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Nielsen Law

Estate Planning Lawyer in Austin, Texas

08/01/2026

💰️ Handling a Loved One’s Debts After They Die

Nearly half of Americans expect to die with debt, making it essential to understand what happens to those obligations after death and how to protect your loved ones.

💰️ What Happens to Your Debt When You Die

💰️ Not All Debts Go Away at Death

💰️ Secured versus Unsecured Debt

Learn more about these topics on our blog!
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Some types of debts, can be forgiven upon death, but private loans and cosigned accounts may still be owed after the debtor has passed away.

07/31/2026

⏳️ Help! This Probate Is Taking Forever!

Probate timelines vary by state, but any delay can create stress for families managing a loved one’s estate. A lengthy probate process can make it harder to access assets needed to pay taxes, expenses, and valid debts.

⏳️ Five Reasons Probate Takes So Long

1) Reason 1: Paperwork.
2) Reason 2: Complexity.
3) Reason 3: Probate court caseload.
4) Reason 4: Challenges to the will.
5) Reason 5: Creditor notification.

⏳️ Cheaper to Skip if Possible

⏳️ Take Action Now

Learn more on our blog today!
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Probate is the legal wrap up of your affairs after you pass, and the process can sometimes be a lengthy and expensive one.

07/30/2026

💵 Trust Funding: Setting Your Trustee Up for Success

A revocable living trust can help manage your assets during incapacity and protect your loved ones after your death—but it only works as intended if it is properly funded.

💵 What is Trust Funding?

💵 Trust Funding as a First Step for Trust Administration

- Accessing your accounts and property will be less complicated
- Creating the inventory for your trustee
- Confidence that your plan will be carried out

💵 A Fully Funded Trust Helps Avoid Probate

💵 When Your Trust Will Not Control the Outcome

💵 Working Together Now for Future Success

Learn more on our blog!! https://buff.ly/ucdbEeS

Trust funding means transferring ownership of your assets to your trust during your lifetime or naming the trust as a beneficiary.

07/29/2026

🫂 How to Help Your Loved Ones (and Your Life Savings) Avoid Probate

Many people create trusts to avoid probate, but a trust only works if it is properly funded. Failing to transfer assets into your trust can send them—and your loved ones—through the probate process.

🫂 What Does It Mean to Fund Your Trust?

🫂 What Happens to Accounts and Property Left Out of Your Trust?

Typically placed in your trust:

- Real estate
- Bank and investment accounts
- Business interests
- Valuable personal property
- Certain digital assets
- Usually kept outside your trust:

Usually kept outside your trust:

- Retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k)s, etc.)
- Life insurance policies (use beneficiary designations)
- Generally not appropriate for a trust:

Generally not appropriate for a trust:

- UTMA/UGMA accounts
- Professional corporation interests
- Certain foreign assets
- Everyday vehicles

🫂 What Are the Benefits of Funding Your Trust?

🫂 The Bottom Line on Trust Funding

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Fully funding a trust can help families achieve their goal to avoid probate and make estate administration easier for their loved ones.

07/28/2026

🌎️ Planning for Real Estate in a Foreign Country

Buying a home abroad can offer a lower cost of living and a new lifestyle, but it also comes with important legal, financial, and tax considerations that should be carefully evaluated before making a purchase.

🌎️ Finding the American Dream Outside America

🌎️ Navigating Uncharted (Legal) Territory

🌎️ Tax Responsibilities

🌍 US Estate Plans

🌍 Forced Heirship and Inheritance Rules

🌍 Dual Counsel for Expat Buyers

Learn more on our blog today! https://buff.ly/7UhbxXw

Many Americans dream of living abroad, but the realities of home ownership can create a legal nightmare for your loved ones.

07/27/2026

💔 Your Divorce Decree: The First Step in Estate Planning

After a divorce, review your estate plan to ensure your beneficiaries, decision-makers, and assets reflect your new circumstances. Bring your divorce decree when meeting with your estate planning attorney.

💔 What Is in a Divorce Decree?
- Support Obligations
- Property Division

💔 What Effect Does the Divorce Decree Have on an Existing Estate Plan?
- Last Will and Testament
- Revocable Living Trust

Learn more on our blog now!
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A divorce decree or state law may automatically revoke parts of your estate plan or beneficiary designations made during marriage.

07/24/2026

🧑‍🦰 Do You Go By Different Names? Ensure That Your Estate Planning Attorney Knows

Many people use different names throughout their lives, whether through legal changes, nicknames, or aliases. Ensuring all name variations are consistent across your estate planning documents can help prevent confusion and unintended consequences.

🧑‍🦰 Same Person, Different Name: Name Variations Are Common

- Full legal name (first, middle, last
- Middle initial (first, middle initial, last)
- Middle name instead of first (middle, last)
- Nickname
- Maiden names
- Hyphenated last names
- Online aliases and pseudonyms
- Professional names
- Cultural practices
- Adoption
- Personal choice

🧑‍🦰 Why Name Nuances Matter in Your Estate Plan

- Identifying what you own
- Putting creditors on notice
- Searching for unclaimed property
- Digital assets
- International assets
- Blended families
- Taxes
- Beneficiary designations
- Powers of attorney and healthcare directives

Learn more on our blog! https://buff.ly/t4qedi4

Your name is a seemingly simple detail, but it can have major ramifications for your estate plan and what happens after you pass.

07/23/2026

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Have a Harmonious Family that Does Not Fight? You Still Need an Estate Plan

In many families, harmony can give way to conflict and even litigation when an aging loved one becomes incapacitated or passes away.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Having an Estate Plan Is Crucial to Your Family’s Success

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Not Just Any Estate Plan Will Do For Your Family

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 You May Be Able to Use a No-Contest Clause

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 You Can Protect an Inheritance with Proper Planning

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A Proper Estate Plan Can Help Avoid Contests For Your Family

Learn more on our blog!
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Does a harmonious family even need estate plans? Absolutely! Not having a plan can lead to friction between the closest of families.

07/22/2026

Four Tips to Avoid a Will or Trust Contest

1️⃣ Tip 1: Do Not Attempt “Do-it-Yourself” Solutions
2️⃣ Tip 2: Keep Your Family Members Informed
3️⃣ Tip 3: Use Discretionary Trusts for Problematic Beneficiaries
4️⃣ Tip 4: Keep Your Estate Plan Up to Date

Learn More on our blog: https://buff.ly/rYWWCaz

Fights over your estate plan can waste time and deplete your estate's resources. In order to avoid a "contest", consider these four tips.

07/21/2026

🕵️‍♀️ Beware of Trust Scams and How to Spot Them

While legitimate trusts can be powerful tools for estate planning, asset protection, and tax efficiency, fraudulent trusts misuse these principles to deceive individuals.

🕵️‍♀️ Trust Scams on the Rise

1) the reduction or elimination of taxes
2) reduction or elimination of income subject to tax
3) depreciation deductions
4) a step-up in basis for trust assets

🕵️‍♀️ Types of Trust Scams

1) The Pure Trust Scam
2) 643(b) Trust Scams

🕵️‍♀️ How to Spot a Trust Scam

- Exaggerated claims
- “Secret” loopholes
- Terms that give an air of legitimacy
- Pressure tactics
- Complicated and confusing structures
- Lack of transparency.
- Similarity to known scams

Learn more on our blog! https://buff.ly/UNC97Cw

Trust scams are on the rise, as scammers offer too-go-to-be-true opportunities to take advantage of Americans' and their estate planning.

Address

8705 Shoal Creek Boulevard #105
Austin, TX
78757

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4pm
Tuesday	8am - 4pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 4pm
Friday	8am - 4pm

Telephone

+15125222890

Website

http://www.estateplanatx.com/

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