The short version
- A complete plan covers three situations: after you’re gone, while you’re incapacitated, and your home’s path around probate.
- Every standard Dalworth Legal plan includes all of the documents below — $1,750 single, $3,000 for two.
- No proof of marriage required for the couple’s rate — a partner, a relative, or a friend along for the discount.
- Want probate out of the picture entirely? That’s a living trust, from $7,500, plan included.
When people say “I need a will,” what they usually need is an estate plan — the will plus the documents that protect you while you’re still alive but unable to speak for yourself. Here’s the full set, one by one.
1. Last Will
The document people think of: it lists the current members of your immediate family as of its writing, states who you’d like your assets to go to — which does not have to be anyone you’re related to, and can include organizations — and names the executor who’ll handle distributing everything.
2. Living Will (Directive to Physicians)
Functions somewhat like a DNR, covering two situations: a diagnosis expected to be fatal within six months, and a condition you’re not expected to recover from. For each, you record whether you want hospital staff to keep you alive to the fullest extent of their abilities — or simply to be kept comfortable until the end. Your family never has to guess.
3. Medical Power of Attorney
Designates who makes medical decisions on your behalf if you’re ever unable to make them yourself.
4. Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
The financial twin: who manages your assets — pays the mortgage, handles the accounts — if you fall into a coma or develop a form of dementia.
5. HIPAA Authorization
Authorizes your medical providers to discuss your history with the third parties you designate, so the people making decisions for you aren’t locked out of the information they need.
6. Declaration of Guardian
Who you’d want as your court-appointed guardian if proceedings ever became necessary. (The court has the final say, but your choice carries real weight.) For parents of minor children, we also prepare the form designating who you wish to raise your kids if both parents pass while they’re still minors.
7. Lady Bird Deed
A Texas deed tool included in every standard plan that helps your home — usually the largest asset most families own — pass to your loved ones outside of the probate process.
When a will isn’t enough: the living trust
Probate can cost several thousand dollars over several months, and a probated will becomes public record — anyone who pays a nominal fee to the county clerk can read it. A living trust allows your estate to bypass probate entirely, saving your loved ones time and money and keeping your last wishes private. A trust package at Dalworth Legal starts at $7,500 and includes everything in a standard plan.
Ready to check this off your list? It’s usually far quicker than people expect — start with a free consultation or read more on the estate planning practice page.
This article is for general information only. It does not guarantee a particular result in any given case and is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Dalworth Legal always advises talking to an attorney about your unique situation before moving forward in a lawsuit.
Questions about your situation?
Every case starts with a free phone consultation — and our fees are published before you ever pick up the phone.