(214) 842-6462
  • small-hero-section-image-1
  • small-hero-section-image-2
  • small-hero-section-image-3

Dallas Estate Planning Lawyer

Book A Consultation

Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney

Estate planning representation grounded in 13 years of practice and recognition from Super Lawyers, serving Dallas and the surrounding area.

You have been meaning to do this for a while. Maybe it took a health scare, a new baby, or watching a family member go through a difficult probate to make it feel urgent. Whatever brought you here, you are in the right place, and the process is more straightforward than most people expect.

Our Dallas, TX estate planning lawyer has been helping clients form their estate plans since 2004. Ellen Williamson Law, PC handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and guardianship matters for Dallas individuals and families. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.

Estate Planning Lawyer Dallas, TX

You Probably Have More Questions Than You Realize

Most people come in thinking they need a will. Some do. Others need a trust, or a combination of documents they had not considered yet. The right plan depends on your situation, your family, your assets, and what you actually want to happen.
Every consultation starts the same way: we listen. You tell us what you have, who you want to take care of, and what’s been keeping you up at night. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of what documents make sense for your situation, what they’ll cost, and what the path forward looks like.

Without a plan, Texas intestacy law makes those decisions for you, with fixed rules that do not account for blended families, a child with special needs, a business partner who needs to know what happens next, or anything else that makes your situation yours.

From The Blog: What Does It Mean to “Go Through Probate” in Texas?

Types of Estate Planning Cases We Handle in Dallas

A complete estate plan typically includes some combination of the following, depending on your situation:

  • Wills. A will controls who receives your assets and names the person responsible for carrying out your wishes. It is the foundation of most plans.
  • Trusts. Trusts serve different purposes depending on your goals. They can help your estate avoid probate, hold assets for a minor or someone with special needs, or carry out distributions over time rather than in a single transfer.
  • Living Trusts. A living trust allows your assets to be distributed to beneficiaries after your death without going through probate. For families who want to avoid that process, it’s often a meaningful part of their plan.
  • Revocable Trusts. A revocable living trust holds your assets during your lifetime and distributes them at death without going through probate. It can be amended at any time. Not everyone needs one, but for families who want to avoid probate or manage distributions over time, it is often a meaningful part of the plan.
  • Powers of Attorney.
    • A durable power of attorney authorizes someone you trust to handle your financial and legal affairs if you become incapacitated. Without this document, establishing that authority requires a court proceeding.
    • A medical power of attorney designates someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf when you cannot make them yourself. This is a separate document from the financial power of attorney.
  • Living Wills. An advance directive, sometimes called a living will, records your preferences for end-of-life treatment. This document matters most to the people around you, who would otherwise have to make difficult decisions without knowing what you would have wanted.
    • A HIPAA authorization designates who can access your medical records.
  • Guardianship. For clients with minor children, an appointment of guardian designates the people you’d trust to make decisions for your children if both parents were to die or become incapacitated.
  • Elder Law. Planning needs change as people age. We work with older clients and their families on incapacity planning, asset management, and the legal issues that tend to arise during major life transitions.

From the Blog: Incapacity Planning Checklist: What to Do When a Parent or Spouse Can No Longer Manage

Why Choose Ellen Williamson Law, PC for Estate Planning in Dallas, TX?

How We Approach These Cases

We have practiced exclusively in estate planning, probate, and guardianship since 2013. That focus matters. We are not a general practice firm that handles estate planning on the side: this is all we do, which means we have seen enough situations to know where plans tend to go wrong and how to build ones that hold up.

Ellen Williamson has been licensed in Texas since 2004. She earned her J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law and holds a finance degree from Texas A&M. Before founding Ellen Williamson Law, PC in 2013, she spent over seven years at the SBA’s disaster loan processing center. That work has everything to do with explaining complicated legal processes to people who were overwhelmed, stressed, and needed clarity and not confusing legal jargon. She is a member of the inaugural class of the Dallas Probate American Inn of Court, serves on the Probate Council for the Dallas Bar Association’s Probate, Trusts & Estates Section, and holds the distinction of Fellow with the Texas Bar Foundation. Super Lawyers has recognized her since 2024.

Flat-Fee Billing Structured Around Experience

We also work on flat fees. After your consultation, you will receive a quote that covers your matter through completion, not just the drafting, but through the signing meeting and trust funding if applicable. You know the full cost before you commit to anything.

Most estate planning attorneys bill hourly, but our fees are customized to your needs. If your situation is straightforward, your fee reflects this simplicity. If it’s more complex, we’ll tell you what to expect before we begin.

If your plan includes a trust, assets need to be transferred into it after the documents are signed. A trust that has not been funded does not do what you built it to do. We flag this, walk you through it, and make sure it actually happens.

Understanding Estate Planning Cases in Dallas, TX

Key Estate Planning Documents and What They Do

People often come in thinking estate planning means there is only one document to establish. However, this process can entail several tools, and each one does something different.

  • Will: Controls the distribution of probate assets and names the person responsible for carrying out your wishes. Also the document to designate guardians for minor children.
  • Revocable living trust: Holds assets during your lifetime, distributes them at death outside of probate, and can be amended at any time. Understanding what belongs in a complete plan is important before deciding whether a trust makes sense for you.
  • Durable power of attorney: Authorizes a named person to handle financial and legal decisions if you are incapacitated. Without this, getting that authority requires a court hearing.
  • Medical power of attorney: Separate from the financial POA, this is specifically for healthcare decisions when you cannot make them yourself.
  • Advance directive: Sets your preferences for end-of-life treatment. There is a distinction between advance directives and DNR that many people don’t realize exists.
  • HIPAA authorization: Designates who can access your medical records.

Important Aspects of an Estate Planning Case

The process of establishing an estate plan is unique for the individual and/or family involved. Every person has their own ideas, preferences, and needs. Here are questions to ask yourself when devising your estate plan documents:

  • Is anyone in your family likely to challenge your plan?
  • Do you own real property in another state? If so, that may require separate planning.
  • Do any of your intended beneficiaries have a disability that could affect their eligibility for government benefits?
  • Are there specific assets that you want distributed to certain family members or loved ones after your passing?

Estate Planning Case Timeline – What to Expect, Start to Finish

Consultation: You explain your situation, your assets, and your goals. We listen and ask questions. This determines what documents you need and what they will cost.

Engagement: You sign an engagement agreement, pay the flat fee, and provide the information we need to draft your documents.

Drafting: Typically one to three weeks depending on complexity.

Review: You read the drafts and ask questions. We revise until the documents reflect what you actually want.

Execution: You sign in a formal signing meeting that satisfies Texas’s witnessing and notarization requirements.

Funding (if applicable): If your plan includes a trust, assets need to be transferred into it. We make sure it does not get skipped.

What to Bring to Your Estate Planning Consultation

You do not need everything perfectly organized. A general sense of the following is enough:

  • What you own, real property, financial accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, business interests.
  • Who you would want handling your affairs if you could not, and who your beneficiaries are.
  • Whether you have minor children and who you would name as their guardian.
  • Whether any beneficiaries have circumstances that might require a different approach, a disability, a complicated family situation, or a history that gives you pause.

Questions People Ask Before Scheduling

Do I need a will or a trust?

It depends on your situation. Some people need both. We will tell you honestly what makes sense for you, including when the answer is simpler than you expected. We have no problem telling you when a more cost-effective solution will cover your needs than what you came in asking for.

What happens if I die without a plan?

Texas intestacy law decides who receives your assets and, if you have minor children, a court may become involved in decisions about their care. The result may not be what you would have chosen.

Is estate planning only for wealthy people?

No. It is for anyone who has people who depend on them, assets they want to go somewhere specific, or decisions they want to make for themselves before someone else has to make them.

What is the difference between a medical power of attorney and an advance directive?

A medical power of attorney names the person who makes decisions for you. An advance directive records the decisions themselves, specifically around life-sustaining treatment. Most people need both.

What does trust funding mean, and do I have to do it?

Funding means transferring your assets into the trust after it is signed. If this step is skipped, the trust does not control those assets. We walk every client through this process.

Texas provides official resources that can help you start understanding the legal landscape before your consultation. These aren’t substitutes for legal advice, but they’re worth looking into for additional information.

What Our Clients Say

“After my wife of 42 years passed away it quickly became clear that I was in need of an estate lawyer. I called Ellen Williamson Law. Beginning with the first consultation, Ellen treated my case with respect and urgency. She listened carefully, asked the right questions, and crafted a strategy that made me feel protected and informed at every turn. After successfully handling the initial matter I asked her to prepare an Estate Plan so in the future I could be assured that every contingency would be covered. Her professionalism is matched only by her empathy. I never felt like “just another client”—I felt like a priority. If you need an attorney who combines expertise with genuine human care, Ellen is the one you want in your corner.”

– Jay K.

From the Blog

Ready to Build Your Plan? Reach Out to Ellen Williamson Law, PC

Ellen Williamson Law, PC handles estate planning in Dallas, TX at flat fees customized to each case. You do not need to have everything figured out before you call. You just need to decide it is time. We will take it from there. Contact us to get on the calendar and get your plan moving.