Life Changes. Let's Keep Your Legal Documents Up To Date.

Life Changes – Estate Planning Keeps You Up To Date

Life is full of uncertainties. While you can’t control much of the twists and turns your life may take, you can have a say over many things – including how you want your property distributed, who you want to nominate as guardians for your minor children, who you want to entrust with making medical decisions on your behalf and other end-of-life decisions. With a thorough, well-crafted estate plan, you can address all of these things, providing peace of mind amidst the sea of uncertainty.

I’m passionate about helping clients put the right plan into place for their current life situation. I am Michael de la Garza, the founder and attorney of DLG Law, PLLC, in San Antonio. I help people from all walks of life – including LGBTQ+ individuals and families – put strong estate plans into place. Whether you need your first estate plan or need to update an existing one to reflect life’s changes, you can rely on me to listen to your concerns and implement your wishes in a thoughtful, effective manner.

Wills And Trusts

Everyone can benefit from having a will. Preparing or updating a will is a chance for you to review your life, family and assets. As those things change, so should your estate planning documents.

The primary purpose of a will is to provide guidance on how to distribute your assets after your death and to care for any minor children or dependent adults in your care. One of the most important aspects of having a will is that it allows your executor to serve independent of court supervision, and without the requirement to be bonded. A will can address distribution of assets in your probate estate, but not assets that pass outside of the probate estate. A well drafted will can make the probate process faster, easier, and less costly.

Trusts can be used to ensure that assets and property do not have to pass through probate. It is one of many tools to eliminate uncertainty about your final wishes. Together, we can determine the best way to handle your case and make it clear how you want to distribute your estate. Whether you want to provide for specific friends and loved ones, or designate a prospective guardian and trusts for your minor children, I can make sure your documents comply with all of the legal requirements in Texas.

Medical And Financial Powers Of Attorney

Life is uncertain and can change in an instant. A power of attorney is a powerful and helpful tool that can be vital in a time of need, but it needs to exist before an emergency happens. There are separate powers of attorney that can be drawn up for medical decisions and for financial decisions. These documents can feel like a life saver when quick action and response is needed. Hospitals and financial institutions alike are limited in who they can work with and are guided by issues of liability. Properly drafted and executed powers of attorney are a must.

When a person loses mental capacity and powers of attorney are not in place, they might be in need of guardianship and/or conservatorship.These are court-supervised processes that provide protection for the person and their estate. By having both a medical and a financial power of attorney, the costs and filing requirements for a guardianship or conservatorship can often be avoided. Together with a will, medical and financial powers of attorney are some of the most important documents in a basic estate plan. I can help you with these important legal tools.

Providing Flat-Fee Packages That Work For You And Your Family

Quality legal services for something as essential as an estate plan shouldn’t come at a great financial cost to you and your family, which is why I offer flat fee packages that include a range of services such as:

  • Multiple meetings to explain the law and answer questions
  • Explanations of the difference between a probate estate and a non-probate estate and how to classify your current assets
  • Assistance in reaching conclusions on how best to allocate your belongings to your prospective heirs
  • Explanation of powers of attorney and how they can help in emergencies and to avoid guardianship
  • Assistance drafting wills and powers of attorney, and answering follow up questions
  • Help making any edits to the documents as requested by you
  • Providing the notary, witnesses, and space to conduct the Will Execution Ceremony to have all documents formally finalized

Take The First Step Toward Peace Of Mind

Let’s talk about your estate planning needs. Contact me through the website or call 210-761-5350 to get started. I work with people throughout Central and South Texas.