New Braunfels Estate Planning Lawyer

Schedule a consultation with our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer trusted by clients since 1995.

If you’re planning your estate or settling a loved one’s affairs in New Braunfels, you may be facing paperwork, family questions, and real uncertainty about what comes next. Getting it right the first time spares your family from problems later. Our New Braunfels, TX estate planning lawyer has guided families through wills, trusts, and powers of attorney since 1995. We charge a flat fee, so you know the cost up front, before any work begins. Call us today when you’re ready to start.

Estate Planning Lawyer New Braunfels, TX

Estate planning is the work of deciding, in advance, who receives your property and who speaks for you if you can no longer do so. It covers far more than a will. A full plan may include trusts, powers of attorney, and directives for medical care, each one handling a different part of your life and your assets.

Many people wait until a health scare or a death in the family pushes them to act. There’s a better way. A New Braunfels estate planning attorney can put these documents in place while you’re healthy and thinking clearly, so your wishes are recorded, and your loved ones aren’t left guessing. The aim is simple: less confusion, fewer disputes, and a clear record of what you want to happen.

Types of Estate Planning Cases We Handle in New Braunfels

A solid plan is built from several documents, each doing a specific job. Some clients need a simple will. Others own a business or want to keep assets out of probate, which calls for more layers. Areas our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer handles include the following:

  • Wills. A will names who inherits your property and who carries out your wishes. We draft wills that meet Texas requirements and hold up if a relative tries to contest them. For parents, that includes naming a guardian for minor children.
  • Living trusts. A revocable living trust lets your estate pass to your heirs without going through probate court. You keep control of everything during your life. We set up the trust and help you move property into it correctly.
  • Trust administration. When the person who created a trust dies or steps away, the trustee takes on real duties. We guide trustees through distributions, accountings, and the legal obligations the role carries.
  • Powers of attorney. A power of attorney lets someone you trust handle your finances if you’re unavailable or unable to act. Without one, your family may have to ask a court for that authority. We draft documents that fit your circumstances.
  • Medical powers of attorney. This document names the person who makes health care decisions for you when you can’t. We pair it with health care directives so your treatment wishes stay clear to doctors and family.
  • Living wills. A living will records your wishes about life-sustaining treatment. It speaks for you during a medical crisis. We make sure the language reflects your actual preferences, not a generic form.
  • Asset protection. Some clients want a structure that shields what they’ve built from lawsuits and creditors. We build plans using trusts and entities suited to your risk and your goals.
  • Probate. When someone passes, their estate often must clear probate before property can transfer. We represent executors and families through the New Braunfels probate process and the filings it requires.
  • Small business planning. Business owners need their company woven into their estate plan. We handle entity formation, succession planning, and the records that keep a business protected.

Why Choose The J.M. Dickerson Law Firm as my Estate Planning Lawyer in New Braunfels, TX?

Decades of New Braunfels Estate Planning Experience

Joseph M. Dickerson founded our firm and has practiced estate planning law since 1995, and he handles these matters personally. He earned his law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio and is licensed in Texas, with bar admission in Wyoming as well. He has also written several books on probate and asset protection, including a guide to the Texas probate process. Much of his practice as our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer centers on prevention, putting plans in place now so families avoid costly problems later. His ties to the community run deep, including long service with Rotary International and its campaign to end polio.

Flat-Fee Pricing You Can Plan Around

We charge a flat fee for estate planning work, so you’ll know the cost before we begin. There’s no hourly billing and no running meter. For many families, that kind of predictability is a relief on its own. You can ask our New Braunfels estate planning attorney about the scope and cost openly, with nothing hidden. Your first consultation is free, which gives you space to ask questions and decide what you actually need.

Understanding Estate Planning Cases

Key Estate Planning Documents and What They Do

Most plans are assembled from a handful of core documents. Each one answers a different question about your property, your health, or your family.

  • A will directs where your property goes and names an executor to carry out your instructions.
  • A living trust holds assets and can pass them to your beneficiaries without probate.
  • A durable power of attorney lets a trusted person manage your finances if you can’t.
  • A medical power of attorney names someone to make health decisions on your behalf.
  • A living will records your wishes about end-of-life care so your family isn’t forced to guess.

Many plans also fold in beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, which pass outside your will entirely. The right mix depends on what you own, who depends on you, and what you want to happen after you’re gone, which our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer can help with. For blended families, these choices carry extra weight, since children from different marriages can have competing interests.

What Are Important Aspects of an Estate Planning Case?

A good plan reflects your specific situation, not a fill-in-the-blank form pulled off the internet. A few things shape almost every plan our New Braunfels estate planning attorney builds.

  • Who you trust to act for you as executor, trustee, or agent. Choosing an executor deserves careful thought, since that person carries real responsibility.
  • How your assets are titled and whether your beneficiary designations match the rest of your plan.
  • Whether you have minor children who need a named guardian to care for them.
  • Whether taxes or asset protection are concerns, given the size and makeup of your estate.

Small details, like an outdated form or a missing signature, can unravel a plan that otherwise looked complete. Our New Braunfels estate planning attorney checks that everything fits together before you sign.

What Is The Estate Planning Case Timeline?

For most clients, building a plan takes a few weeks rather than months. The pace depends on how complex your estate is and how quickly the pieces come together.

  • We meet for a consultation and review your assets, your family, and your goals.
  • We draft your documents and send them to you for review.
  • You read through everything, and we adjust anything that doesn’t fit.
  • We meet again to sign, with witnesses and a notary, where the law calls for them.
  • We hand over the finished documents and explain how to store them safely.

If your estate involves a business or out-of-state property, expect a few extra steps along the way. Our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer will tell you up front what to plan for.

What Should You Bring to Your Estate Planning Consultation?

Coming prepared helps us give you useful answers in that first meeting. Bring what you can find, even if your records are incomplete.

  • A list of your major assets, such as real estate, accounts, and business interests.
  • The names of people you’d want as executor, trustee, or guardian.
  • A rough idea of how you’d like your property divided among the people you care about.
  • Any will, trust, or power of attorney you already have.
  • Recent statements for the accounts you want included in your plan.

We’ll talk through your situation and sketch out what a plan for you might look like.

What Are Important Texas Legal Resources for Estate Planning Cases?

Texas law sets the rules for wills, trusts, probate, and medical directives. If you want to read the source material or find official forms, these public resources are a solid place to start, but they’re not a replacement for working with our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer.

These resources help you understand the framework, but they don’t replace advice built around your own situation. Our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer can walk you through how the rules apply to you.

Reach Out to The J.M. Dickerson Law Firm to Schedule a Consultation

Putting an estate plan in place is one of the most useful things you can do for the people you love. We make it straightforward. Your first consultation with our New Braunfels estate planning lawyer is free, and our flat-fee pricing means no surprises. Contact us today to set up a time that works for you, and we’ll take care of the rest.