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Death is a scary topic for most people. It is important to plan what happens to your estate once you die. It makes the process of dealing with your assets after you are gone an easier one. Luckily, there are three ways you can keep this process relatively simple without it being a strung-out hassle.

1. Create a Will

Living Will Lawyer Colleyville

Wills are crucial when dealing with the assets of a lost loved one. These documents make the process smoother by recognizing an executor. This person’s responsibilities are to pay any remaining debt and distribute your estate as you wished it to. It is important to have a will because if no will is found, then specific state laws will determine who is given your estate. For Texas, the state will initiate a probate and an administrator to decide who receives what. In other states, your estate will go to your next of kin, such as children.

2. List Beneficiaries

Listing beneficiaries in a will is essential because some forms of property do not go through the probate process. For example, 401(k) accounts, life insurance policies, and retirement plans do not go through the process. These types of property will go directly to the listed beneficiaries. The same scenario applies to your house. If you die before your spouse, then it is best to have both your names on the deed. They should also be given the right of survivorship, so your portion of the house goes to them. Listing these people will make these people’s lives easier after you are gone.

Colleyville TX Estate Lawyer

3. Hire The Fetty Firm

Hire a lawyer, so when the will is executed, you will have a neutral third-party administering your assets. This keeps from any family members or friends from taking advantage of their power. This may be the last thing you think about when addressing your family, but it is certainly a concern to have. The Fetty Firm can most certainly take the neutral position and execute your will as you wish. You can contact us today by phone, (214) 546-5746, or visit our website for more information.

The Fetty Firm is dedicated to providing you the best family-oriented law firm services in the Colleyville, Texas area. Our firm is able to provide services in numerous family matters such as divorce, child support, child custody, probate process, estate planning. You will get special attention because we are a small firm with big firm results.

Rashelle Fetty

Rashelle Fetty is an experienced Colleyville TX Divorce Lawyer

The Fetty Firm was founded by Rashelle Fetty. She is the sole attorney at the firm and specializes in the family court. Since 2008, Rashelle has been working in the legal field as a paralegal and intern. Rashelle was born and raised in Enid, Oklahoma. She attended the University of Norfolk in Virginia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. While there, she played NCAA division one women’s golf team.

After graduating from Norfolk, Rashelle attended Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach. She finished her law degree at Wesleyan School of Law in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2013, Rashelle passed the Texas bar exam and started The Fetty Firm right after. The Fetty Firm specializes in family affairs.

Our Services

The Fetty Firm focuses on family affairs such as divorce, child support, and estate planning. These are everyday scenarios we want to help people get through. Most of the services we assist in can provide a lot of stress for our clients. Fighting for your child or planning what happens to your estate after you die are daunting tasks. The Fetty Firm wants to help you get through these difficult times. You can find a full list of our services below.

• Adoption
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Divorce
• Enforcement of Modification Orders
• Spousal Support
• Termination of Parental Rights
• Wills & Trusts
• Powers of Attorney
• Designation of Guardian
• Advanced Directive/Living Will
• Affidavit of Heirship
• Independent Administration
• Small Estate Affidavit
• Muniment of Title

If you need any of these family-related matters handled, then please call us to assist you. You can reach us at (214) 546-5746, or you can visit our website for more information. Fill free to call us with any questions or concerns. We would be happy to meet with you and discuss your options. Let us take some of the stress off of you.

The divorce rate is super high in today’s world. Almost 50% of marriages end in divorce. That is half of all married people. Those statistics only increase after being married more than once. Regardless, divorce is one of the most stressful situations people go through. Even if your ex-spouse ended on good terms, the process could cause a lot of stress. Here are some tips to help you have a healthy divorce

Communicate & Cooperate

Great Family Law Attorney in Tarrant County

If your divorce is not going well, it is vital to keep in touch with your ex-spouse and work together to get the process over with. Cooperating and communicating with each other will especially help the children, if any, that are being affected by this change. They will be affected the most and need to be the priority when divorcing.

Furthermore, it is essential to keep from unleashing any emotions you have on your ex-spouse. These are common feelings to have, but you should keep these to yourself. Find other ways to release those feelings. Instead, get to the core of those emotions. Tell your ex what you feel and why rather than letting those emotions do the talking. Working this out with a psychologist or a neutral third party can significantly benefit you both.

Experienced Family Law Services for all types of divorce cases

Take Care of Yourself

The emotions and the change caused by divorce can really engulf some people. That being said, it is necessary you take care of yourself through the process. If you have kids, take care of them first and then take some time for yourself. We know it can be hard to let time pass without having any alone time. Take that time because it is going to help you moving forward.

Additionally, you want to defend yourself if the divorce is not going well. If that is the case, then hiring The Fetty Firm will be your best chance. We will be able to provide support in child custody and support, alimony, and division of property. Contact us today by calling (214) 546-5746 or visit our website to learn more about what we do. We will support you through this stressful process. We provide several services to our clients. Divorce is only a fraction of what we specialize in.

When parents divorce, the kids are the most important aspect of the process. You want the best for your children regardless of how much you dislike your previous spouse. With that said, there are many types of child custody parents can enroll in to give their children the best life possible. Each of these custody types are supported by The Fetty Firm. We can help you find the best fit for your situation.

Joint Custody

Joint custody is the most popular and the preferred custody type of the Texas courts. This is when both parents have legal custody over the child. There are further joint custody types, such as legal custody and shared physical custody. Joint legal is when both parents have the right to make decisions for their children. Shared physical custody is when the chile has two legal residences. The parents will generally have different times of the week when the child is at their home.

Colleyville TX Family Court Lawyer

Sole Custody

Sole custody is very straight forward. This is when one parent gets legal and physical custody of the child. All decisions pertaining to the child are made by the one parent rather than both. The child does not have two residences like they would in a joint custody.

Temporary Custody

Temporary custody is usually only during the initial process of a divorce. The child will reside at the established parent’s home until a decision is made in court. This is a short-term arrangement and is not expected to last long. The court will determine what the final custody ruling is.

Consultation for modifying child support orders

Split Custody

This form of custody is a more complex type from the previous versions. Split custody involves two or more children. In this type of custody, a single parent does not have full custody of all the children. This type of custody will sometimes allow children to live at their preferred parent’s house. This all depends on the child’s age and other relevant factors.

Contact The Fetty Firm Today

Regardless of your situation, let The Fetty Firm represent you in your child custody case. You can contact us today by phone, (214) 546-5746, or visit our website for more information. We will assist you in your child custody case because we know how important children are to their parents.

HIPAA forms are used to protect your assets when you become incapacitated. The government passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, which was created to protect people from abuse and fraud in the health care industry. HIPAA forms are commonly used for estate planning because these forms help protect your health information.

Colleyville TX Estate Planning Attorney

HIPAA’s Benefits

No one outside of medical staff are allowed to view your health information. Every aspect of your health information is protected under the act. Data is covered regardless of the entity in which houses the information. Hospitals, clinics, health insurance, pharmacies, and nursing homes are all protected by HIPAA. If this act is violated, then the organization violating the act will face severe consequences. This includes a hefty fine. Violations typically fit in the category of unauthorized access to a person’s health records.

HIPAA Forms Benefit You

Signing HIPAA forms is important for those planning their estates future. If you sign these forms, then you are giving an appointed person access to your health records. Signing these forms are very important in case you are unable to make them. For example, you may fall into a coma.

In that instance, the appointed representative will make medical decisions on your behalf. The HIPAA forms will take effect once the health provider receives them, so be proactive. Furthermore, you can revoke this access from the representative at any time. You will note this decision within the HIPAA form.

Colleyville Probate Law Family Attorney

Estate Planning

Filling out HIPAA forms are essential to fill out when planning the future of your estate. They greatly benefit the process of your passing. The Fetty Firm can assist you in both of these plans. We specialize in wills, trusts, estate planning, and so much more. You can find our full list of services on our website. You may also call us at (214) 546-5746 to ask any questions or get started with this process. We want to make sure the time after your passing is easier for those close to you. Our firm focuses on family affairs, so you will be in the right hands when you contact us.

You may have heard the term probate before, but you may not know what it is. Probate is the process in which the will of a deceased person is proved in a court of law. The will must be recognized as a public document so that the deceased person’s beneficiaries are distributed as they wish. Any taxes or debt left after the person has died will also be handled in this process.

Colleyville TX Estate Planning Attorney

On the other hand, if there is no will of the deceased, then more proceedings occur to determine how the assets are distributed. This process is lengthier and does not always turn out as planned. The judge will recognize an administrator to distribute the assets. However, they must follow the judge’s established probate.

Texas Probate

Typically, there is one person who executes the probate of the deceased. This person is usually a family member and must have the written will. Texas law requires the probate must be performed within four years of the drafter’s death. If the probate is not filed before the expected time, then the laws of intestacy take effect. This is when there is no will, and the government will decide how the assets are divided.

Probate can be a very long process depending on the situation. If the will is complicated or if it is contested, then you could experience years of court. This is not ideal when you want to move on from losing a loved one. Fortunately, there are ways to speed up the process or make the hearings bearable. Hiring a lawyer can really make this process so much easier. The Fetty Firm are the best people for the job.

Colleyville Probate Law Family Attorney

Contact The Fetty Firm today for your probate process. We can assist in administrating your loved one’s will. A neutral third party is usually best when working with a deceased person’s assets. We want you to be able to move on without having to dawn on your loss. Visit our site so you can learn more about our services. You may also call us at (214) 546-5746 to ask us any questions you may have. 

One of the services The Fetty Firm focuses on are small estate affidavits. These are common when a loved one passes away without a will. Their estate may qualify as small if it follows a few key details. We will cover those in a bit, but first, let us discuss what an affidavit is.

An affidavit is a written statement of facts sworn to and signed by a deponent before a notary public. Essentially, it is the agreement to the information on the signed document. These are recognized in the court of law for those looking to make a claim.

Tarrant County Legal Services

A Small Estate Affidavit

The Fetty Firm can assist you in creating a small estate affidavit. A small affidavit is a simpler alternative to probate. It essentially takes claim to a qualifying estate if a will was not created to pass on the deceased’s estate. A small estate affidavit is possible if it fits the following requirements.

• The value of the estate is less than $75,000 (homestead value or other exempt property is not included)
• The deceased person has no will and 30 days have passed since the death
• No one else has applied to become an administrator or executor of the state
• The total assets’ value exceeds the total debt left (does not include homestead or exempt property or any debt associated with said assets)

Colleyville Texas Affidavit of Heirship

Filing a small estate affidavit can be stressful, especially when you have just lost a loved one. The Fetty Firm can advise you on this kind of decision in a number of ways. We can inform you of when a small estate affidavit is appropriate. The requirements of a small estate affidavit are specific, so having the experts assist you will benefit greatly. We can also benefit you by helping you fill out the right forms and the process of filing those forms.

With that said, we understand how stressful it can be when dealing with the loss of a family member. There is a lot of planning and paperwork you have to go through once a loved one has passed away. Let The Fetty Firm work with you to help this healing process go smoother. Contact us by calling (214) 546-5746 or visit our website to learn more.