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Thinking about creating your estate plan? Here’s the information you’ll need before the attorney can begin drafting your estate plan. You may not need it for your initial meeting, but you will definitely need it soon thereafter!

While not everyone needs a Will, it's wise to explore whether it would be a smart investment for you and your family's future. A few benefits of drawing up a Will include choosing how your estate will be distributed, selecting a guardian for minor children, and providing for step-children or other beneficiaries. An attorney will explore with you whether the assets you own can be passed down without a Will or whether having a Will is really key to simple passage of title to assets on your death.

Blended family estate planning is necessary because inheritance where there is no Will is not the same as for a family where there is only one marriage and the children are all of that marriage. Step-children will not inherit the same as biological children, and your spouse will not inherit all of your estate if you have biological children from a previous relationship. You should always create a new Will or trust when you remarry, or consider getting a pre-nup beforehand to act as an estate planning tool.

If your loved one who died had a Will, Texas offers several types of probate. The complexity of the proceeding and the costs vary widely depending on which type of probate you can or must use to pass on your loved one's estate. The simplest and least expensive type of probate is known as a "muniment of title" proceeding.

Even well-meaning people can make mistakes. Under the pressure of grief, it’s no surprise that many people make choices during this difficult time that complicate the probate process and cause more trouble and expense in the long run.

Guardianships are a complicated legal proceeding. Most people have no clue exactly how complicated and expensive they are. In some situations, however, a guardianship is required to manage the affairs of a loved one. This typically includes a loved one becoming incompetent, a minor child losing both parents, and an individual functioning with diminished capacity in some way.

People put off creating a Will for many reasons. However, this decision can cost your family a lot of money and heartache in the long run. It can also lead to your estate being distributed in ways that you would not want. Drawing up a Will provides a number of benefits, from allowing you to choose exactly how your estate will be distributed to providing for stepchildren.

While your attorney will guide you through the process, arriving prepared can help you make thoughtful decisions rather than feeling pressured to come up with answers on the spot. It helps you consider who you want as secondary beneficiaries, agents, executors, and trustees. Additionally, it gives you time to think about whether you want to place special conditions on your beneficiaries receiving their inheritance, especially if they are minors.

Prenups may be beneficial to a couple marrying, whether or not they are rich and famous. They are not just a contingency plan for a possible divorce. In fact, prenups can be an important tool for your estate plan, particularly if you have children from a previous relationship or more property going into the marriage.

Many people are afraid of drawing up a Will and other estate planning documents because they think it's too expensive. The truth is, drawing up a Will is a small cost compared to the cost of probate of an estate if you die without a Will and own almost any property.