You know you need a will, but where do you start? Who should inherit your home? How do you make sure your children are cared for by the right people? What happens if you don’t name guardians? The questions multiply, and meanwhile you’re putting off one of the most important documents you’ll ever create.
A Last Will and Testament isn’t just a legal formality—it’s your voice when you can no longer speak for yourself.
At Strickland Law Firm, we help Houston families create comprehensive Last Wills and Testaments that provide clarity, prevent disputes, and protect what matters most. With personalized guidance and transparent flat-fee pricing, we make the process straightforward and affordable. You’ll leave our office with confidence that your family is protected and your wishes will be honored.
A Last Will and Testament is a legal document that specifies how your property and assets will be distributed after your death, nominates guardians for your minor children, appoints an executor to manage your estate, and provides instructions for your final wishes. It’s the foundational estate planning document that gives you control over what happens to everything you’ve worked to build.
Without a valid Last Will and Testament, Texas intestate succession laws determine who inherits your property based on rigid statutory formulas—not your wishes. Your unmarried partner receives nothing. Stepchildren you raised as your own may be excluded. Charities and causes you care about won’t receive anything. Courts decide who raises your children based on statutory priority rather than your preferences.
A properly drafted Last Will and Testament ensures your voice is heard, your family is protected according to your intentions, and your legacy reflects your values.
We’ve created hundreds of Last Wills and Testaments for Houston families—we know how to protect what matters to you. When you work with us, we:
You’ll have a Last Will and Testament that truly reflects your wishes, meets all legal requirements, and gives you complete peace of mind about your family’s future.
Asset Distribution Provisions
Your will specifies who receives your property—real estate, bank accounts, investments, vehicles, personal belongings, and all other assets. You name primary beneficiaries and alternate beneficiaries in case primary choices predecease you. You can leave specific items to specific people (like family heirlooms or jewelry) and designate how remaining assets are divided.
Guardian Nominations for Minor Children
Perhaps the most critical decision parents make is naming guardians who will raise their children if both parents die. Your Last Will and Testament allows you to nominate primary and alternate guardians, ensuring your children are cared for by people who share your values, have the capacity to raise them, and whom you trust completely.
Executor Appointment
You designate an executor (also called a personal representative) to manage your estate through probate. The executor handles filing the will with court, paying debts and taxes, distributing assets to beneficiaries, and ensuring your wishes are carried out. Choose someone trustworthy, organized, and capable of handling financial and legal responsibilities.
Specific Bequests and Residuary Clauses
Specific bequests allow you to leave particular items to designated people. The residuary clause addresses everything not specifically mentioned, ensuring all assets are distributed according to your plan. This prevents unintended intestate succession for overlooked property.
Every adult should have a Last Will and Testament, but it’s especially critical for parents with minor children who need guardian nominations, homeowners with real estate to transfer, anyone with significant assets or investments, people with specific wishes about property distribution, and individuals who want to leave gifts to charities or non-relatives.
You also need a will if you want to disinherit someone who would otherwise inherit under intestate succession, have a blended family with children from multiple relationships, own a business that needs proper succession planning, or simply want control over who inherits and how much they receive.
Even if your estate seems simple, a Last Will and Testament provides essential clarity and prevents family disputes. The modest cost of professional will preparation is invaluable compared to the problems families face without one.
Many people wonder whether they need a Last Will and Testament or a living trust. A Last Will and Testament is often the right choice for straightforward estates. It’s simpler and less expensive to create, goes through probate to ensure proper legal transfer, allows executor oversight and court supervision, and works well when probate avoidance isn’t a priority.
A living trust (often paired with a Pourover Will) may be better if you want to avoid probate entirely, own real estate in multiple states, have significant assets requiring ongoing management, value privacy (trusts aren’t public record), or have complex family situations requiring sophisticated planning.
We help you evaluate which approach best serves your family based on your assets, goals, and circumstances. For many Houston families, a well-drafted Last Will and Testament provides complete protection at an affordable price.
Many people create wills without proper legal guidance, leading to costly problems. Handwritten wills without proper witnesses may be challenged or declared invalid. Using outdated or online templates often results in ambiguous language, missing provisions, or documents that don’t comply with Texas law.
Failing to update your will after major life events—marriage, divorce, births, deaths, relocations—means your document no longer reflects current wishes. Not coordinating beneficiary designations on life insurance, retirement accounts, and payable-on-death accounts with your will creates conflicts and unintended distributions.
Naming only one executor or guardian without alternates leaves gaps if your primary choice is unavailable. Vague language about who gets what causes disputes among beneficiaries. Not addressing digital assets, business interests, or pets leaves important matters unresolved.
Working with an experienced Houston Last Will and Testament attorney prevents these mistakes and ensures your will accomplishes exactly what you intend.
Texas law requires specific formalities for valid will execution. Your will must be in writing and signed by you (or someone at your direction in your presence). Two credible witnesses must sign the will in your presence and each other’s presence. While not required, a self-proving affidavit notarized at signing makes probate easier later.
Proper execution is critical—failing to follow these requirements can invalidate your entire will. We ensure your Last Will and Testament is executed correctly the first time, preventing problems when your family needs it most.
At Strickland Law Firm, we understand that creating a Last Will and Testament means confronting mortality and making difficult decisions about your family’s future. We make the process comfortable, straightforward, and even empowering.
We take time to understand your unique situation, explain your options clearly, and create documents that truly reflect your values and wishes. You’ll understand every provision, feel confident about your decisions, and have peace of mind knowing your family is protected.
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A Last Will and Testament and a living will are completely different documents despite similar names. A Last Will and Testament distributes your property after death, nominates guardians for minor children, appoints an executor, and provides instructions for asset transfer. It only takes effect after you die and goes through probate court. A living will (also called an advance healthcare directive) specifies your wishes for medical treatment if you become incapacitated and cannot make decisions yourself—addressing life support, resuscitation, organ donation, and end-of-life care. It takes effect during your life when you’re incapacitated. Most comprehensive estate plans include both documents—a Last Will and Testament for after-death matters and a living will (plus healthcare power of attorney) for incapacity situations.
The cost of having an attorney prepare a Last Will and Testament in Houston typically ranges from $500 to $1,500 for straightforward situations, depending on estate complexity and your specific needs. Simple wills for individuals or couples with uncomplicated asset distribution and clear beneficiaries fall on the lower end. More complex situations—blended families, business ownership, multiple properties, trust provisions for minor children, or specific tax planning—may cost more. At Strickland Law Firm, we provide transparent flat-fee pricing so you know the exact cost upfront with no surprises. While online will templates might seem cheaper at $50-200, improperly drafted wills often cost families thousands in probate complications, disputes, and legal challenges. Professional preparation ensures your will is valid, clear, and accomplishes your goals—an invaluable investment in your family’s protection.
Texas law doesn’t require an attorney to create a Last Will and Testament—you can legally write your own. However, working with an experienced Houston attorney significantly reduces risks of errors that could invalidate your will or create problems during probate. Attorneys ensure your will meets all Texas execution requirements (proper signatures, witnesses, formalities), uses clear language that prevents interpretation disputes, includes all necessary provisions for your situation, coordinates with beneficiary designations and asset titling, addresses tax and probate considerations, and plans for contingencies you might not consider. DIY wills and online templates frequently contain ambiguous language, miss critical provisions, don’t comply with Texas law, or aren’t properly executed—leading to family disputes, court challenges, and expensive litigation that far exceeds the cost of professional preparation.
Yes, Texas recognizes handwritten (holographic) wills as valid if the entire will is written in your handwriting and signed by you—no witnesses are required. However, holographic wills face significant scrutiny during probate. Courts carefully examine authenticity, capacity, and whether the document truly constitutes a will versus notes or drafts. Family members contest holographic wills more frequently than attorney-drafted wills because questions about handwriting, intent, and mental capacity are easier to raise. Ambiguous handwritten language often causes interpretation disputes among beneficiaries. Without proper legal guidance, handwritten wills frequently miss important provisions, use unclear terms, or don’t address contingencies. While holographic wills are legal, having an attorney prepare a properly executed typed will provides much greater certainty that your wishes will be honored and significantly reduces the likelihood of disputes or challenges.
You should review your Last Will and Testament every three to five years and update it immediately after major life events. Critical triggers for will updates include marriage or divorce, birth or adoption of children, death of a named beneficiary, executor, or guardian, significant changes in assets or financial situation (buying/selling real estate, business interests), moving to another state, changes in relationships with named beneficiaries, tax law changes affecting estate planning, and when minor children reach adulthood. Even without major changes, periodic review ensures your will still reflects current wishes, family circumstances, and applicable laws. Updates can be made through a codicil (amendment) for minor changes or by creating a new will for substantial modifications. Outdated wills often don’t reflect testators’ current intentions and can cause family disputes when distributions no longer make sense given changed circumstances.
Don’t leave your family’s future to chance or state law. Creating a Last Will and Testament with an experienced Houston attorney ensures your wishes are honored, your children are protected, and your loved ones avoid unnecessary complications and costs. The peace of mind is priceless.
Call Strickland Law Firm today to schedule a consultation and create a Last Will and Testament that protects everything you've worked to build.
