Frequently Asked Questions About Our Legal Services

Texas child support is calculated using guidelines based on the paying parent's monthly net resources. Net resources include wages, salary, self-employment income, and rental income, minus allowable deductions such as taxes, Social Security, and health insurance premiums paid for the child.

Guideline percentages: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, and 40% for five or more. Courts may deviate from guidelines when a child has special needs or when a parent has other children in different households.

Unpaid child support in Texas can result in serious consequences including wage withholding from the paying parent's employer, seizure of tax refunds, suspension of driver's and professional licenses, and in serious cases, contempt of court resulting in fines or jail time.

Unpaid support accumulates as arrears and continues to accrue interest. There is no statute of limitations on child support arrears in Texas, meaning past-due support can be collected for many years after a child turns 18.

Yes. Estate planning is not only for people with significant wealth. A basic estate plan ensures your wishes are legally documented, designates who makes decisions if you are incapacitated, and reduces confusion or family conflict after you pass. Without a plan, Texas law may determine how your property is distributed and who makes medical decisions on your behalf.

If you have children, own a home, have any savings you want to pass to specific people, or want control over what happens to you during a medical emergency, an estate plan is worth putting in place regardless of the total value of your assets.

A will is a legal document that expresses your wishes for distributing property after death. It typically goes through probate. A trust is a legal arrangement where a trustee holds and manages assets for named beneficiaries, and it can take effect during your lifetime or at death.

Assets held in a properly funded trust generally pass to beneficiaries without probate, saving time and expense. Trusts can also provide more detailed control over how and when assets are distributed for example, holding assets for minor children until they reach a certain age.

A power of attorney authorizes another person — your agent — to act on your behalf in financial, legal, or medical matters. A durable power of attorney for finances allows your agent to manage accounts, pay bills, and handle real estate if you become incapacitated. A medical power of attorney designates someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf.

Without these documents, your family may need to go to court to obtain the legal authority to help you during a medical emergency — a process that takes time and expense at an already stressful moment.

To be valid in Texas, a typed will must be signed by the testator and witnessed by at least two credible witnesses age 14 or older who sign in the testator's presence. Witnesses should not be named beneficiaries in the will.

Texas also recognizes holographic wills — written entirely in the testator's own handwriting and signed by the testator — which do not require witnesses. However, any deviation from the requirements can result in a will being challenged. Working with an attorney ensures the document meets all legal requirements.

When a person dies without a valid will in Texas, they die intestate. Texas intestacy laws determine how property passes to surviving relatives. The distribution depends on whether the property is community or separate property, and which relatives survive — spouse, children, parents, siblings.

Dying without a will means losing control over who receives your property. Your estate may pass in ways that do not reflect your wishes, and additional legal proceedings may be required to establish heirship, adding time and expense for your family.

Technically yes — Texas recognizes holographic wills written entirely in the testator's own handwriting. No witnesses are required. However, even a minor deviation — such as including printed text or a pre-printed form — can invalidate a holographic will.

Online will templates and do-it-yourself forms also carry risks. A will that does not meet Texas legal requirements, contains ambiguous language, or fails to address important issues may be challenged in court or produce results you did not intend. Working with an attorney provides real protection for your family.

Probate in Texas is the court-supervised legal process used to administer a deceased person's estate. It typically involves validating a will, identifying and inventorying assets, notifying creditors, paying outstanding debts, and distributing remaining property to beneficiaries or heirs. Probate is handled through the county court in the county where the deceased person lived.

Texas has a relatively streamlined probate process compared to many other states. Simplified alternatives may be available depending on the size and complexity of the estate, including muniment of title or affidavit procedures.

A straightforward Texas probate case — with a valid will, no disputes, and a cooperative estate — can often be completed within a few months. The timeline begins with filing the application with the probate court and ends after assets have been distributed and required accountings filed.

More complex estates can take significantly longer. Factors that extend the timeline include contested wills, creditor claims, real property issues, business interests, disputes among beneficiaries, or assets in multiple counties or states.

Muniment of title is a simplified probate procedure available in Texas when the deceased left a valid will, there are no unpaid debts other than those secured by real estate liens, and there is no need for a full estate administration. The court admits the will to probate as evidence of title to property without appointing an executor or requiring ongoing court supervision.

Muniment of title is commonly used to transfer real property to heirs when the estate is otherwise simple. It is faster and less expensive than full probate administration, but is not available in every situation.