Shows
Before You Go...Expert Guidance on Probate Matters, Empathy, and Peace of MindIn their second installment in this series about answering clients’ questions, probate attorneys and hosts Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm cover topics such as acquiring a death certificate, locating a will, settling debts, handling sentimental items, and managing insolvency in an estate. They emphasize the importance of guiding clients through these challenging processes with empathy and expertise. By addressing common inquiries and providing practical advice, they strive to offer clients peace of mind and clarity during the estate administration journey. “We can just take all of that off the table from them so that they can...2024-10-1138 minBefore You Go...Answers to the Top 25 Questions about Probate LitigationProbate litigation is complicated. The retirement statute that governs benefits is a nightmare to understand. Challenging a will in court can tie up an estate for months or years.Those are just a few insights that hosts Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm share in this episode, focused on the top 25 questions that they’ve received about probate litigation through decades in the practice. Tune in for their answers, including their approach to helping clients navigate this unique area of law at a difficult time in their lives. As Stacy and Keith explain, their va...2024-10-0933 minBefore You Go...Community Property and Homestead Rights in Texas Impact the Probate ProcessOne of the most misunderstood areas of community property law in Texas that impacts the probate process – and one of the most hotly litigated – is the difference between community and separate property. Hosts Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm describe these “murky waters” when someone dies without a will and heirs argue about property left behind. In addition to clarifying community property versus separate property, they explain subtleties of probate homestead rights in Texas and how pre- and post-nuptial agreements can be incorporated into an estate plan. Connect and Learn More☑️ Stacy Ke...2024-07-1918 minBefore You Go...Independent Estate Administration in Texas: Benefits and DrawbacksIndependent administration enables Texas estates in probate to proceed with limited court involvement, so the estate doesn’t have to go “mother, may I” to the court for every request. But the procedure has its complexities, and its downsides. In this episode of Before You Go…, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they discuss the basics, advantages and disadvantages of independent administration–a procedure somewhat unique to Texas probate. Stacy and Keith explore how independent administrations come about both in the case of a will or by agreement of the beneficiaries, the procedural...2024-07-1814 minBefore You Go...Understanding Probate Appeals in TexasThere are a lot of myths surrounding appeals. The process can be difficult, and appeals rarely happen as swiftly or as smoothly as they do on TV and in the movies.In this episode of Before You Go…, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they provide a general overview of how legal appeals work, then discuss some appellate issues specific to the world of probate, trust, and guardianship law. What is an appeal? What issues can be appealed? What happens if an appeal results in an issue being sent back to the tr...2024-05-2026 minBefore You Go...Unknotting Common Law Marriage Issues In Probate with Attorney Shawn WilliamsonDid they have a common law marriage, or not? Whether you leave behind a will or not, determining if there was a valid common law marriage can have a big impact on families, and on inheritance and property issues in probate litigation. In this episode of Before You Go…, Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm welcome guest Shawn Williamson, a senior associate at the firm and an experienced negotiator in probate litigation. Stacy, Keith and Shawn discuss the basics of common law marriage and the types of disputes it brings up in probate litigation, inc...2024-05-1328 minBefore You Go...Will Contests: Everything You Need to Know with Probate Litigation Attorney Rudy CulpA will contest is a formal challenge to a will. But the process can be lengthy, expensive, and emotionally taxing.In this episode of Before You Go…, Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm welcome guest Rudy Culp, an experienced attorney and partner at the Houston-based firm, Horrigan, Goehrs, Edwards & Culp, LLP, which focuses almost exclusively on probate fiduciary litigation.Stacy, Keith, and Rudy discuss will contests, including how and when to file them, the reasons for challenging a will, and some of the other issues and considerations that arise with will contests....2024-04-0547 minBefore You Go...Estate Planning: Safeguard Your Hard-Earned Assets Now with Marvin Blum“It's a dagger in me when I see families writing those estate tax checks because the planning tools that are available to us almost always allow us to get that tax down to either very low or zero,” says Marvin Blum.In this episode of Before You Go…, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they speak with Marvin Blum, a savvy estate planning attorney and Founder and Managing Partner of The Blum Firm. Tune in as Stacy, Keith, and Marvin break down complicated concepts like how the estate tax works, estate t...2024-03-1840 minBefore You Go...Navigating the Texas Mental Health System with Former Judge Lynn Waller KellyThe number of civil mental health commitment cases has increased dramatically over the past two decades.In this episode of Before You Go…, host Keith Morris of The Blum Firm welcomes colleague Lynn Waller Kelly, a former Associate Judge for one of the Tarrant County probate courts. Judge Kelly is now also a partner at The Blum Law Firm whose current practice focuses on representing clients in probate matters, estate litigation, and guardianship proceedings throughout North Texas. She also serves as a mediator in contested probate litigation matters.Tune in to hear Keith and Judge Ke...2024-02-2945 minBefore You Go...Introduction to Corporate Trustees in Texas with Beth Owens of American National Bank & TrustA lot of people initially think that you set up a trust for estate tax purposes, but there’s such a small percentage of people that really need to consider a trust for tax reasons. However, if you have special assets, if you’re a special person, or if you have a special family, you might want to consider setting up a trust. In this episode of Before You Go…, Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm are joined by Beth Owens, Trust Officer at American National Bank & Trust. The trio dive deep into the role of...2024-02-1534 minBefore You Go...Understanding Guardianships in Texas: What You Need to KnowIt would be great to live in a world where we didn’t have to have guardianships because they are very restrictive, you’re taking away someone’s rights, and it’s very difficult to jump through all the hoops. In this episode of Before You Go…, join Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris of The Blum Firm as they discuss the basics of a guardianship in Texas, the difference between a guardianship of the person and a guardianship of the estate, and the different situations that can lead to litigation involving guardianships. They also share real-life examples, including a...2024-01-3149 minBefore You Go...Unraveling the Texas Probate, Trust, and Guardianship LandscapeWe know we’re going to die. But, for most of us, it’s the when we’re less sure of, so we try not to dwell on it. That’s why probate, trust, and guardianship matters can cause so much angst and anxiety; they force us to contemplate a world that will move on without us. We know this is a difficult topic because we’ve been helping families, companies, and even top Texas attorneys resolve their disputes with dignity for decades.Welcome to the inaugural episode of Before You Go…, a podcast hosted by Texas estate, trus...2024-01-1530 minBefore You Go...Welcome to Before You Go...Don’t let your ‘final farewell’ stir up family feuds. Welcome to Before You Go… a podcast brought to you by Texas estate, trust, and guardianship attorneys Stacy Kelly and Keith Morris. Preserve your hard-earned legacy. Be ‘in the know.’2024-01-0500 min