Do I need a will or a trust in Texas?

Most Texas families assume a will is enough, but a will still goes through probate. A revocable living trust is commonly used to help avoid probate and give a family a more direct path to managing assets after death. The right approach depends on how you want your estate handled, but many people choose a trust-based plan for more control and simplicity.

How do you avoid probate in Texas?

Avoiding probate in Texas usually involves setting up a plan that allows assets to pass outside of the court process. A revocable living trust is one of the most common ways to do this when it is properly set up and funded. Without a plan in place, families often have to go through probate to transfer property and access accounts.

Are online wills and trusts valid in Texas?

Online estate planning documents can be valid in Texas if they meet state requirements and are properly signed. The issue many families run into is not validity, but mistakes in how the documents are completed or executed. A structured, Texas-specific system helps reduce those risks by guiding you through each step.

What happens if you die without a will in Texas?

If someone dies without a will in Texas, state law determines who inherits their assets through a process called intestate succession. This can lead to outcomes that do not match what the person would have chosen, especially in blended families or more complex situations. Creating a clear estate plan allows you to decide how your assets are handled instead of leaving it to default rules.

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I want to protect my family and help avoid probate.

Texas Family Trust Plan

A coordinated trust-based estate plan for one individual or both spouses. Designed to help properly transferred assets avoid probate while also planning for incapacity and beneficiaries.

$399 total

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I need a will and guardian documents, but not a living trust.

Texas Family Will Plan

Create a Texas will-based plan online. A will controls probate assets but does not avoid probate.

$199 total

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My child is 18 or older.

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Help a young adult authorize trusted people to assist with financial and medical matters.

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Texan offers Texas estate planning documents with instructions you can follow at your own pace.

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Our trust plan

The $399 Texas Family Trust Plan

Consider the trust plan if you want to plan for incapacity, protect beneficiaries, and help your family avoid probate.

One purchase can cover both spouses
Guided questionnaire takes about 30 minutes for many families
Signing and trust-funding instructions included
One year of updates included

Probate avoidance depends on properly signing the trust and transferring applicable assets to it.

$399 total

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Austin Butts and Lorne Book designed Texan using their experience with Texas law and problems they have seen in their separate legal practices.

They created an online document platform to make essential Texas estate planning clearer and more affordable.

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Texan Wills and Trusts is a document platform, not a law firm. Texan products include self-guided documents and recorded general information, not individualized legal advice. Optional legal services are available through a separate engagement with BOOK LAW FIRM.