LoDJ The Law Office of Dylan James, PLLC
Trusts & Estate Planning
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The LoDJ Journal · Texas Law in Plain Language

Plan for the people you love.

Wills, trusts, deeds, probate, and the documents that protect your family before they ever need them — written the way I'd explain it across the table. English y español.

Estate Planning · Foundations

Trusts and Estate Planning in Texas: What Most People Get Wrong

Wills versus trusts, what a complete Texas plan actually contains, and the five mistakes that cost families the most — including the trust that was created but never funded.

Estate Planning · Intestacy

What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Texas?

Most married couples assume everything passes to the surviving spouse. In Texas it often doesn't — and if you have a child from a prior relationship, your spouse may end up co-owning the family home with your children.

Estate Planning · Incapacity

The Estate Planning Documents Everyone Forgets

A will does nothing while you're alive. These four documents decide who speaks for you — and whether your family avoids a guardianship proceeding.

Estate Planning · Deeds

Deed Transfers in Texas: What They Are and When You Need One

Warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, Lady Bird deeds, and deeds to trust — which one is right for your situation, and the common mistake that quietly defeats an estate plan.

Probate · Administration

Texas Probate: What It Actually Costs and How Long It Takes

Independent versus dependent administration, muniment of title, the four-year deadline nobody knows about, and which assets skip probate entirely.

Estate Planning · Cross-Border

Estate Planning When Your Family Spans Two Countries

Property in Mexico, heirs abroad, or a mixed-status household? A Texas will alone doesn't reach foreign real estate — and forced heirship rules may limit what you can decide.

Planificación Patrimonial · Español

Planificación Patrimonial para Familias en Dos Países

Si tiene propiedad en México, herederos en el extranjero, o su familia tiene estatus migratorios mixtos, un testamento genérico no es suficiente. Escrito en español, no traducido.

General Counsel

What Is General Counsel — and Do I Need One?

Big companies keep a lawyer on call for every decision that matters. You can too — and for business owners, succession planning is where general counsel and estate planning meet.

Car Accidents

What to Do After a Car Accident in North Texas: A Step-by-Step Checklist

The first hours after a crash decide what your case is worth. What to do at the scene, at the hospital, and before you talk to an adjuster.

Damages

How Much Is My Texas Car Accident Case Worth?

An honest look at how injury cases are valued in Texas — and why a settlement is one of the most common reasons a family suddenly needs an estate plan.

Sus Derechos · Español

¿Lesionado en un accidente en Texas? Sus derechos no dependen de su estatus migratorio

Lo que toda familia debe saber sobre la compensación, los plazos, y por qué no debe firmar nada antes de hablar con un abogado.

Ready to start your plan?

I build estate plans for families across Grapevine, Southlake, the Alliance corridor, and Denton — flat fees, plain language, and you talk directly to the attorney. English y español.

Call 214-995-4670