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Estate Planning

Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP

Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter Estate Planning Firm Photo

Complex Estate Planning

Jennifer Lewis is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate

by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Jennifer assists clients in all aspects of estate planning,

including wills, trusts, family limited partnerships, and investment LLCs.

Estate Tax Planning

Christian Kelso (who holds a

Master of Laws degree in taxation)

provides sophisticated estate planning, including

living trusts, complex trusts, and family limited partnerships,

with an emphasis on planning to minimize the estate tax

for individuals and families.

Welcome to the estate planning section of Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP.

Will the Secure Act Affect Your Retirement Plan2019

The SECURE Act: Will it Affect Your Retirement Plan?

in Asset & Investment Protection, Estate Planning/by Christian S. Kelso

 A Late 2019 tax change will have a major impact on retirement planning! On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, better known as the “SECURE Act.”  Although it passed the House in July, the SECURE Act only recently passed through the Senate on December […]

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Trust Accountings and the Duty to Inform in Texas

in Asset & Investment Protection/by Christian S. Kelso

Trustees have a duty to share trust information with beneficiaries. The nature and extent of the duty to inform is not well defined in the Texas Trust Code, however, and there is little case law on point.  There is slightly more guidance with regard to the duty to account, which is a subpart of the […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Trust_Accountings_2-scaled.jpg 2560 2208 Christian S. Kelso https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Christian S. Kelso2019-11-26 11:30:002019-12-11 22:03:24Trust Accountings and the Duty to Inform in Texas

Do You Need a Revocable Trust?

in Estate Planning/by Amanda Brenner

Not everyone knows what a revocable trust is or whether they need one.  This article discusses the general characteristics of a revocable trust, some of the benefits a revocable trust offers, and other considerations that are relevant to this estate planning vehicle. What is a Revocable Trust? A trust is a relationship between three people: […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Revocable-Trust_FINAL-scaled.png 2560 2532 Amanda Brenner https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Amanda Brenner2019-10-24 15:30:002019-12-11 21:46:19Do You Need a Revocable Trust?

Legal Documents for Your College Checklist

in Estate Planning/by Amanda Brenner

While shopping for extra-long twin sheets and plush mattress pads for your soon-to-be college freshman, consider adding these items to your checklist: Financial Power of Attorney (POA) Medical Power of Attorney (MPOA) Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) Authorization You are probably wondering why your barely-an-adult child needs these documents. Most high school grads […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/College_Checklist__FINAL.png 690 658 Amanda Brenner https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Amanda Brenner2019-05-31 11:30:002019-12-11 21:45:57Legal Documents for Your College Checklist

Those Pesky Trusts! A Brief Primer on Terminating Unwanted Trusts

in Estate Planning/by Spencer Turner

Estate planning attorneys often wax poetic about the multitude of advantages found in a simple trust instrument. They’re not wrong. A well-crafted trust is an excellent vehicle for addressing a client’s concerns under a variety of different circumstances. Clients may place assets in a trust for tax benefits, creditor and divorce protection, planning for incapacity, […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Pesky_Trusts_Crop_Sig.png 738 788 Spencer Turner https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Spencer Turner2019-04-29 17:35:262019-04-29 17:36:57Those Pesky Trusts! A Brief Primer on Terminating Unwanted Trusts

The Effects of Divorce on Wills and Estate Plans in Texas

in Estate Planning/by Elaine Price

Here is a guide to the legal effects of divorce on Wills, Trust instruments, and financial accounts in Texas. Wills and Divorce in Texas.  When a person’s marriage is dissolved by divorce, the former spouse cannot receive any payments, benefits or inherit property from that person’s will unless it expressly states otherwise. Not only is […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LastWill_Edit.png 603 825 Elaine Price https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Elaine Price2018-05-21 16:35:392019-04-08 16:25:56The Effects of Divorce on Wills and Estate Plans in Texas

Upjohn Clause: A Trap for the Unwary Trustee

in Estate Planning/by Christian S. Kelso

Many trust instruments prohibit trustees from relieving themselves of a legal duty under applicable law.  Such language, which is sometimes referred to as an “Upjohn” clause after the case of Upjohn v. U.S.  (30 A.F.T.R. 2d. 72-5918 (W.D. Mich 1972)), is most often, intended to prohibit a trustee from using trust assets to pay for […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Bethany-and-Preston-Kelso.jpg 639 960 Christian S. Kelso https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Christian S. Kelso2018-03-13 21:35:402019-04-09 18:06:20Upjohn Clause: A Trap for the Unwary Trustee
Luxury Property | Special Purpose Entities | SPE

Luxury Property Special Purpose Entities

in Asset & Investment Protection/by Christian S. Kelso

Portions of this article were originally printed in Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, December 2017. When it comes to luxury property, such as beach houses, lake houses, ski condos, hunting leases, aircraft, watercraft, limousines, and the like, two rules almost always apply:  First, they are expensive to own and operate.  Second, they tend to sit dormant […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/boats-2758962_1920.jpg 1280 1920 Christian S. Kelso https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Christian S. Kelso2017-12-05 17:46:422019-04-09 18:26:58Luxury Property Special Purpose Entities
Estate Planning & Elderlaw | Dallas, TX

Capacity to sign

in Estate Planning/by Christian S. Kelso

Different legal actions require different levels of mental capacity to be valid.  For example, the level of mental capacity required to sign a will, referred to as “testamentary capacity,” is lower than the level of capacity required to sign a contract, called “contractual capacity.” The various standards are discussed below. Capacity to Sign a Will […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/WillSigning.jpg 668 1000 Christian S. Kelso https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Christian S. Kelso2017-06-15 15:21:242019-04-09 18:56:07Capacity to sign

FBAR deadline is April 18

in Asset & Investment Protection, Estate Planning/by Liza Farrow-Gillespie

The annual due date for filing Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) for foreign financial accounts has been changed from June 30 of each year to April 15.  This date change was mandated by the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015, Public Law 114-41 (the Act).  Section 2006(b)(11) of […]

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https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FBAR-Copy_Big.png 300 300 Liza Farrow-Gillespie https://estateplanninglawdallas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Website_Logo-Header-whitespace.png Liza Farrow-Gillespie2017-03-12 22:20:132019-04-09 21:17:19FBAR deadline is April 18
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About the Firm

Since 2007, the majority woman-owned law firm of Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP has been providing sophisticated legal representation in the client-friendly environment of a midsize firm.

FGHW offers a full range of legal services to businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations.

1700 Pacific Avenue, Suite 3700
Dallas, TX 75201
214-361-5600
fax 214-203-0651

[email protected]

FGHW News

  • Jessica Dunne | Farrow-Gillespie & Heath LLP | Dallas, TXJessica Dunne has been named senior associateJuly 9, 2019 - 7:13 pm

    Jessica Dunne has been promoted to a senior associate position at Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP. Ms. Dunne practices in the areas of probate, guardianships, and trust litigation, with a special interest in adoptions.

  • Christian Kelso | Farrow-Gillespie & Heath LLPPartnerFebruary 28, 2019 - 4:22 pm

    Christian S. Kelso has become a partner in the firm. Mr. Kelso practices in the areas of complex estate planning, including wills, trusts, privately held business, multi-generational planning, and estate taxation.

  • Jennifer Lewis | Farrow-Gillespie & Heath LLP | Dallas, TXBoard CertificationJanuary 12, 2018 - 7:32 pm

    Jennifer Lewis has become Board Certified in Estate Planning by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Jennifer prepares wills, trusts, family limited partnerships, real estate LLCs, and other components of a comprehensive estate plan.

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Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP
1700 Pacific Avenue
Suite 3700
Dallas, TX 75201
214-361-5600
fax 214-203-0651

[email protected]

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