Settling a Texas estate, step by step.

First 30 days

• Locate the original will — check home safes, safe deposit boxes, and the attorney who drafted it
• Order 8–12 certified death certificates
• Secure physical assets — home, vehicles, valuables
• Notify banks, credit card companies, and Social Security
• Begin a simple inventory of assets and liabilities
• Cancel subscriptions, utilities, and accounts in the deceased's name

Is probate required in Texas?

Probate is required when the deceased owned assets solely in their own name exceeding $75,000, or when real estate is involved. Texas offers a simplified "Muniment of Title" process for uncontested estates with a valid will — often closing in 6–9 months.

Assets that typically bypass probate:

• Joint accounts with right of survivorship
• Payable-on-death bank accounts
• Life insurance with named beneficiaries
• Retirement accounts with named beneficiaries
• Assets held in a living trust

How much does probate cost in Texas?

A standard uncontested probate in Collin or Dallas County runs $2,000–$5,000 in attorney fees. Complex or contested estates can reach $10,000+. Court filing fees are additional but modest.

What if there is no will?

Texas law determines intestate succession: spouse, then children, then parents, then siblings. A probate attorney in Richardson or the broader DFW area can navigate the process — it takes slightly longer than with a will but is entirely workable.

Executor's duties

The executor has a fiduciary duty to act in the beneficiaries' best interests. Duties include: notifying creditors (who have 4 months to file claims), paying debts from estate funds, filing the deceased's final tax return, distributing remaining assets per the will, and keeping careful records of every action.

Executors in Texas are entitled to reasonable compensation — typically 5% of the estate's value or an hourly rate.