Wills in Texas
Texas recognizes: (1) attested wills signed by two witnesses; (2) holographic wills (handwritten entirely by the testator); (3) self-proved wills (with affidavit, making probate faster). Required mental capacity and signature formalities are set out in Tex. Est. Code ch. 251.
Probate via independent administration
Texas's "independent administration" is one of the most efficient probate systems in the U.S. (Tex. Est. Code ch. 401). The executor, after appointment, operates with minimal court supervision — no continuing court approvals for routine actions. This makes Texas probate substantially faster and cheaper than in many other states.
Probate vs. nonprobate transfers
Property passing by beneficiary designation (life insurance, retirement accounts, transfer-on-death deeds for real estate under Tex. Est. Code ch. 114, payable-on-death bank accounts) avoids probate. So does joint-with-right-of-survivorship property (with proper documentation).
Durable power of attorney + medical directives
A statutory durable power of attorney is available (Tex. Est. Code § 752.051). Healthcare decisions are handled separately through a Medical Power of Attorney and Directive to Physicians (Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 166).
→ Find a Texas estate planning attorney or a TBLS-certified Estate Planning & Probate specialist.