probate is a process of transferring property from the decedent to the decedent's beneficiaries under his/her will or his/her heirs according to the laws of intestacy of the State of Texas.

How does Probate work when there is no will?
If the decedent did not have a will, but owns property or other assets, you will still have to have a probate proceeding in order to transfer his/her property to his/her heirs.

Why do I need an Attorney for Probate if there is no will?
You will need to file a Heirship Proceeding, and combine it with an Administration.

What happens to my Assets if I don't have a will? Who gets my stuff?
You will need a probate proceeding if the decedent owned any property that does not transfer by a beneficiary designation. If a person has a will, he/she can dictate how he/she wishes her estate to pass. If a person does not have a will, then the State of Texas makes this determination.

What is a Living Will?
A living will is a document that states that you do not wish to be kept alive, even with life-sustaining treatment, if you are suffering from a terminal condition and you are expected to die within 6 months. This document is sometimes referred to as a “directive to physician.”

What is a Will?
A will is a document that disposes of your property, and can also express your desire as to your children’s guardian, after your death.

Do I really need a Will?
If you own anything and you want to determine how your property passes at the time of your death, then you need a will.

Are Wills expensive?
Unless you have a very large estate (i.e. over $1 million), then the cost for a basic will is very reasonable. I charge $250.00.

Contact Us

Contact H. Steven Byers, Attorney at Law & Mediator, to schedule a consultation regarding questions related to wills, probate litigation, powers of attorney, mediation, and other estate planning matters.