What happens if I don’t have a will?

In Texas, if you die without a will, it’s called dying “intestate.” Texas law outlines where your assets go when this happens — such as to your spouse or your children or to your parents or siblings if you are not married and have no children. This becomes a bit complicated, though, if you are married when dealing with community property and separate property and particularly if your spouse is not a parent of your children. Even if you are happy with how the state says your property should be distributed, when you don’t have a will, in many cases whoever steps up to be in charge of your estate will have to apply for a Dependent Administration, which can be costly.