Articles

Newlyweds walk down the aisle after being married, family applauds

Estate Planning Strategies to Protect Your Spouse

You found the love of your life, and as you have built your life together, you have likely weathered your fair share of storms and grown stronger because of them. Now that you are married, you are uniquely situated to provide meaningful support for y… Read More
Son loading up car to move away to college and parents are waving to him from the door demonstrating need for HIPAA

Kids Going Away to College? Why You Should Include College Student Estate Planning in the Preparation

You have likely been preparing for weeks to get your new college student off to school. It is exhilarating, and your heart may be bursting at the seams. You are probably prouder than words can express but also afraid. How can you ensure your child is… Read More
Blue neon sign TIME TO UPDATE; a red megaphone

AB Trusts—Do You Need to Get Rid of Yours?

If the last time you and your spouse updated your estate plan was more than a decade ago, your estate plan may contain what is sometimes referred to as AB trust planning, which, until 2011, was the only way married couples could take advantage of bot… Read More
Categories: Estate Planning, Trusts
Two children and two teenagers with the savings for unequal inheritance

Does Treating Your Children Fairly Mean Unequal Inheritances?

When thinking through their estate plan and how they want their assets (money and property) managed after they pass away, most parents wish to treat their children equally, often out of a sense of fairness. However, sometimes being fair or doing what… Read More
Legacy written on a wooden cube in front of a laptop to show avoiding a will contest

Four Tips to Avoid a Will Contest

Fighting over provisions in your will or trust can derail your final wishes, rapidly deplete your financial legacy, and tear your loved ones apart. However, with proper planning, you can help your family avoid a will contest and potentially a disastr… Read More
minimalist estate planning

Minimalism May Be Great for Your Stuff and Finances but Not for Your Estate Planning

Minimalism is a hot topic these days, but a minimalist “less is more” mindset for estate planning can leave you and your loved ones unprotected. An estate plan is one area of your life where you should lean into chaos and assert control, not by r… Read More
Image man and woman with gavel representing divorce and need for new estate planning

Your Divorce Decree: The First Step in Estate Planning

You and your spouse have recently divorced, and the judge has signed the divorce decree. Now what? Although you may feel that you have spent enough time and money on lawyers, there is one last attorney you need to talk to: an estate planning attorney… Read More
Sticky notes with different names written on them showing importance of legal name for estate planning

What’s Your Name? Ensure That Your Estate Planning Attorney Knows Your Legal Name—and any Others

What is in a name? When you are setting up your estate plan or if you are a beneficiary—or a creditor—of an estate, your name means a great deal. For McCreary Law Office, we strive to make sure we have the legal name for any clients or beneficiar… Read More
Categories: Estate Planning
3D illustration of

Want to Disinherit Someone? This Is What You Need to Know

Disinheritance—the intentional exclusion of a family member, usually a child or spouse, from receiving part of your estate after your death—is more common than you might think. It is also easier than you might think to disinherit a loved one, wit… Read More
Austin, TX--Cowboy memorial statue may artist Constance Whitney Warren established in 1952 sitting in front of the Texas capitol building downtown Austin. Texas Capitol Demonstrating unclaimed property and escheat to the state

Do Not Let Your Money and Property Go to the State: Why You Need an Estate Plan so any Unclaimed Property Does Not Escheat

Americans tend to bristle when any level of the government meddles in their private lives, especially with their money. Look no further than the famous “death and taxes” quote for a sense of how Americans feel about bureaucratic creep and governm… Read More