Foxglove · Texas
Settling an estate in Texas?
A plain-language guide to the Texas process — every step, the costs and deadlines, and the vetted local professionals you may need. Free to use.
Get the complete Texas executor's checklist:
Start here
How Long Does Probate Take? Timelines Across Canada and the US
The honest 6–18 month range, jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction, what slows probate, and how to speed it up.
The Complete Executor's Checklist: Every Task, in Order
The full executor arc as a checklist, grouped by timeframe, with each item linking to its how-to.
The Executor's First Week: Exactly What to Do (and What Can Wait)
What's genuinely urgent in the first days after a death — including who pronounces the death and who to call — and what can safely wait.
Finding the right help
Do You Actually Need a Probate Lawyer? (Or Can You Do It Yourself)
When DIY works, when a lawyer pays off, what they charge, and exactly how to find a probate-experienced one.
Estate Tax Accountant vs. Probate Lawyer: Who Handles What
The two different jobs, who owns what, the Canada/US tax difference, and how to avoid paying twice.
Selling a House During Probate: Finding the Right Realtor
Why a probate sale is different, court-confirmation/overbid, as-is selling, and how to vet a probate-experienced agent.
Selling an Inherited House: Taxes, Timing, and What Actually Happens
Whether you owe tax on an inherited house (step-up/date-of-death value), when you can sell, and how to find the right agent.
What Is an Executor Bond — and When Does the Court Require One?
What an executor/surety bond is, when it's required or waived, what it costs, and step-by-step how to get one.
Vetted Texas professionals
Probate Lawyer
- Doehring & Doehring Attorneys at LawHouston, TX · Family-run firm exclusively practicing probate law since 1982; estate planning, administration, guardianship, and probate litigation
- Ford + Bergner LLPHouston, TX · Boutique firm specializing exclusively in estate, trust, and guardianship matters; offices in Houston, Dallas, and Austin
- Karen S. Gerstner & Associates, P.C.Houston, TX · Board-certified in estate planning and probate; protecting Houston estates for over 40 years
- The Law Offices of Sally S. AndrewsHouston, TX · Board-certified in probate law and estate planning; 20+ years; guardianship and probate litigation