Marlyn Schulz, Attorney at Law

Marlyn Schulz, Attorney at Law As a boutique law firm, we love educating and helping families secure their legacy.

Bought a vacation house in Texas? Relocating your family from California?Holding property or moving between CA and TX is...
09/03/2026

Bought a vacation house in Texas? Relocating your family from California?

Holding property or moving between CA and TX is a major milestone, but here’s something most property owners don't realize until it's too late:

Estate laws don't auto-sync across state lines.

While both California and Texas are community property states, they handle probate, homestead exemptions, and trust administration differently.

If you own real estate in two different states without a properly funded trust, your family could end up facing two separate probate court proceedings down the road. Double the time, double the cost, double the stress.

The good news? A well-structured estate plan speaks fluent "California" and "Texas."

If your assets cross state borders, make sure your plan does too.

Charitable giving and financial planning don’t always have to be separate conversations.A Charitable Remainder Trust (CR...
08/27/2026

Charitable giving and financial planning don’t always have to be separate conversations.

A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is one strategy that can bring the two together.

But how does it actually work?

Part 1 breaks it down.

Stay tuned for part two, next month!

Knock, knock!Maintenance here. Just popping in to check your smoke detector batteries, air filters… and your estate plan...
08/20/2026

Knock, knock!

Maintenance here. Just popping in to check your smoke detector batteries, air filters… and your estate plan.

In an apartment, you know what happens when you ignore routine maintenance: a small leak becomes a flooded living room, or a dead smoke alarm chirps at 3 AM.

Yet, so many families treat their estate plan like a piece of furniture…set it once and never touch it again.

Here’s the catch: life changes.

You bought property in Texas or California.

You welcomed a new grandchild.

A named guardian moved out of state.

Your small business grew.

If your trust or will hasn't had a "maintenance check" in the last 3–5 years, it might not work the way you think it will when your family needs it most.

Routine estate plan checkups aren't about rebuilding from scratch; they’re quick tune-ups to keep your protection leak-free.

When was the last time you checked your plan’s "batteries"?

Summer is coming to an end. Kids are going off to college. You packed the extra-long twin sheets, the mini-fridge, and e...
08/13/2026

Summer is coming to an end. Kids are going off to college.

You packed the extra-long twin sheets, the mini-fridge, and enough snacks to last a semester. But did you pack a Durable Power of Attorney?

When your child turns 18 and heads off to college, a massive legal shift happens overnight.

Legally, they are an adult.

This means if they end up in a college town hospital with a severe flu or an accident, the doctors and the university cannot legally share medical updates with you. They can’t even confirm they've been admitted without your child's consent due to privacy laws.

Worse yet, if your 18-year-old inherited a chunk of money or property from a well-meaning grandparent under a standard "all to my kids at 18" clause, they are now legally in charge of it.

Imagine an 18-year-old managing a rental property portfolio or a massive brokerage account while trying to pass Freshman economics. It rarely ends well.

The Solution isn't complex; it's just precise:

A Healthcare Proxy / Medical Power of Attorney so you can talk to doctors in an emergency.

A Financial Power of Attorney so you can handle tuition or housing issues if they are incapacitated.

Staggered Trust Distributions so young adults inherit wealth with guardrails, not all at once.

Getting them ready for the world means making sure you still have the legal right to protect them when they need it most.

"We love each other, and the kids all get along. We don't need a complicated plan."It's a beautiful sentiment, but in a ...
08/06/2026

"We love each other, and the kids all get along. We don't need a complicated plan."

It's a beautiful sentiment, but in a blended family, relying on "good intentions" is the fastest track to accidental disinheritance.

Here is a scenario that happens across California and Texas every single year: A married couple with children from prior relationships decides to hold everything jointly. One spouse passes away unexpectedly. By default or by a simple will, all assets pass entirely to the surviving spouse.

Years later, that surviving spouse passes away without updating their plan.

Where do the assets go? By law, they go entirely to the surviving spouse’s biological children.

The children of the spouse who passed away first are left with absolutely nothing. Completely disinherited by accident, despite what the couple originally talked about over dinner.

Blended families require unique estate architecture. You can ensure your current spouse is fully taken care of for the rest of their life while legally locking in the guarantee that your biological children receive their intended inheritance later.

It doesn't create division; it creates clarity and protects everyone’s relationships from future resentment.

To every small business owner out there: If you were incapacitated tomorrow, who signs payroll on Monday?Most entreprene...
07/30/2026

To every small business owner out there: If you were incapacitated tomorrow, who signs payroll on Monday?

Most entrepreneurs are so focused on growing their business that they completely overlook its mortality. They have an operations manual, but they don't have a legal succession bridge.

If you operate as a single-member LLC or a closely-held corporation in California or Texas, and you are the sole signer on the business bank accounts, your business freezes the moment you do.

Without a specialized estate plan that accounts for business interests:

The bank will lock your business accounts upon learning of your death or incapacity.

Your family will have to petition a probate court just to get permission to pay your employees or suppliers.

Key clients may walk away during the weeks of court delays.

A standard personal will won't cut it here. You need corporate governance documents coordinated directly with a Revocable Living Trust or a Buy-Sell agreement. This ensures a designated "Special Trustee" or successor can step into your operational shoes instantly, without a judge's permission.

Protecting your business isn't just about insurance policies; it's about making sure your life's work doesn’t dissolve in a court waiting room.

I love a good "set it and forget it" slow-cooker recipe. But your estate plan is not a pot of pot roast.Many people trea...
07/23/2026

I love a good "set it and forget it" slow-cooker recipe.

But your estate plan is not a pot of pot roast.

Many people treat a living trust like a lifetime achievement award: you do it once, put the binder on a high shelf, and never look at it again.

But a plan that worked beautifully in 2021 might be completely broken today.

Why? Because life moves fast and the law moves faster.

Consider what changes in just a 2-3 year window:

The Legislative Landscape: Federal tax exemptions fluctuate, and state-specific laws (especially around property tax reassessments in California or asset protections in Texas) shift constantly.

The People: The person you named to be your kids' guardian five years ago might have moved across the country, gotten divorced, or simply grown out of touch.

The Assets: Did you start a small business? Sell a property? Move an account? If those new assets weren’t formally titled in the name of your trust, they are still exposed to probate.

An outdated estate plan can sometimes cause more family litigation than having no plan at all, because it forces outdated intentions onto current realities.

If it’s been more than 3 years since your binder was opened, it’s time for a maintenance check.

Let's make sure your plan still protects what you actually own today.

Most people think life insurance is the plan.In many cases, it's only one piece of the plan.An Irrevocable Life Insuranc...
07/16/2026

Most people think life insurance is the plan.

In many cases, it's only one piece of the plan.

An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can help certain families protect life insurance proceeds, provide greater control over distributions, and potentially reduce estate tax burdens, but it's not the right solution for everyone.

The best estate plans aren't one-size-fits-all. They're built around your family, your goals, and the legacy you want to leave.

The death of a spouse brings overwhelming grief. Unfortunately, it also brings responsibilities that can't always wait.W...
07/09/2026

The death of a spouse brings overwhelming grief. Unfortunately, it also brings responsibilities that can't always wait.

While every situation is different, here are the first 5 things I typically advise surviving spouses to focus on:

1. Obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate.
You'll need them to handle many financial and legal matters.

2. Locate estate planning documents.
Find the trust, will, powers of attorney, deeds, and any beneficiary information.

3. Identify immediate financial needs.
Make sure ongoing bills, mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and household expenses are covered.

4. Notify key institutions.
This may include banks, insurance companies, Social Security, employers, and financial advisors.

5. Don't make major financial decisions too quickly.
Unless something requires immediate attention, give yourself time before making significant changes.

Most people aren't prepared for how much administrative work follows a loss. If you're navigating this season, remember that you don't have to figure everything out in a day.

Focus on the next step, lean on trusted advisors when you need them, and give yourself grace along the way.

When someone loses a loved one, they're often expected to become a project manager overnight.Gather documents.Call finan...
07/02/2026

When someone loses a loved one, they're often expected to become a project manager overnight.

Gather documents.

Call financial institutions.

Notify government agencies.

Transfer assets.

Coordinate with family members.

Make major financial decisions.

All while grieving.

That's one reason estate planning matters so much.

Good planning doesn't eliminate grief.

Nothing can.

But it can eliminate uncertainty.

It can provide instructions when people need guidance.

It can identify who is responsible for what.

It can reduce confusion, delays, and unnecessary stress during an already difficult time.

Estate planning isn't about preparing for death.

It's about caring for the people who have to keep going afterward.

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Brenham, TX
77833

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