Trust Administration and Fiduciary Counsel in Texas.
Trustees are often asked to make consequential decisions while grieving, managing family expectations, and navigating unfamiliar legal duties. Lone Star Counsel advises trustees, beneficiaries, and families on trust interpretation, notices, asset collection, records, accountings, distributions, tax coordination, and fiduciary-risk management.
Individual and corporate trustees, executors, beneficiaries, and families administering a trust or facing a fiduciary question.
- Trustee onboarding and initial-duties review
- Trust-document review and interpretation
- Notices to beneficiaries and required disclosures
- Investment discretion and prudent-investor considerations
- Distribution decisions under the trust's standards
- Accountings and beneficiary reporting
- Beneficiary communications and dispute prevention
- Modification, decanting, and reformation analysis when appropriate
The Lone Star Counsel process, adapted to the matter.
- 01Understand
Family, assets, and objectives.
- 02Design
Legal architecture appropriate to the matter.
- 03Draft
Trust and companion instruments.
- 04Fund
Assets and beneficiary designations aligned.
- 05Maintain
Reviews as life and law evolve.
About trust administration & fiduciary counsel.
- What are the first steps for a new trustee in Texas?
- A new trustee typically reviews the trust instrument, marshals assets, sends required notices to beneficiaries, opens the necessary accounts, coordinates tax filings, and documents decisions. Duties depend on the trust terms and applicable law.
- Do beneficiaries have a right to see the trust and receive accountings?
- In many circumstances, yes. Texas law provides beneficiaries with defined rights to information and accountings, subject to the trust's terms and applicable law. Communication and documentation reduce disputes.
- Can a Texas trust be modified after the settlor's death?
- In defined circumstances, yes — through non-judicial settlement, decanting, judicial modification, or reformation. Whether any of these is available depends on the trust language and the specific facts.
A confidential conference with Darryl V. Pratt, Esq., CPA.
Nearly 30 years of business, estate, trust, and succession counsel. Frisco headquarters, or by secure video across the state of Texas.