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Ronald LipmanHouston Chronicle |
If the siblings, against all odds, are able to agree they want to keep the farm, they will need to figure out how to co-own it. Q: My mother is 94...
Under Texas law, when a person dies with a will a small estate affidavit is not allowed as an alternative to probate. Q: My sister passed away and...
Loan with no contract leaves a friend in a bind when the borrower won't repay. Q: A friend of mine last year loaned a considerable sum to a co-worker...
A reader asks if removing a fence will affect his property line. Q: When my house was built in 2007, a chain-link fence was on the property line of...
A golfing buddy left three friends $10,000 each. They are waiting for the executor to distribute the funds. Q: My very good golfing buddy passed...
I have been living in a house my mother owns for the past 10 years. She has been promising to give it to me, but her new husband talked her into...
My wife died and left everything to me. Everything has been changed to my name except for our house and one checking account. How best to handle those...
If the spouse who owns the home doesn't want the other spouse to be able to live in the house rent free for life, then the only way around that...
It has become evident that my sister, who is also the executor, took most of my late mother's savings before her death. What can I do? Q: My mother...
If a spouse continues to drive after drinking, Uber is one option, but eliminating the financial risk likely comes down to divorce. Q: My husband is...
Should I let a restaurant apply a credit card surcharge and later contest it with the credit card company? Q: More and more restaurants and...
It's not worth spending thousands of dollars in legal fees in Kansas to claim a virtually worthless interest in an oil well. Q: My parents died...
The underlying laws governing gift and estate taxes did not change, but the amounts that can be given away are indexed for inflation and have...
If you are single, you should strongly consider setting up a revocable trust with a trust company designated to serve should you die or become...
My sister's husband died without a will. For whatever reason, when the two of them purchased their home well into their marriage, it was titled in his...
If your mother wants to save money, she can prepare her own will using one of the new free Texas will forms. Q: My mom is 81 and a Texas resident....
There is an oak tree half on our lot and half on our neighbor's lot. They want to cut it down at their expense. But we like the tree because it...
If enough time has passed, you might have acquired full ownership of the land by adverse possession. Q: My husband and his father purchased land and...
One way to locate unaccounted for sources of income is to look at the most recent Federal income tax returns. You can see the sources of income and...
There is a 5-day wait after one of you dies before the survivor technically inherits the interest of the one who died. Q: I co-own a home with my...
Even though the probate process might take six months, that doesn't mean an heir will have no access to money for the entire time. Q: A fairly...
A house across the street from his will be for sale, and he wants us to buy it so he can live in it while we move into his place. Q: My wife and I...
Disagreements with lawyers over fees are so common that the State Bar of Texas, the entity that self-regulates lawyers, has what they call the...
You should check with your homeowners' association to see if there are any rules regarding fences. Q: My neighbor’s iron fence has corroded to the...
You should check with your homeowners' association to see if there are any rules regarding fences. Q: My neighbor’s iron fence has corroded to the...
My wife and I are leaving everything to charity. Where should we keep the originals of our wills so that they are safe? Q: My wife and I have no...
A neighbor's enormous oak tree is leaning precariously over. If it falls, it will hit another neighbor's house and the huge branches will hit our...
Car sales specialist Javier Medina Jr. helps Pedro Gonzalez tailor a Super Duty F-350 at Doggett Ford in Houston. Dealers could need your social...
Safeguarding your will assures your wishes are followed. Q: My husband and I have wills giving everything to each other, with a charity named as the...
Strategies are available to protect assets as Alzheimer's takes hold. Q: My husband has Alzheimer’s disease, and I’m worried we will run out of...