Trust planning representation grounded in 13 years of work on behalf of clients in Dallas and the surrounding area.
If you’re thinking about setting up a revocable trust in Dallas, TX, you may be wondering if a will by itself doesn’t address all of your needs. Our Dallas, TX revocable trust lawyer can discuss with you what a revocable trust actually does, whether it fits your situation, and how to structure it properly. At Ellen Williamson Law, PC, we focus exclusively on estate planning, probate, and guardianship matters. Contact our office to schedule a consultation.
Revocable Trust Lawyer Dallas, TX
A revocable trust is a legal arrangement in which you transfer ownership of your assets to a trust you create and control during your lifetime. You serve as your own trustee. You can change the terms, add or remove assets, or revoke the trust entirely at any point while you’re alive and have capacity. That flexibility is one of the main reasons people choose it over a simple will.
When you pass away, the assets in the trust are distributed directly to your named beneficiaries without going through probate. That means no court filing, no public record, and no waiting on the court calendar. Your family gets what you intended and on your timeline, not the court’s.
Types of Revocable Trust Matters We Handle in Dallas
Revocable trusts aren’t one-size documents that apply for all circumstances. The structure that works for a single person with one property is different from the structure that works for a blended family or a business owner with several properties. We handle the full range of situations that come up in Dallas estate planning.
- Wills. Most revocable trusts are paired with a pour-over will, which identifies any assets not already transferred into the trust and distributes them there when someone has passed away.
- Trust administration. When the original trustee dies or becomes incapacitated, a successor trustee steps in to manage and distribute assets. We assist successor trustees in understanding and carrying out those responsibilities.
- Trust amendments and restatements. Life changes, as marriages, divorces, new children, or acquired property may happen. Any of these events may require updating your trust.
- Revocable trust funding. Creating the trust document is only part of the process. Assets have to be retitled into the trust for it to work as intended. We guide clients through funding, coordinating the transfer of real estate, handling financial accounts, and other holdings.
Related Services We Offer
- Powers of attorney. A revocable trust handles assets you’ve transferred into it during incapacity, but it doesn’t govern everything. A durable power of attorney covers what the trust doesn’t, including financial accounts, decisions, and matters outside the trust’s reach.
- Living wills. Many clients create these alongside their revocable trust as part of a complete plan. They specify your wishes for medical care if you’re unable to communicate them yourself.
Why Choose Ellen Williamson Law, PC for Revocable Trust Planning in Dallas, TX?
Focused Practice and Direct Experience
Ellen Williamson has practiced law in Texas since 2004. She earned her B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University in 2001, then her J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law in 2004. The firm she founded in 2013 has one focus, including estate planning, probate, and guardianship. She doesn’t practice any other type of law so she can remain focused on what individuals and their families need the most.
Attorney Ellen has spent over two decades working through complicated family situations, navigating title transfers, and structuring documents that are legally effective over time. Our estate planning lawyer in Dallas, TX covers the full range of trust matters, from initial drafting through administration.
She is a member of the inaugural class of the Dallas Probate American Inn of Court and serves on the Probate Council for the Dallas Bar Association’s Probate, Trusts, and Estates Section. She has been recognized by Super Lawyers since 2024 and is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Flat-Fee Billing and Clear Pricing
Most estate planning attorneys bill by the hour, but instead we utilize a flat-fee billing structure. This means you know what you’re paying before we offer our services. By being able to provide this pay structure, it means we have a deep familiarity with the work we do and are confident in our services. Contact us today for further assistance.
Understanding Revocable Trust Cases in Dallas, TX
Key Trust Concepts and How They Apply
A revocable trust involves three roles, including the grantor (the person who creates and funds it), the trustee (who manages it), and the beneficiaries (who receive assets from it). In a typical revocable trust, the same person has all three roles during their lifetime. After death or incapacity, a named successor trustee takes over. Here are key concepts worth understanding before your consultation:
- Revocability. The grantor can change, amend, or dissolve the trust at any time while competent. This flexibility disappears when you die or lose capacity.
- Probate avoidance. Assets properly titled in the trust pass outside of probate. But assets you forgot to transfer may still require probate. Funding the trust correctly is as important as drafting it.
- Privacy. Unlike a will, which becomes a public record when it’s admitted to probate, a revocable trust generally does not. Beneficiaries, distributions, and asset details stay private.
- Incapacity planning. A revocable trust can include provisions for what happens if you become incapacitated while alive. Your successor trustee can step in without a court-supervised guardianship proceeding.
- Tax treatment. For federal income tax purposes, the assets in a revocable trust are still treated as belonging to the grantor. The trust does not, by itself, reduce estate taxes. If that’s a goal, different planning tools are needed.
What Makes a Revocable Trust Matter Complex
Not every revocable trust is the same, as several factors add layers to what our client’s need. Here are aspects that can make a revocable trust complex:
- Real property held in multiple counties, or out-of-state property, requires separate deed work in each jurisdiction.
- Blended families, where children from different relationships are involved, require careful attention to how assets are distributed and who has control at different stages.
- Business interests raise questions about how ownership transfers within the trust framework.
- Older trusts, drafted years or decades ago, may have provisions that no longer reflect current law or family circumstances.
Typical Timeline for Revocable Trust Planning
The process looks different for every client, but in general there are several stages that we provide legal services for. Here is the typical timeline for revocable trusts:
- Initial consultation: You describe your assets, family situation, and goals. We assess whether a revocable trust is the right fit or whether a simpler plan would be more beneficial.
- Document drafting: Once we have what we need, drafting typically takes one to two weeks depending on complexity.
- Review and execution: You review the draft, ask questions, and we finalize. Signing requires notarization in Texas, and any real estate deeds transferring property into the trust must also be notarized and recorded.
- Funding: This phase of retitling assets into the trust can take several additional weeks, particularly for real property and financial accounts.
- Ongoing updates: The trust should be reviewed after major life events and periodically as laws or circumstances change.
What to Bring to Your Consultation
You don’t need everything organized for a consultation. But if possible, we suggest having the following information ready so we can give you an accurate assessment:
- A general list of your assets, including real estate, bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and business interests.
- Information about who you want to inherit, including names and relationships.
- Any existing estate planning documents (wills, old trusts, powers of attorney).
- Questions about specific concerns, such as whether that’s a beneficiary with a disability, a child from a prior marriage, or property held in another state.
Texas Legal Resources for Revocable Trust Cases
Texas law governs how revocable trusts are created, funded, and administered. Here are a few places to start if you want to understand the legal framework:
- Texas Property Code: Title 9, governs trusts created in Texas and sets the rules for trustee duties, trust modification, and revocation.
- Texas State Law Library: Provides free public access to Texas statutes, including probate and trust law, and is a good starting point for non-attorneys researching how trusts work.
- Dallas County Probate Courts: Website provides information on local probate procedures. This is relevant if any assets end up going through probate despite trust planning.
Reach Out to Ellen Williamson Law, PC to Schedule a Consultation
Establishing a revocable trust is an estate planning task that should be done as soon as possible. At Ellen Williamson Law, PC, we offer flat-fee billing for most trust related services, so pricing is clear before we begin. Contact us to schedule a consultation and talk through what you’re trying to accomplish.