West Lake Hills Estate Planning & Probate Attorney

Looking for an estate planning attorney in West Lake Hills? Henington Lewis Law Firm helps families in West Lake Hills, Rollingwood and the surrounding Eanes ISD neighborhoods protect their homes, investments and children with clear estate plans, and helps loved ones through probate. Our office sits on Loop 360, a few minutes from Westlake Highlands, Rob Roy, Davenport Ranch, Lost Creek and Barton Creek.

Estate Planning for West Lake Hills Families

Many West Lake Hills families own a home with significant equity, retirement and investment accounts, and sometimes business interests or rental properties held in LLCs. A plan for that mix usually needs more than a simple will. As your West Lake Hills estate planning attorney, we focus on three things.

Privacy and avoiding probate

A will must go through the Travis County probate court, and probate filings are public. A revocable living trust that is properly funded lets your successor trustee manage and distribute assets without a court case, and keeps the details of your estate out of public records.

The federal estate tax in 2026

Texas has no state estate or inheritance tax, but the federal estate tax still matters for larger estates. In 2026 the federal exemption is $15 million per person. Married couples can often preserve the first spouse’s unused exemption through portability, which generally requires filing a federal estate tax return after the first death even when no tax is owed. Couples near or above the exemption should plan with both spouses’ estates in mind.

Community property and titling

Texas is a community property state. How an asset was acquired, and how it is titled, affects what each spouse controls at death. We review titles and beneficiary designations so the plan works the way you expect, and we coordinate with your financial advisor and CPA so accounts, beneficiary forms and the trust all point the same direction.

Probate in Travis County for West Lake Hills Residents

West Lake Hills and Rollingwood are in Travis County, which has its own statutory probate courts, Travis County Probate Court No. 1 and Probate Court No. 2. When a loved one dies, the right path depends on the will and the estate:

• Probate with independent administration is the most common route when there is a valid will. The executor handles the estate with limited court supervision. See Texas Estates Code Chapter 401.
• Title probate (a muniment of title) can transfer property under a will without appointing an executor when the estate has no unpaid debts other than debts secured by real estate. Read our guide to muniment of title in Texas.
• Probate with dependent administration applies when the court must supervise each step, often because of disputes or because the will doesn’t allow independent administration.

We explain which route fits before anything is filed and handle the court process start to finish. See our Austin probate attorney page for more.

Estate Planning and Probate Services for West Lake Hills

Every plan is designed and reviewed by a West Lake Hills estate planning attorney on our team. Our services include:

• Wills, including pour-over wills that work with your trust
• Revocable living trusts, with help retitling your home and accounts into the trust
• Statutory durable powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney, directives to physicians and HIPAA releases
• Asset protection and planning for business interests
• Probate: title probate, probate with independent administration and probate with dependent administration
• Heirship and affidavits of heirship when someone dies without a will
• Contested probate and will contests

Why West Lake Hills Families Choose Our Estate Planning Attorneys

• You work with an attorney. Samantha Lewis or Turner Henington meets with you, designs your plan and walks you through every document before you sign.
• Planning and probate under one roof. We write estate plans and we handle probate, so we draft knowing what actually happens in Texas courts after a death.
• A clear price up front. You get a flat-fee quote for your estate plan before you commit.
• Free community seminars. We teach free estate planning seminars around the Austin area, so you can learn the basics before you ever book a meeting.
• Meet in person or by video. Plan from home if that is easier, and come in once to sign.

Read what clients say in the reviews on this page, or call (512) 737-8404 to talk with an estate planning attorney who serves West Lake Hills.

How Working With a West Lake Hills Estate Planning Attorney at Our Firm Works

1. Consultation. We learn about your family, your property and your goals, and answer your questions.
2. Plan design and quote. We recommend a will-based or trust-based plan and give you a flat fee.
3. Draft review. You review the drafts with your attorney and we make changes until they fit.
4. Signing and trust funding. You sign with a notary and witnesses, and we help move your home and accounts into your trust so it actually works.

Meeting With Us From West Lake Hills

Our office is at 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy, Bldg G, Suite 150-C, Austin, TX 78746, on Loop 360. From most of West Lake Hills and Rollingwood it is a short drive down Bee Caves Road or Loop 360. We also meet by video for clients who prefer to plan from home, and we can help arrange signings.

Call (512) 737-8404 or send us a message to set up a consultation with a West Lake Hills estate planning attorney on our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do West Lake Hills homeowners need a living trust?

Not always. A trust is often worth it if you want privacy, own real estate in more than one state, have children from a prior marriage, or want your family to avoid a Travis County probate case. A West Lake Hills estate planning attorney can walk you through the trade-offs and the cost so you can decide.

How does the federal estate tax affect us in 2026?

The federal exemption is $15 million per person in 2026. Most estates owe no federal estate tax, but couples whose combined estates approach $30 million, or who expect significant growth, should plan now. Portability and trust planning can protect the exemption of the first spouse to die.

What is portability, and do we need to file anything?

Portability lets a surviving spouse use the deceased spouse’s unused federal exemption. It generally requires filing a federal estate tax return after the first death, even when no tax is owed. Many families miss this step, and it can matter years later.

Where is probate filed for someone who lived in West Lake Hills?

Probate is generally filed in the county where the person lived. For West Lake Hills and Rollingwood, that is Travis County, whose probate cases are heard in the Travis County Probate Courts.

Can our trust hold our LLCs and rental properties?

Yes. Membership interests in LLCs can be assigned to your revocable trust, and rental properties can be deeded to the trust or held through an LLC the trust owns. We coordinate this with your operating agreements so the plan works.

How much does an estate plan cost?

It depends on whether you need a will-based or trust-based plan and how many assets need to be retitled. Our article on estate planning costs in Texas explains typical ranges, and we give you a flat fee before you commit.

Other Areas We Serve

• Austin estate planning and Austin probate
• Travis County probate and estate planning
• Williamson County probate and estate planning
• Hays County probate and estate planning
• Lakeway estate planning and probate
• Bee Cave estate planning and probate
• Dripping Springs estate planning and probate
• Cedar Park estate planning and probate
• Round Rock estate planning and probate