When selling real estate in Texas, landowners occasionally face a difficult dilemma: they want to sell their land to capitalize on its value, but they also have family members currently occupying a portion of the property. For instance, a potential new client might want to sell a plot of land but has relatives living there […]
Author: Philip Silberman
Words vs. Numbers on Checks: Which Control?
Imagine you are writing a check to move funds between accounts or settle a business transaction. In a moment of distraction, you fill out the numerical box for “$1,000” but only write the word “One” on the legal line before drawing a blank line to the end. When the bank processes the transaction, you might […]
Texas Cops Can Now Arrest Squatters
For years, the word “squatter” has struck absolute terror into the hearts of Texas property owners. Historically, if an unauthorized occupant sneaked into a vacant residential home, changed the locks, and managed to get a utility bill registered in their name, local police would throw their hands up and declare it a “civil issue.” The […]
Money For Buying a Business
Imagine you are purchasing a Texas company for $1 million. It is an entity sale, meaning you are buying 100% of the membership interests in the LLC or the outstanding stock of the corporation. During your final walkthrough or due diligence review, you notice that the company’s operating account has exactly $100,000 sitting in it […]
How Much Can You Actually Gift Before the IRS Steps In?
A common desire among older Americans, especially during the holidays or milestones, is to share their wealth with their children and grandchildren while they are still alive to see them enjoy it. However, a cloud of confusion often surrounds the tax implications of these gestures. Many people operate under the misconception that the recipient of […]
The 2026 Tax Cliff Is Coming: Is Your Estate Protected?
For the past several years, estate planning attorneys and financial advisors have been warning clients about the impending “tax cliff.” The sunset provisions of previous tax legislation meant that the unified gift and estate tax exemption was scheduled to slash roughly in half. However, new legislative updates for 2026 have completely shifted the landscape. If […]
Outrageous Fines Against Texas Landlords
If you own or manage single-family rental properties across the state of Texas, you know that keeping every property in perfect condition 365 days a year is a monumental task. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, things slip through the cracks. A tenant forgets to mow the lawn, an inoperable vehicle is left in the driveway, […]
Deeds Without Warranty vs. Quitclaim Deeds
When you want to quickly transfer a piece of property perhaps to a family member or out of a business entity without the hassle of a formal title search, you might be tempted to use what many mistakenly call a “quick deed.” In Texas real estate, this typically refers to a quitclaim deed. However, real […]
How to Lay Business Records Predicate
When litigating a case in Texas, getting your evidence admitted into the court record is half the battle. You cannot simply hand a contract or a ledger to the judge and expect it to be considered. Opposing counsel will almost certainly object on the grounds of hearsay. To successfully introduce your company documents and overcome […]
2026 Texas Summary Judgment Rules Changes
For years, navigating a summary judgment motion in Texas courts could feel like throwing a document into a black hole. Under the old system, an attorney could file a motion, and if they failed to actively set a hearing, that motion would just float in the legal ether indefinitely. The burden was entirely on the […]