What happens when a spouse dies and there is no Will? There is a common, but mistaken, belief that when a spouse dies without leaving a Last Will, the surviving spouse inherits all of the deceased spouse’s estate. Community property laws in Texas and other states have historically provided broader property rights to spouses, particularly...
Title Insurance Scam
If you own a home in Texas, or may buy or sell one, this illuminating article on title insurance is essential reading, Entitled to profit: In Texas, title insurance is a "total scam" . Published by investigative news outlet, Texas Observer, the article exposes the title insurance business as a reverse Robinhood system, in which Texas...
New Retirement Account Rules for the New Year
Happy 2020! Major changes to the federal retirement account rules were signed into law December 20, 2019, under the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act). Under the new rules, a retirement account can no longer be "stretched" and must be distributed within 10 years to non-spouse beneficiaries. This...
Changes to Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
The Texas Legislature has approved major changes to the Statutory Durable Power of Attorney (SDPOA) - the form that allows you to appoint an agent to act for you in certain financial matters - making it imperative to review and consider updating your power of attorney. Legislators expanded the instrument to include important new...