Austin Estate Planning Attorney

Reviewed by Turner Henington, attorney, Texas Bar No. 24148206 · Updated October 2026

Henington Lewis Law Firm PLLC is an estate planning and probate firm on Loop 360 in Austin. Most of our work is living trusts for married couples, retirees and families who want to keep their home and savings out of probate, plan for incapacity and leave things clear for their children. Our attorneys also handle probate, so we write every plan knowing exactly what happens in a Texas courtroom when there isn’t one.

What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?

An estate planning attorney writes the legal documents that say who gets your property when you die, who makes decisions for you if you can’t, and who raises your children if something happens to you. In Texas that usually means a living trust or will, powers of attorney and medical directives, and the deeds that move your home into your trust. We also explain what each document does, so your family knows what to do when the time comes.

What’s in a Texas Estate Plan?

A complete Texas estate plan has two parts: documents that pass your property when you die, and documents that let someone act for you while you are alive but unable to.

More on the paperwork that finishes a trust plan: What Is a Pour-Over Will? and What Assets Should Be Placed in a Trust?

Will or Trust: Which Do You Need?

A will is often enough for a smaller, simple estate. A revocable living trust usually makes more sense if you own a home, want privacy, have a blended family or own property in more than one state, because what is in the trust passes without probate.

Read more in Will vs. Trust in Texas and The Best Type of Trust for a Married Couple in Texas.

How Much Does Estate Planning Cost in Austin?

Every estate plan we write is a flat fee, quoted in writing after a free consultation, so you know the cost before any work starts. No hourly billing and no surprise invoices. The fee depends mainly on whether your plan is built around a will or a living trust, whether you are single or married, and whether you own a business or property in another state.

For typical ranges across Texas, see How Much Does Estate Planning Cost in Texas? and How Much Does a Will Cost in Texas?

Who We Help

Your plan should fit your stage of life. Each page below explains what Texas law does without a plan and what a good plan includes. See every life stage.

• Married couples who want their home and savings to pass to each other and then to their children without probate.
• Young families who need to name guardians and protect what their children inherit.
• Blended families who want to provide for a spouse and still make sure their own children inherit.
• Divorced or widowed clients rebuilding a plan after a marriage has ended.
• Business owners who need a plan for who runs and owns the business next.
• Real estate investors holding rentals in trusts and LLCs, including property in more than one state.
• People new to Texas whose plan was written in another state.
• Parents protecting their children’s inheritance from divorce, lawsuits and creditors with Heritage Trusts.
• Grandparents who want their legacy to reach their grandchildren.
• Retirees and people nearing retirement planning for incapacity, retirement accounts and long-term care.
• Families near the federal estate tax exemption, where the right trust can save a large tax bill.

Does Texas Have an Estate Tax?

No. Texas has no state estate tax or inheritance tax. The federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per person in 2026, adjusted for inflation in later years, and a married couple can usually shelter twice that with the right planning (Morgan Lewis). Most families will never owe it. If your estate is near that amount, we design your trust with the tax in mind and work with your CPA.

How Our Estate Planning Process Works

1. Free consultation or seminar. Meet us at our office on Loop 360, by phone or by Zoom, or come to a free seminar first.
2. A flat-fee quote. We recommend the plan that fits and give you a written flat fee before any work starts.
3. Design meeting. We go through your family, your property and your wishes, and decide who serves as trustee, executor, agent and guardian.
4. Draft review. You read the drafts, ask questions and ask for changes.
5. Signing. You sign at our office with a notary and witnesses, so every document is valid under Texas law.
6. Funding your trust. We prepare the deed for your home and give you clear instructions for retitling accounts, so the trust actually works.
7. Reviews over time. We review your plan after major life changes or changes in the law.

More detail: The 7 Steps in the Estate Planning Process in Texas.

Who Will Prepare Your Plan

Turner Henington and Samantha Lewis founded Henington Lewis Law Firm, and one of them works on every plan we write. Turner is a former KPMG tax accountant and a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, which helps when a plan involves trusts, retirement accounts or estate tax. Samantha brings nearly a decade of experience in Texas and federal courts, so she knows how estate plans get challenged and drafts with that in mind. You work directly with your attorney, not a call center.

Our office is at 1101 S. Capital of Texas Hwy, Bldg G, Suite 150-C, near West Lake Hills. We also meet by phone and Zoom.

Areas We Serve

We write estate plans for families across the Austin area, including West Lake Hills, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Dripping Springs, Cedar Park and Round Rock, in Travis, Williamson and Hays Counties.

Talk to an Austin Estate Planning Attorney

Call (512) 737-8404, book a free consultation, or send us a message below. We’ll tell you whether a will or a trust fits and give you a flat-fee quote.

What Our Clients Say

Austin Estate Planning FAQ

How much does an estate plan cost in Austin?

At Henington Lewis Law Firm, every estate plan is a flat fee, quoted in writing after a free consultation, so you know the cost before any work starts. The fee depends mainly on whether your plan is built around a will or a living trust, whether you are single or married, and whether you own a business or property in another state.

Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?

A will is often enough for a smaller, simple estate. A revocable living trust usually makes more sense if you own a home, want to keep your affairs private, have a blended family, or own property in more than one state, because assets in the trust pass without probate.

What happens if I die without a will in Texas?

Texas law decides who inherits, based on whether you were married, had children and owned community or separate property. Your family usually has to prove who the heirs are in court or by affidavit, which takes longer and costs more than following a will or trust.

Does Texas have an estate tax?

No. Texas has no state estate tax or inheritance tax. The federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per person in 2026, so most families will not owe federal estate tax, but families near that amount should plan for it.

Do I have to put my house in my trust, and can I keep my homestead exemption?

For a trust to keep your house out of probate, the house has to be deeded into the trust. Texas allows a qualifying trust to hold your residence homestead, so you can keep your homestead exemption. We prepare the deed as part of your plan.

What happens if I become incapacitated without a power of attorney?

If you can no longer manage your affairs and have not signed powers of attorney, your family may have to go to court for a guardianship before anyone can act for you. A statutory durable power of attorney and a medical power of attorney let the people you choose step in without court.

How often should I update my estate plan?

Review your plan every few years and after any major change: a marriage or divorce, a birth or death in the family, a move to another state, a large change in what you own, or a change in tax law.

Can we meet by video or phone?

Yes. You can meet with us in person at our office on Loop 360, by phone or by Zoom. Many clients do the first meetings remotely and come in only for the signing.

Are your estate planning seminars really free?

Yes. Our seminars are free, and many are held over a meal at local restaurants around Austin. An attorney explains how wills, trusts and probate work in Texas and answers questions in a small group.

Related Estate Planning Services in Austin

• Estate and Legacy Planning
• Wills
• Asset Protection
• Probate
• Estate Litigation
• Will Contests
• Free Estate Planning Seminars