Tidwell & Tidwell Attorneys at Law




Wills & Estate Planning

Odessa Estate Planning Attorney

At our Odessa law firm, Tidwell & Tidwell, we believe that every adult needs an appropriate estate plan. Attorneys Jack and Scott Tidwell have been helping West Texas individuals and families with legal services for, collectively, nearly seventy years. If you would like to discuss estate planning services with Jack or Scott, contact our office and make arrangements for a free consultation.

Why would you need an estate plan if you are young, healthy, and have no assets?

• You need a medical power of attorney (POA), designating your chosen representative to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are physically or mentally incapacitated. This person will make decisions about feeding tubes, life support, and other measures if you are unable to speak for yourself.
• You need a living will, directing that representative as to your preferences in all extreme life-saving measures. With a medical power of attorney and living will, you save your family from making those decisions, and avoid having the court appoint a person on your behalf.
• You need a will that names a guardian for your minor children - even if they haven't been born yet.
• You need a will that designates the beneficiaries who will receive any personal property or heirlooms in your possession.
• You need a will to designate the administrator who will handle your debts and assets in the manner you direct.

I am married - my spouse would get everything if I died. Why do I need a will or trust?

• Often husband and wife will die together, or if one dies first, the other is incapacitated and can not manage assets. A carefully drafted will makes provisions for all events.
• By the time a person is in his or her 50s or 60s, it is time to consider gifting and trust. Certain trusts and gifts can, as part of an estate plan, make sure that your children receive the inheritance you worked so hard to build for them. With proper planning, no one should ever pay estate taxes. Trusts can be designed to provide for your comfort and quality of life if you ever need to "spend down" and become eligible for Medicaid to pay for nursing home expenses.
• Life insurance trusts, family limited partnerships, educational trusts, charitable remainder trusts, special needs trusts, business succession and insurance planning, revocable trusts, and irrevocable trusts are all instruments that may help you preserve assets and ensure your needs will be met. Our estate planning attorneys have extensive experience in designing plans for those with complex assets, including ranches and agricultural properties.

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Tidwell & Tidwell L.L.P., Attorneys at Law

3800 East 42nd Street, Suite 608 • Odessa, TX 79762 • Map & Directions

Phone: 432-552-0441 • Fax: 432-367-8853 • E-mail

At Tidwell & Tidwell in Odessa our lawyers draft wills, living wills, and trusts to provide peace of mind for our clients. We serve clients throughout the Permian Basin, including Midland, Abilene, Pecos, Big Spring, Crane, Andrews, Ft. Stockton, Lubbock, Seminole, Lamesa, Kermit, San Angelo, Monahans, Snyder, and Sweetwater, TX; and Ector, Midland, Howard, Martin, and Andrews Counties.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.

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