The Journal

Navigating the complexities of probate, estate planning, and inheritance.

A brown dog with a gray muzzle resting in a sunlit kitchen doorway

September 27, 20264 min readPlanning Ahead

Who Will Care for Your Pet After You Die?

How to choose a caregiver for your pet, cover the first few days, and pay for long-term care. Includes what a Texas will can do and how a pet trust works.

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Family4 min read

How to Tell a Child Someone Has Died

What to say when someone dies, how to answer a child's questions, and how to help them understand what happens next.

September 16, 2026

A woman using the Legacywyse Inventory page on her phone at a wooden dining table.

Family4 min read

How Family Review Can Reduce Inheritance Disagreements

See how Family Review in Legacywyse's estate settlement and probate app helps families score belongings, compare wishes, and divide inherited items.

September 11, 2026

A woman reviewing two Texas health insurance cards with different member names beside a tan handbag

Family5 min read

Health Insurance After a Spouse Dies

Find out when your health coverage ends, whether you can keep the same plan, and how to arrange new insurance for yourself and your children.

September 7, 2026

A folded American flag, sealed envelope, and brass keepsake box beside an empty chair

Family7 min read

VA Survivor Benefits After a Veteran Dies

A veteran's death may leave a spouse, child, or parent eligible for VA survivor benefits. Learn which forms to file, the deadlines to track, and the records to keep.

August 11, 2026

Three adult family members walking toward a Texas home in warm daylight

Family7 min read

Blended Families After a Death: A Texas Estate Checklist

A blended family may need to sort out who owns each asset, which document controls it, and who counts as a legal heir under Texas law. Use this checklist before anyone divides money or property.

July 17, 2026

Two adult siblings sitting apart in a quiet family living room after a parent's death

Family5 min read

The Golden Child and Scapegoat After a Parent Dies

A parent's death can pull adult siblings back into old roles. Clear records and written decisions can keep childhood favoritism and grief from directing the estate.

July 10, 2026

A rural mailbox on a weathered wooden post at the end of a long empty gravel driveway at dusk

Family7 min read

My Estranged Parent Died: What Now?

What an estranged adult child needs to know after a parent dies: your rights as an heir, what you do not owe, and permission to feel whatever you feel.

July 3, 2026

A formal high-backed chair at the head of a long empty dining table in soft window light

Family8 min read

Dealing With a Narcissistic Parent's Estate

Settling an estate when inheritance was used as a control lever during life: what to expect in the will, the limits of a contest, and permission to step back.

July 3, 2026

A front porch at dusk with one rocking chair and a second newer chair pulled close beside it

Family8 min read

Elder Financial Abuse: Warning Signs When a New Friend Appears

Behavioral warning signs of elder financial exploitation, why loneliness is the vulnerability, and how to respond with protection and dignity intact.

July 3, 2026

An open file folder with a red-wax-sealed document and a brass magnifying glass on natural linen

Family8 min read

Do Beneficiaries Have a Right to See Estate Records in Texas?

What Texas executors should do when a beneficiary asks to see estate records: which records exist, what to share, what to hold back, and how to keep a clean paper trail.

June 29, 2026