Before You Go...

In their second installment in this series about answering clients’ questions, probate attorneys and hosts Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm cover topics such as acquiring a death certificate, locating a will, settling debts, handling sentimental items, and managing insolvency in an estate. They emphasize the importance of guiding clients through these challenging processes with empath...

Probate litigation is complicated. The retirement statute that governs benefits is a nightmare to understand. Challenging a will in court can tie up an estate for months or years. Those are just a few insights that hosts Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm share in this episode, focused on the top 25 questions that they’ve received about probate litigation through decades in the practice...

One of the most misunderstood areas of community property law in Texas that impacts the probate process – and one of the most hotly litigated – is the difference between community and separate property.   Hosts Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm describe these “murky waters” when someone dies without a will and heirs argue about property left behind. In addition to clarifying&...

Independent administration enables Texas estates in probate to proceed with limited court involvement, so the estate doesn’t have to go “mother, may I” to the court for every request. But the procedure has its complexities, and its downsides.  In this episode of Before You Go …, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they discuss the basics, advantages and disadvantages of inde...

There are a lot of myths surrounding appeals. The process can be difficult, and appeals rarely happen as swiftly or as smoothly as they do on TV and in the movies. In this episode of Before You Go …, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they provide a general overview of how legal appeals work, then discuss some appellate issues specific to the world of probate, trust, and guardia...

Did they have a common law marriage, or not? Whether you leave behind a will or not, determining if there was a valid common law marriage can have a big impact on families, and on inheritance and property issues in probate litigation.  In this episode of Before You Go …, Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm welcome guest Shawn Williamson , a senior associate at the firm and an experi...

A will contest is a formal challenge to a will. But the process can be lengthy, expensive, and emotionally taxing. In this episode of Before You Go …, Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm welcome guest Rudy Culp, an experienced attorney and partner at the Houston-based firm, Horrigan, Goehrs, Edwards & Culp, LLP , which focuses almost exclusively on probate fiduciary litigation. Stacy...

“It's a dagger in me when I see families writing those estate tax checks because the planning tools that are available to us almost always allow us to get that tax down to either very low or zero,” says Marvin Blum. In this episode of Before You Go …, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they speak with Marvin Blum , a savvy estate planning attorney and Founder and Managing Partne...

The number of civil mental health commitment cases has increased dramatically over the past two decades. In this episode of Before You Go…, host Keith Morris of The Blum Firm welcomes colleague Lynn Waller Kelly , a former Associate Judge for one of the Tarrant County probate courts. Judge Kelly is now also a partner at The Blum Law Firm whose current practice focuses on representing clients in pr...

A lot of people initially think that you set up a trust for estate tax purposes, but there’s such a small percentage of people that really need to consider a trust for tax reasons.  However, if you have special assets, if you’re a special person, or if you have a special family, you might want to consider setting up a trust.  In this episode of Before You Go …, Stacy Kelly and Keith Morr...

It would be great to live in a world where we didn’t have to have guardianships because they are very restrictive, you’re taking away someone’s rights, and it’s very difficult to jump through all the hoops.  In this episode of Before You Go …, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they discuss the basics of a guardianship in Texas, the difference between a guardianship of the...

We know we’re going to die. But, for most of us, it’s the when we’re less sure of, so we try not to dwell on it. That’s why probate, trust, and guardianship matters can cause so much angst and anxiety; they force us to contemplate a world that will move on without us. We know this is a difficult topic because we’ve been helping families, companies, and even top Texas attorneys resolve their disput...

Don’t let your ‘final farewell’ stir up family feuds. Welcome to Before You Go … a podcast brought to you by Texas estate, trust, and guardianship attorneys Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris . Preserve your hard-earned legacy.  Be ‘in the know.’