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When a loved one passes away, the answer to the question, "Do I have to probate their Will?" is often, "It depends." Texas has several shortcuts or alternatives to full probate that you may be able to utilize to avoid a costly and lengthy probate procedure. These include Probate as a muniment of title and an Affidavit of Heirship.

If an attorney handles incorporation for you, he or she should take all of the steps necessary to set you up to go forward conducting business according to sound legal requirements to preserve the protection that is a primary goal of incorporation. This would include filing a certificate of formation with the secretary of state, drawing up initial bylaws or operating agreement (for a LLC), drawing up minutes of the organizational meeting, issuing stock or membership interests (for a LLC), and providing forms for minutes on an ongoing basis.

Pre-planning is necessary to avoid needing a guardianship. People live much longer these days, and Dementia and Alzheimers are a common issue families face with loved ones or themselves. Pre-planning to deal with incapacity is very smart.

Estate planning isn't just for rich or older individuals. Even young, single 20-somethings should start thinking about how their property will be distributed in the event of a tragedy. Drawing up an estate plan is not as much an action you need to take for yourself, but one you should take for your loved ones. There are 4 elements of an estate plan you'll need to draw up: a Will, a Statutory Power of Attorney, a Medical Power of Attorney, and beneficiary designations.

It is a common misconception that prenuptial agreements are only for the rich and famous. The truth is, a prenup can benefit couples in a number of situations, even for us common folk.

A sole proprietorship is a business operated by one individual (or a couple). The business is considered an extension of the individual (or couple), not a separate entity. The business profits and losses are included on the individual's personal tax return, and the individual retains personal liability for the business debts and lawsuits.

If your loved one died without a Will, transferring his or her assets to beneficiaries can be quite difficult. If no action is taken, assets will not be properly transferred and the beneficiaries will have to take some legal action down the road to straighten out the situation. In some cases, a costly determination of heirship proceeding and dependent administration of the estate may be required.

The price you pay for this advice before signing a contract can easily save you many thousands of dollars and lots of headaches and trouble in the future. A review of a standard residential purchase contract generally would not be more than a few hundred dollars. More complicated contracts, of course, would cost more to review or draft, but the cost would still be far less than any negotiation or litigation later to address problems that arise.

A corporation is a separate legal entity from its owners. A corporation can be owned by one person or many people. The corporation is formed under the laws of the state in which it is operating, with Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Formation.

If you are in the market to purchase a home, you probably already know you should start shopping for a real estate agent and mortgage lender. But, do you also need a lawyer?