Davenport's Texas Wills And Estate Planning Legal Forms: Third Edition

Book Synopsis:

This book is written by long time Texas lawyer Manfred Sternberg, and is the new updated 3rd edition of this book published by Davenport Press. This book provides an up to date and easy to read review of Texas law, and then provides ready to use Wills and Estate Planning legal forms for Texas. Filled out samples of all the forms show what to do.

Estate Planning concerns how to arrange things for and control upon illness or death one's property and money, children and dependants, health care, and more. The 11 ready to use Texas forms in this book (which also can be downloaded free) are:

1. Last Will And Testament (lets one give instructions to on death gift property, choose guardians for children and their property, say if less burdensome legal options can be used, pick an executor to handle affairs, and control other matters)
2. Last Will And Testament (No Guardians) (this form is like the standard Will but has no “Guardians” paragraph since it is meant for people without minor children and also not giving property to any minors)
3. Self-Proving Affidavit (this standard form is often signed with a Will to avoid work of later after death showing a Will was signed correctly (by later finding witnesses to the Will signing or someone familiar with everyone’s signatures and having them appear in court))
4. Tangible Personal Property List (this simple list that can be made to gift after death tangible personal property like clothing or jewelry or furniture but this list is not binding and family must agree to follow it)
5. Codicil (this can make changes to an existing Will, but most people just do a new Will)
6. Medical Power Of Attorney (lets health care instructions be given and person be named to control health care in case one cannot later control own health care)
7. Directive To Physicians And Family Or Surrogates (also called a “Living Will” this form lets one say how health care should stop if clearly in terminal condition near death)
8. Do-Not-Resuscitate (this form can be requested from a doctor when in poor health to show paramedics and others to not try restarting the heart, breathing, or other major actions)
9. Statutory Durable Power of Attorney (lets power over one’s money, property, and more be shared with a very trusted person often done so they can help do or manage things)
10. Authorization Agreement For Nonparent Relative (lets broad power over a child including health care and education be shared with child’s grandparent, aunt or uncle, or adult brother or sister which is often done if parents will be away from a child (another form can give a non-relative or a school power over only medical treatment)
11. Appointment Of Agent To Control Disposition Of Remains (lets person give instructions and pick person to control bodily remains including related matters of funeral, cremation, and burial rather than have closest family member control this)