Last Will & Testament Attorney in Lewisville

Wills Drafted for Texas Families by a Denton County Practice Since 2007

A last will and testament is the legal document through which you direct how your property is distributed after your death, name the person responsible for carrying out those directions, and, if you have minor children, nominate a guardian for them. Without one, Texas intestate succession laws control what happens to everything you own. Those laws follow a fixed hierarchy based on family relationships and don’t account for blended families, unmarried partners, stepchildren, or your actual wishes.

Haugen Law Firm, P.C. has served Lewisville-area families from our office in Old Town Lewisville since 2007. We handle last will and testament drafting as part of a broader estate planning practice serving clients across Denton, Dallas, and Collin Counties, and we offer remote consultations for clients who can’t come to us in person.

What a Last Will & Testament Covers

A properly drafted will does several things at once. Understanding what it controls, and what it doesn’t, is the first step toward a complete estate plan.

What your will can do:

• Distribute probate assets: You designate specific beneficiaries for real estate, bank accounts, personal property, and other assets that pass through your estate.
• Nominate an executor: Your chosen executor (also called a personal representative) gathers your assets, pays debts, and distributes property. Texas recognizes independent administration, which allows a named executor to manage and close an estate with minimal court oversight when the will authorizes it or all beneficiaries agree.
• Name a guardian for minor children: Without a will, a Texas court makes that appointment without your input.
• Simplify probate: Under Texas Estates Code Section 256.003, a will generally must be admitted to probate within four years of the testator’s death. A valid will gives the court a clear roadmap and can move more efficiently than an intestacy proceeding.

What falls outside a will’s reach: Life insurance proceeds, retirement accounts with named beneficiaries, and property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship pass directly to the named party and don’t go through probate, regardless of what your will says. Beneficiary designations on those accounts need to be reviewed separately.

Texas Law & Denton County Probate Considerations

Texas is a community property state, meaning property acquired during marriage is generally owned equally by both spouses. A will that doesn’t account for the distinction between community and separate property can produce distributions that don’t reflect what you intended. This is especially significant for blended families and anyone who brought substantial assets into a marriage.

If a Lewisville resident dies without a valid will, heirs may need to file an Application to Determine Heirship with Denton County Probate Court under Texas Estates Code Section 202.001. That process can be slower, more expensive, and more burdensome than probating a clear will. Vague beneficiary language or improperly executed signatures can trigger similar declaratory relief proceedings, adding delay and cost. Getting the document right the first time can help reduce those complications. Our attorneys account for Texas Estates Code requirements, Denton County probate procedures, and the community property rules that affect families in this area when drafting every will.

A Lewisville Practice With Family Law Depth

Most estate-only firms stop at the document. Because our practice also covers family law, we address the places where estate planning and family matters intersect: minor guardianship nominations for clients navigating custody arrangements, blended family dynamics that complicate beneficiary designations, and community property questions that arise after a divorce.

Attorney John Haugen is a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army Captain, honorably discharged in 1989. That background shapes how this firm operates: disciplined, service-oriented, and direct. We build each will around the client’s actual family structure, assets, and goals rather than a standard template. The firm holds membership in the Dallas Bar Association and Denton Bar Association and carries a Lead Counsel rating. One client described working with us on wills and trusts as “seamless and efficient” and noted leaving with a thorough understanding of every document they signed.

We also offer significant discounts to active-duty and retired military members, firefighters, and school teachers. It’s a direct reflection of values this firm has held since it opened.

Get Your Will in Place

If you don’t have a will, or your current one was drafted before a major life change, now is the right time to address it. Our last will and testament attorneys serve Lewisville and the broader Denton County area. Remote consultations are available for clients throughout Denton, Dallas, and Collin Counties.

Contact Haugen Law Firm, P.C. at (972) 460-6798 to schedule a consultation and start building a will that reflects your family’s real circumstances.