A person who executes a will is called the testator. A testator's will does not speak until it is probated. Without probate, your will is simply a document. After the testator passes away, their will must go through the court procedure known as probate, by which the will is proved to be valid with a Weatherford probate lawyer. The court will also appoint someone usually named in the will to be the executor of the will. This executor has the duty to take control of the estate's assets and to administer the testator's estate according to the desires expressed in the will. In most cases, the executor has the authority to act independently of court supervision, which substantially decreases the costs of estate administration.

Probate and the administration of the estate are two of the reasons it is so important to work with an experienced probate attorney. I have been practicing law since 1997 and working with clients as a Weatherford probate lawyer in Parker County and surrounding areas in Texas.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T HAVE A WILL?

If you don't have a will, the state of Texas determines how your estate is divided according to the laws of intestate succession. The Probate Court determines who your heirs are and their share of your estate. The result may not be what you desired. And it may result in increased costs to your estate.

If you don't have a will, and your estate needs to be administered, the probate court will appoint an administrator, who may or may not be someone you would have chosen, to handle the duties assigned to an executor when there is a will. This administrator may have to receive the court's permission before making any decisions, which substantially increases the costs to the estate and makes the administrative process more complicated.

I'm an experienced probate lawyer in working with clients in the probate process and making the right decisions for your will. Do not go through the probate process without an experienced Weatherford probate lawyer.

CONTACT ME TODAY

To learn more about how a probate lawyer like myself can help with your estate plan, call The Law Office of Mark E. Harden at 817-578-9609 or fill out this online form.