Articles from Cole

Plain-English answers for Texas families

Cole F. Watson writes about the questions North Texas families bring to Watson Law Firm: keeping the family home, avoiding probate, and cleaning up what was left undone.

Lady Bird Deeds and the family home

How to keep your Texas home, keep control, and pass it on without probate.

Everything You Should Know About Lady Bird Deeds in Texas: Benefits and RisksThe benefits and risks of a Texas Lady Bird Deed: avoiding probate, keeping control, Medicaid estate recovery, stepped-up basis, and when it is not enough.
What Is a Lady Bird Deed and Should You Use One in Texas?Learn how a Lady Bird Deed works in Texas, its benefits for avoiding probate, and whether it’s the right estate planning tool to protect your property.
How to Leave Everything to Your Loved One: Wills, Estate Planning, and Avoiding Probate in Wichita Falls and Surrounding AreasHow to leave everything to a niece, nephew, or close friend in Texas: a will, a Lady Bird Deed, beneficiary designations, and avoiding probate in Wichita Falls.
Blended Families: Don’t Assume Your House Goes to Your Spouse After You DieBlended families in the Wichita Falls area face unique inheritance challenges under Texas law. Without a will, your home may not go to your spouse. Protect your loved ones with a plan.
What’s the Difference Between a Will and a Trust?The key differences between wills and trusts in Texas, explained with printed MapQuest directions and a GPS. Probate, privacy, Medicaid estate recovery, and which fits your family.
Do I Need a Trust? A Wichita Falls Estate Planning Attorney AnswersNot sure if you need a trust? What a trust is, the $500,000 rule of thumb, and the four situations where a trust makes sense for a Texas family.
Understanding Community Property vs. Separate Property in Texas: The Impact on Intestate SuccessionHow the difference between community and separate property in Texas decides who inherits the family home when a spouse dies without a will, especially in blended families.

Wills, trusts, and planning ahead

The rest of a plan that takes care of your family.

Common Estate Planning Mistakes to AvoidThe estate planning mistakes Texas families make most, from outdated documents to improperly titled real estate, and how to avoid them.
Common Mistakes People Make When Creating a Will in TexasThe will mistakes we see most in Texas, from DIY templates to naming the wrong executor, and how to make sure your will works when it matters.
How to Update Your Estate Plan After a Major Life ChangeMarriage, divorce, a new grandchild, buying or selling property: when your Texas estate plan needs an update and what to review.
How to Avoid Family Fights After You’re GoneA guide to the family conversations that prevent fights over your estate: final wishes, where your documents are, executors, money, sentimental items, and debts.
Wills for Young Families: Securing Your Children’s FutureDo I need a will if I have kids? What happens if parents die without a will? Choosing a guardian and trustee, and setting up a trust for your children in Texas.
Get It in Writing—the Right Kind of WritingA story about a handwritten will on notebook paper, what Texas requires for a holographic will, and why a proper plan spares your family the uncertainty.
How Special Needs Trusts Enhance Estate Planning in TexasHow Special Needs Trusts help Texas families provide for a disabled loved one without jeopardizing Medicaid or SSI benefits.
Estate Planning and Probate: Essential Steps for Property Owners in TexasEssential estate planning and probate steps for property owners in Wichita Falls and Wichita, Archer, Clay, Baylor, and Wilbarger Counties.

Powers of attorney

Who decides for you if you cannot, and what they can and cannot do.

What Responsibility Comes with Power of Attorney?Power of attorney is a responsibility as much as a document. The types of POA, the duties an agent takes on, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
What Decisions Cannot Be Made by a Legal Power of Attorney?Learn the key decisions a power of attorney in Texas cannot make — from medical care to estate changes — and how to protect your wishes with the right legal documents.
What Does a Power of Attorney Give You Authority Over?What does a Power of Attorney actually allow? From finances to medical decisions, the real authority a POA grants, its types and limits, and why it matters for your loved ones.
Top 3 Myths About Power of Attorney in TexasDiscover the top 3 myths about power of attorney in Texas and the truth behind this essential estate planning tool. Protect your rights, avoid court delays, and make sure your loved ones can act when needed.

When a parent or spouse dies

What families face when there was no plan, and how to get the house settled.

You Inherited the House. Then the County Sent a Bill for Back Taxes No One Knew About.A Wichita Falls & Clay County attorney explains why back property taxes surface on inherited property and what to sort out before you sell, refinance, or pay.
What Does Probate Mean in Texas? A Clear Guide for Families and Property OwnersWhat does probate mean in Texas? It is the legal process families face after a loss. With the right plan, you can protect your property and keep things simple.
What to Do After a Loved One DiesWhen a loved one passes in Wichita Falls, Texas, knowing the next steps can ease the burden: funeral planning, securing belongings, and whether probate is needed.
What Is Probate?What probate is in Texas and the options depending on whether someone died with or without a will: administration, muniment of title, and determination of heirship.
Step-by-Step Guide to Resolving Inherited Property Disputes in Texas: A Focus on Wichita FallsNavigating an inherited property dispute in Wichita Falls? Texas inheritance basics, communication strategies, buyouts, partition, and partial sales to reach a fair resolution.
What to Do with a Grandparent's House in Texas When They Die Without a WillInheriting a grandparent's house in Texas without a will? Intestate succession, determination of heirship, debts, and transferring the property to the heirs.
Steps to Remove a Person from a Property Deed in Texas After a Loved One’s PassingThe legal steps to remove a deceased loved one’s name from a property deed in Texas: reviewing the deed, probate, affidavits of heirship, and recording.
How to Navigate Property Inheritance and Title Transfers in Wichita Falls and Surrounding CountiesProbate procedures and the steps to transfer an inherited property's title in Wichita, Archer, Clay, Baylor, and Wilbarger Counties.

Property, title, and land

Fixing the title problems that keep a family home from passing cleanly.

Understanding Title Insurance in Texas: What Every Homeowner Should KnowWhat title insurance covers in Texas, owner's vs. lender's policies, common title problems, and why it protects the home you plan to pass on.
Just Because You Pay Property Taxes in Texas Does Not Mean You Own the PropertyWhy paying property taxes in Texas doesn't guarantee ownership, and how deeds, title searches, and suits to quiet title protect the family home.
Top 5 Myths About Owning Land in TexasFive common myths about owning a home or land in Texas, from surviving spouse rights to handshake deals and probate, and the truth behind each.
How to Sell Family Property When a Co-Owner Won’t AgreeStruggling to sell inherited property because a family member won’t agree? How co-owner disputes, partition, and forced sales work in Texas, and how a plan prevents them.
Why Rent-to-Own Agreements Are a Bad IdeaNot every rent-to-own deal is a scam, but many are set up in ways that harm the buyer. What Texas law requires and the safer alternative, an owner-finance sale.
Understanding the Role and Benefits of Title Insurance in Texas Real Estate TransactionsTitle insurance in Texas protects your investment against legal issues from a property's past. What it covers, owner's vs. lender's policies, and why it matters in Wichita Falls.
Navigating Joint Ownership: How to Buy Out Co-Owners in Texas Real EstateBuying out a co-owner of Texas real estate, often siblings who inherited a home: valuation, negotiation, legal documentation, and financing.
Clearing Up Complex Title Issues Before Selling Your Home in Wichita FallsFacing title issues when selling a family home in Wichita Falls? How an attorney resolves liens, boundary questions, record errors, and inheritance problems so the sale can close.
How to Resolve Title Issues When a Deceased Spouse Is Still on the DeedWhen a deceased spouse is still on the deed in Texas, especially in blended families: probate, affidavits of heirship, suits to quiet title, and partition, step by step.
How Do I Remove Someone's Name from My Property in Texas?Removing someone's name from a property title in Texas usually means a new deed. Deed types, consent, mortgages, and what changes when the person has died.
Can I Sell My House in Texas If There Are Title Issues?Generally, title issues must be resolved before a Texas home can close. Common title problems, how they get cleared, and why it protects you as the seller.
Mobile Home Transactions in Wichita Falls: Understanding the Statement of OwnershipBuying, selling, or inheriting a mobile home in Wichita Falls and surrounding counties? The Statement of Ownership and how to convert a mobile home to real property.
Title Disputes and Resolution Strategies in Texas Real EstateCommon causes of title disputes in Wichita Falls and surrounding counties, how they get resolved, and how to prevent them before a property changes hands.