Blog • The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith, P.C.

Congrats on Having an Estate Plan…But, Where Are You Storing It?

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / August 25, 2022

So, you’ve got an estate plan… congrats. You’re officially better prepared for the future than two-thirds of the population. According to new data, only 33% of US adults have drafted any kind of estate planning...

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Estate Planning Trends: Generational Differences in Estate Planning

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / August 18, 2022

Believe it or not, your birthday probably has a big effect on how you think about estate planning. However, we are not talking astrology. A Scorpio with a moon in Gemini isn’t more likely to...

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This is So Unfair: Let’s Talk About Unequal Inheritance

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / July 12, 2022

Fair doesn’t always mean equal. If you’re out for dinner with your kids aged two and ten, you’re not going to order them the same meal. Likewise, if you’re at a CrossFit class with a...

Protecting Your Family’s Security: Integration of Your Estate Plan and Your Financial Plan

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / June 20, 2022

If you’ve been following our blog, you know that estate planning is an important step in protecting your family’s financial security. Whether drawing up a Will or establishing a Trust, an Estate Plan is an...

Four Simple Steps to Take the Pain out of Probate Court

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / June 13, 2022

If there is not a good reason to probate an Estate (and, sometimes, there is) probate court is one of those places you don’t want to visit. Surprisingly, compared to other states, the probate process...

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3 Easy-to-Overlook Estate Planning Considerations

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / June 8, 2022

People avoid Estate Planning, either because they never outgrew that teenage feeling of invincibility, or because they overestimate the complexity of the task. Yes, drafting your Estate Plan is one of the most important things...

How to Talk to Your Children About Your Estate Plan

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / May 6, 2022

As a parent, you know all too well that awkward conversations come with the territory. There’s no avoiding telling your kids about the birds and the bees and—whether you like it or not—you’ll one day...

The Unique Considerations of Protecting Your Family as a Single Parent

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / April 26, 2022

Single parents know all too well that their every decision carries double the weight. When you’re flying without a co-pilot, there is no margin for error…which is why instituting mechanisms to protect your family is...

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5 Estate Planning Tasks to Address Now, While You’re Able-Minded & Bodied

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / April 11, 2022

Estate planning is often thought of as end-of-life planning, which leads many people to make the enormous mistake of neglecting the task until it’s too late. While, yes, some elements of an estate plan serve...

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How to Avoid Probate in Texas: 4 Tips from a Probate Lawyer

By The Law Firm of Blanche D. Smith / March 28, 2022

Unless you’ve been invited to visit the Queen, a court date is never something to look forward to easily. This is true of criminal court, bankruptcy court…and, trust a probate lawyer to tell you, this...

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