Austin Texas Inherited Real Property Can Often Become Trapped and Be Lost to Taxes Unless a Texas Probate Lawyer Helps Clear Title to the Property by Austin Texas Inherited Real Property Lawyer

Austin Texas Inherited Real Property Can Often Become Trapped and be Lost to Taxes Unless a Texas Probate Lawyer Helps Clear Title to the Property by Austin Texas Inherited Real Property Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

After a family member dies, their real property can often become stuck in the inheritance process and if proper action is not taken it can be lost to foreclosure.  This situation is especially common when the person dies without a Will and leaves no instructions as to what they want done with their possessions after they die.  For more information on this topic, please go to the following web page: Texas Stressed Real Property Lawyer and Texas Trapped Real Property Lawyer Information.

Austin Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer Represents Heirs and Beneficiaries Who Need Contingent and Hybrid Contracts to Transfer and Collect Inheritance

In some situations family assets cannot get transferred or collected by their rightful heirs or beneficiaries because the heirs and beneficiaries cannot afford the cost of probate and other transfer costs.  In these situations, a Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer or Texas Contingent Death Benefit Lawyer that works on a percentage of the estate property can help heirs and beneficiaries transfer estate property to rightful heirs and beneficiaries. 

In these situations, the Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer or Texas Contingent Death Benefit Lawyer will typically need to see that there are actual significant assets in the estate and who the rightful heirs and beneficiaries are of the estate.  In these cases, bank statements, life insurance policies, royalty statements, mutual fund statements, retirement fund statements, real property deeds, property tax information, and other evidence of the estate assets can be useful in determining the approximate value of the estate and if a contingent contract for probating the estate can be viable. 

For more information on this topic, please go to the following web page: Texas Contingent Probate Lawyer Information. 

Central Texas Real Estate Probate Transfers: Families Usually Need Assistance Transfering Texas Real Property Through the Texas Probate Process by Central Texas Real Estate Probate Lawyer

Central Texas Real Estate Probate Transfers: Families Usually Need Assistance Transfering Texas Real Property Through the Texas Probate Process by Central Texas Real Estate Probate Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

More and more retirees are deciding to buy real property in the Texas Hill Country and the Central Texas area.  For some it is a perfect dream to live in the Texas Hill Country with beautiful views including great  lake property by Lake Travis, Lake LBJ, Canyon Lake, Lake Buchanan, and Lake Austin as well as great hill country property with great views of the Texas Hill Country.  There are several great home sites on which to build dream homes and many residential communities near excellent health services and other amenities.  For these and many other reasons, real estate around the Austin and Central Texas area including Lakeway, Bee Cave, Lago Vista, San Marcos, Spicewood, Marble Falls, and Johnson City is selling rapidly and increasing in value.

When a Loved One Dies or Becomes Incompetent a Texas Probate Lawyer Is Usually Needed to Transfer or Sell Real Property

However, when a loved one becomes incompetent or dies owning real property in Texas, their families are often not close enough to know of a good Central Texas probate lawyer to help the family transfer their loved one's real estate through the probate process.  It is common for lake property, lake homes, hill country homes, condos, and other real property to get stuck going through the Texas probate process.  Knowing a good Central Texas probate lawyer that handles probate matters in Travis County, Llano County, Blanco County, Burnett County, Hays County, Williamson County, Comal County, Bexar County, Bastrop County, and Fayette County can save a significant amount of money and wealth after a loved one dies or becomes incompetent.  It is often important to a have a Central Texas Probate Lawyer who knows how to transfer real property through an ancillary probate or Texas probate proceeding or know how to establish a guardianship.

By working with a good Central Texas probate lawyer that handles probate matters in Travis County, Llano County, Blanco County, Burnett County, Hays County, Williamson County, Comal County, Bexar County, Bastrop County, and Fayette County, families and friends of the decedent that live outside of Central Texas or the state of Texas, can often act as the executor or administrator of their loved one's estate, save a significant amount of wealth, and minimize the number of trips needed to be made to take care of estate and probate matters. 

For more information on this issue, please go to the following web page: Central Texas Inheritance Lawyer and Central Texas Real Estate Transfer Lawyer.

Estate Tax Increase Would Add Billions In Revenue, Say Wealthy Progressives

Estate Tax Increase Would Add Billions In Revenue, Say Wealthy Progressives

WASHINGTON - A coalition of three dozen ultra-wealthy progressives, including billionaire Warren Buffett, former President Jimmy Carter, philanthropist George Soros and former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, launched a new effort Tuesday to press members of Congress and the White House to raise the estate tax in order to provide additional revenue for the federal budget.

"A substantial estate tax can provide revenues at a time when our federal government badly needs revenues … and the estate tax will do this without an adverse effect," Rubin said on a conference call organized by the progressive group, Responsible Wealth.

The 2012 Federal Estate Tax Exemption Allows Individuals to Pass $5.12 Million and Couples to Pass $10.24 Million to Loved Ones Without Having to Pay a Federal Estate Tax by Austin Texas Estate Planning Lawyer and Austin Texas Family Wealth Protection Lawyer

The Federal Estate Tax currently allows a person that has not used their life time gift tax exemption to give away money assets up to the Federal Estate Tax Exemption at death without charging any tax on that amount.  The Federal Estate Tax Exemption for 2012 is $5.12 million which means that in 2012 only estates valued over $5.12 million will be charged a Federal inheritance tax and those estates over $5.12 million will only pay a 35% Federal inheritance tax on assets over the $5.12 million exemption.

For example a person that has an estate valued at $7.12 million and has not used any of their life time gift tax would be subject to the Federal Estate Tax on $2 million and would have to pay approximately $700,000.00 in estate taxes.

However, it should be kept in mind that for 2012 the Federal Estate Tax Exemption has become portable.  As such, each spouse has $5.12 million that can in many case be added together to create a $10.24 million Federal Estate Tax Exemption.  In other words, the estate of a deceased spouse can transfer to the surviving spouse any portion of the federal estate tax exemption that it does not use. The surviving spouse’s estate can then add that amount to the exemption it is entitled to, increasing the total amount that can be passed on to heirs tax free.

For example a married couple that has an estate valued at $10.24 million, has not used any of their life time gift tax, and properly uses the portability of the Federal Estate Tax Exemption would not have to pay any Federal estate tax.  Likewise, the same married couple with an estate of $12.24 would be subject to the Federal Estate Tax on $2 million and would have to pay approximately $700,000.00 in estate taxes.

Families interested in protecting their wealth should stay advised as to changes in the law that could impact their ability to protect their family's wealth.  One such change may be the change in the Federal Estate Tax Exemption that may automatically take place at the end of 2012, unless new legislation is passed.

Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts Can Be Effective Methods of Transferring Wealth, But Can Be Complicated and Cause Unintended Results by Austin Texas Trust Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts by Austin Texas Trust Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

By creating a revocable or irrevocable trust, families can often protect their wealth from taxes, Medicaid and public disclosure, however, it is important to understand the type of trust that is being created and potential dangers of creating a trust prior to placing assets in a trust.

The main danger of a trusts is losing control of assets.  In creating a trust you are moving ownership of assets from yourself to a trust and are avoiding public disclosure of information.  Both of these actions can create the potential for a trustee or successor trustee to take control of assets.

The Revocable Living Trust Can Prevent Public Disclosure of Asset Information By Avoiding Probate or a Guardianship
 

 The Revocable Living Trust is an arrangement by which a person transfers ownership of their assets property into a trust throughout the course of their lifetime.  The person or persons transferring their assets are know as the Settlor is typically the Trustee and the Beneficiary of the trust during his/her life. This allows the Settlor to retain control of their assets as Trustee or to revoke the trust altogether and go back to managing the assets as an individual. The main benefit of a Revocable Living Trust is that it can avoid the need for probate or a guardianship that would require the public disclosure of assets.  However, this privacy and lack of disclosure can also create potential dangers including successor trustees trying to take the settlor's trust assets through incompetence challenges and successor trustees not distributing trust assets to beneficiaries.  Understanding the trust and giving copies of the trust document to all beneficiaries are typically important to protect from problems with successor trustees.

Irrevocable Trusts Can Help Protect Family Assets But Restrict A Person's Future Use of The Assets Put Into The Trust

Irrevocable Trusts including Medicaid Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs) and other irrevocable trusts limit the control of the settlor over the assets put into the trust in order for the trust to accomplish a particular purpose. These trusts can be beneficial including allowing a person to qualify for Medicaid benefits without draining a family's assets or avoid estate tax implications, but the irrevocable trust can also result in a person losing control of their assets. 

It is vitally important that any person creating an irrevocable trust understand why the trust is being created and the future limitations that will be on their assets once the irrevocable trust is created.

Financial Fraud Against the Elderly is on The Rise Resulting in Billions of Dollars Being Stolen From Seniors and Their Families by Texas Elder Financial Abuse Fraud Lawyer, Texas Guardian Fraud Lawyer, Texas Trust Fraud Lawyer, Texas Family Inheritance Fraud Lawyer, and Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Financial Fraud Against the Elderly is on The Rise Resulting in Billions of Dollars Being Stolen From Seniors and Their Families by Texas Elder Financial Abuse Fraud Lawyer, Texas Guardian Fraud Lawyer, Texas Trust Fraud Lawyer, Texas Family Inheritance Fraud Lawyer, and Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Lawyer Jason S. Coomer 

Financial elder abuse and financial fraud against the elderly are on the rise and was estimated to be at approximately $3 Billion in 2010.  More and more elderly persons are becoming victims of financial fraud and financial elder abuse.  Many of these acts of financial fraud, financial elder abuse, and exploitation of the elderly are committed by family members and caretakers that have access to an elderly person's finances.  While some of these financial transfers are authorized by the elderly person, many are not. 

Most Elder Financial Abuse Involves a Family Member, Caretaker, Stock Broker, Financial Planner, or Financial Adviser by Texas Guardian Fraud Lawyer, Texas Power of Attorney Fraud Lawyer, Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Fraud Lawyer and Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Lawyer 

 

A recent study has found that Financial Elder Abuse and financial fraud against the elderly are on the rise.  Further, that most elder financial abuse crimes involve a family member, financial planner, financial adviser, or caretaker.  This elder financial abuse and fraud is most commonly committed against woman over 80 years old.  This financial exploitation of elderly persons can include changes in investments; buying real property and vehicles for people; large cash withdraws; selling inherited real estate; gifting mineral interests; excessive use of ATM or credit cards; unnatural changes in a will, power of attorney, beneficiary designations or financial documents; documents signed under duress; theft of valuables or money; transfers of money, mineral interests, oil royalties, or assets; forgery of checks, financial transaction documents, or other documents; isolation from family, friends, community, or other stable relationships; and use of medications to subdue the elderly person.

For more information on Texas Elder Financial Fraud, please go to the following website: Texas Elder Financial Abuse Fraud Lawyer, Texas Guardian Fraud Lawyer, Texas Trust Fraud Lawyer, Texas Family Inheritance Fraud Lawyer, and Texas Alleged Elder Financial Abuse Lawyer.

Many Families have Spread Out Across The United States and Throughout the World, Therefore it is Often Helpful to Hire a Texas Probate Lawyer to Assist with the Texas Probate Process and to Handle Texas Inheritance and Estate Issues by Austin Texas Inheritance Lawyer, Texas Will Probate Lawyer, Austin Texas Probate Lawyer and Austin Texas Estate Asset Collection Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Many Families have Spread Out Across The United States and Throughout the World, Therefore it is Often Helpful to Hire a Texas Probate Lawyer to Assist with the Texas Probate Process and to Handle Texas Inheritance and Estate Issues by Austin Texas Inheritance Lawyer, Texas Will Probate Lawyer, Austin Texas Probate Lawyer and Austin Texas Estate Asset Collection Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

 

Many families have spread out throughout the United States and around the World.  For many families, gone is the time where several generations live with in a few miles of each other in the same town, city, or county.  This lack of proximity can make it difficult, when a family member in Texas passes away. For the family member that lives out of state and has never been through the Texas probate process, Texas probate law and Texas probate courts can be overwhelming.  At a time when they want to grieve the loss of their loved one, they are forced to deal with difficult probate issues including:

    1) Who should be in control of their loved ones' estate?
    2) What needs to be done to have an administrator or executor appointed?
    3) What is probate & non-probate property?
    4) What should be done to protect estate property?
    5)  How are estate assets collected?
    6)  What can be done with Estate property?  

    7) Can assets be sold or transferred?

 

It is often helpful to speak with and hire a Texas probate lawyer to help take care of many of the probate issues.  A Texas probate lawyer can help "out of town" relatives  through the probate process and taking care of the estate.  This is extremely helpful when relatives and loved ones want to focus on the grieving process instead of learning Texas Probate Law and navigating Texas Probate Courts.  Hiring a Texas contested probate lawyer can also be extremely important when someone has tried or may try to unlawfully take estate assets that do not belong to them.