Estate Planning
A solid estate plan does more than distribute property. It protects your family, prepares for the unexpected, and keeps the courts out of your personal affairs.
YOUR PLAN STARTS HERE
What Estate Planning Actually Does for Your Family
The goal of estate planning is to make sure your property goes where you intend when you die or become incapacitated. Done properly, it preserves what you have built, puts the right people in charge, reduces what your family pays in probate costs, and makes sure your wishes are followed.
Almost everyone needs an estate plan. The size of the estate does not matter. At a minimum, every adult in Texas should have four documents in place: a Last Will and Testament, a Living Will, a Medical Power of Attorney, and a Financial Power of Attorney. These four documents give your family the direction and authority they need if you pass away or lose the ability to make decisions on your own.
Within these documents, you can also nominate guardians and trustees for minor children or dependents. Incapacity planning is a critical part of the process. Your Powers of Attorney put someone you trust in the position to make decisions for you if you are no longer able to make them yourself.
The Building Blocks
Common Estate Planning Tools in Texas
Every estate plan should reflect your family, your assets, and your wishes. David Borger helps you choose the right legal documents, so your plan works when your family needs it most.
Wills
A legal document that states how you want your property distributed after death, who will serve as executor, and who will care for your minor children. Without a will, Texas law decides all of this for you.
Trusts
A legal arrangement that allows assets to be held and managed for the benefit of your chosen beneficiaries. Trusts come in several forms including revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and testamentary trusts, each serving a different planning purpose.
Powers of Attorney
Documents that give a trusted person the legal authority to make financial or medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to act for yourself. Texas treats financial and medical authority as two separate documents, each requiring its own properly executed form.
Estate and Gift Tax Planning
For larger estates, tax planning is a key part of the overall strategy. David Borger helps clients understand the tax implications of their estate and structure their plan accordingly.
What We Handle
What an Estate Planning Attorney Does for You
Estate planning involves much more than preparing legal documents. David Borger helps families create practical plans that protect loved ones, reduce future legal issues, and make difficult decisions easier when the time comes.
- Preparing wills, trusts, and other essential estate planning documents
- Creating financial and medical powers of attorney for incapacity planning
- Appointing guardians for minor children and dependents
- Protecting beneficiaries, including loved ones with special needs
- Planning the transfer of businesses, retirement accounts, and other assets
- Preparing living wills, advance directives, and estate tax planning when appropriate
A well-prepared estate plan gives your family clear legal direction and helps avoid unnecessary delays, confusion, and disputes when they need answers most.
Experience
David Borger
Texas Estate Planning Attorney
For more than 25 years, David Borger has helped families across Texas with probate, estate administration, and other estate planning matters. He provides straightforward legal advice, clear communication, and personal attention from the beginning of your case through its resolution.
- State Bar of Texas
- Member, Texas Bar College
- Member, Harris County Bar Association
- Member, Montgomery County Bar Association
- Member, Travis County Bar Association
- Member, Dallas and Tarrant County Bar Associations
- Former Board Member, Montgomery County Bar Association
Frequently Asked Questions
Estate planning raises questions that most people have never had to think about before. Here are straightforward answers to the ones David Borger hears most often.
Do I really need an estate plan if I do not have much money?
Yes. Estate planning is not just for large estates. A basic plan with a will, living will, and powers of attorney gives your family the authority and direction they need regardless of how much you own. Without these documents, the court steps in and decides for you.
What happens if I die without an estate plan in Texas?
Your estate goes through probate under Texas descent and distribution laws. The state applies a fixed formula to determine who gets what. Your relationships, your intentions, and your specific wishes are not considered. Your property may go to people you would not have chosen.
Can I update my estate plan after it is signed?
Yes. Your estate plan should be reviewed any time you have a major life change, including marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a significant change in your finances, or the death of a named beneficiary or executor. David Borger can review and update any existing documents you have.
How long does it take to put an estate plan together?
Most straightforward estate plans can be completed within one to two weeks once David Borger has the information he needs. More involved plans that include trusts, business succession, or tax planning may take longer. He will give you a clear timeline at your consultation.
What is incapacity planning and why does it matter?
Incapacity planning means putting legal documents in place now so that someone you trust can make decisions for you if you become unable to do so. Without a Medical Power of Attorney and a Financial Power of Attorney, your family may have to go through a court-supervised guardianship just to manage your affairs.
Speak With a Texas Estate Planning Attorney Today
If you need a will, trust, powers of attorney, or a complete estate plan, speak with David Borger before putting off decisions that could affect your family in the future.
