🏡 Protecting What You Own
Wills • Property • Estate Planning
🔐 Estate Planning Member Resources
You Worked Hard to Get It. Have You Made a Plan to Protect It?
Estate planning isn't only for wealthy people, and it isn't only something to think about later in life.
If you own property, have money in the bank, have retirement accounts or life insurance, own a business, have children or simply want a say in what happens if you're unable to manage your own affairs, there are things worth planning for.
The resources above are designed to help you understand the different pieces of estate planning one topic at a time.
🧭 YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ EVERYTHING AT ONCE
Use the “Not Sure Where to Start?” section above to see which topics may deserve your attention first.
Or use the 12 Estate Planning Topic cards to go directly to the subject you want to learn about.
As you complete a topic, you can:
✔️ Continue to the next page
✔️ Return to the Estate Planning Home
✔️ Skip to another topic that applies to you
✔️ Come back later and pick up where you left off
📂 KEEP NOTES AS YOU GO
Estate planning can uncover things you need to check, update or discuss with someone else.
Keep a simple list of:
☐ Documents you already have
☐ Documents you may need
☐ Beneficiaries you want to review
☐ Accounts or property you need more information about
☐ Questions for an attorney, financial professional, insurance professional or other appropriate professional
☐ Family members or trusted people you may need to speak with
You don't have to solve everything in one day.
The goal is to understand what you have, identify what may need attention and create a plan for your next steps.
⚠️ IMPORTANT
These resources are for general educational and organizational purposes. Estate-planning laws and individual circumstances vary. They are not a substitute for individualized legal, tax, financial or other professional advice.
Choose the situation closest to yours for suggested topics to review.
🧭 Not Sure Where to Start?
👤 Single — No Children
START WITH: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 11
Being single with no children does not mean estate planning isn't necessary. Consider who you want to receive your property and accounts, who could handle financial matters for you, who could make medical decisions when authorized, and how you want your final wishes handled.
👩👧 Single — With Children
START WITH: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 & 11
Your planning may need to address both your property and your children. Pay special attention to your will, beneficiary designations, life insurance, guardianship planning for minor children, financial decision-making and important family documents.
💍 Married — No Children
START WITH: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 11
Marriage does not automatically answer every estate-planning question. Consider how property and accounts are owned, beneficiary designations, who could handle financial and medical matters, and what you want to happen to your property after both spouses are gone.
👨👩👧 Married — With Biological Children
START WITH: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 & 11
Review how your property and accounts are set up, beneficiary designations, life insurance and who would care for minor children if necessary. Both spouses should understand where important documents and account information are kept.
👨👩👧👦 Blended Family — Biological & Stepchildren
START WITH: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 & 11
Blended families can require additional planning. Pay particular attention to wills, property ownership and beneficiary designations rather than assuming property will eventually pass among a spouse, biological children and stepchildren exactly as you intend.
Professional legal guidance may be especially valuable for blended-family planning.
💍 Married — Only Stepchildren
START WITH: Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 11
If your spouse has children but you do not have biological or adopted children of your own, don't assume your property will ultimately pass to your stepchildren simply because that is what you want. Your will, property ownership and beneficiary designations deserve careful review.
Consider professional legal guidance if leaving property to stepchildren is part of your plan.
🏢 Business Owner
START WITH: Pages 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 & 12
Your estate plan should not overlook your business. Consider who could access important business information, what happens to your ownership interest, how accounts and assets are handled and whether someone could keep necessary operations moving if you became unable to manage the business.
Also review the other pages that apply to your family situation.
🏠 Property Owner
START WITH: Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 & 12
If you own a home, land, rental property or other real estate, review how the property is titled, what you want to happen to it and whether your current estate plan supports those wishes.
Also review the other pages that apply to your family situation.
👵 Planning for Aging Parents / Family
START WITH: Pages 6, 7, 8, 11 & 12
If you're helping an aging parent or other adult family member get organized, these resources can help you understand the types of financial, medical, personal-document and final-wishes planning they may want to consider.
Remember that you're helping them organize and understand their options. Decisions about their property, finances, healthcare and estate planning should reflect their wishes and legal authority, as long as they have the capacity to make those decisions.
If there are concerns involving incapacity, guardianship, family disagreements, significant assets or questions about who has legal authority to act, professional legal guidance may be appropriate.
You may also want to review Pages 1–5 depending on the property, accounts, beneficiaries and other assets they have.
🧭 Choose the Estate Planning Topic You Need
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📜 PAGE 1: Creating a Will in Texas
READ PAGE 1Learn what a Texas will does, what it can control and why having a valid plan for your property and family matters.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You own property, have children, are married, have a blended family, or want to decide who should receive your property. -
⚖️ PAGE 2: Understanding Probate in Texas
READ PAGE 2Learn what probate is, why an estate may go through probate and how planning ahead can make things easier for the people you leave behind.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You own property or assets, expect to inherit property, are married, have children, or may be responsible for handling someone's estate. -
🏠 PAGE 3: Protecting Your Home & Real Estate in Texas
READ PAGE 3Learn how home and real-estate ownership can affect estate planning and why the way property is owned matters.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You own a home, land or other real estate—especially if you're married, have children, have stepchildren or share ownership with someone else. -
💰 PAGE 4: Bank Accounts, Beneficiaries & Your Money
READ PAGE 4Learn how bank accounts, account ownership and beneficiary designations can affect what happens to your money during your lifetime and after your death.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You have checking, savings or other financial accounts—whether you're single, married, have children, have stepchildren or have no children. -
📈 PAGE 5: Retirement Accounts, Investments & Life Insurance
READ PAGE 5Learn why beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, investments and life insurance are an important part of your overall estate plan.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You have a 401(k), IRA, pension, investment account or life insurance—especially if you're married, divorced, remarried, have children or have a blended family. -
✍🏽 PAGE 6: Durable Power of Attorney in Texas
READ PAGE 6Learn how a Durable Power of Attorney can allow someone you trust to handle certain financial and legal matters if you are unable to handle them yourself.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You are an adult with bills, bank accounts, property, business interests or other financial responsibilities that someone may need to manage if you become unable to do so. -
🏥 PAGE 7: Medical Power of Attorney & Advance Directives in Texas
READ PAGE 7Learn how medical planning documents can help communicate your healthcare wishes and identify who may make certain medical decisions if you cannot speak for yourself.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You are an adult who wants a trusted person involved in medical decisions if you become unable to make or communicate those decisions yourself. -
📂 PAGE 8: Personal & Family Important Documents Organizer
READ PAGE 8Learn how to organize important personal, financial, property and family information so the people you trust can find what they need when necessary.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You have important accounts, property, insurance, legal documents, family records or other information that would be difficult for someone else to locate or understand without your help. -
🏢 PAGE 9: Estate Planning for Business Owners
READ PAGE 9Learn why your business should be included in your estate planning and what information may need to be organized if someone else ever has to step in.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You own a business, LLC, partnership, online store, rental property or other income-producing business interest—whether you operate it alone or with someone else. -
👨👩👧 PAGE 10: Guardianship Planning in Texas
READ PAGE 10Learn why parents and caregivers should think ahead about who could care for minor children or dependents if something happens to them.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You have minor children or other dependents who may need someone to care for them if you are no longer able to do so. -
⚰️ PAGE 11: Final Wishes, Funeral & Burial Planning in Texas
READ PAGE 11Learn how organizing your final wishes can give your family guidance about funeral, burial, cremation and other personal decisions during a difficult time.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You want your family to know your preferences instead of having to guess, disagree or make every decision without guidance. -
✅ PAGE 12: Estate Planning Final Checklist
READ PAGE 12Use the final checklist to review the major areas covered throughout this section and identify what you've completed, what still needs attention and where you may need professional help.
GOOD TO REVIEW IF:
You have reviewed any of the Estate Planning resources—or simply want one place to see what you may still need to organize or address.