Erin Cowden, Estate Planning Attorney, Wills & Trusts, Austin Texas 78746

A will is necessary to express your last wishes, dispose of all your property, and designate a guardian for minor children. Everyone should make and update their will periodically throughout life, no matter how much property they own. Dying without a will can be costly and burdensome for family members left behind who must settle your final affairs. Wills must be created in very specific ways to be valid, and so involving a lawyer in the drafting and signing of your will is wise to ensure that all legal formalities are followed.

A fully funded revocable living trust can preserve thousands of dollars to a married couple's estate by eliminating the need for probate upon the death of either person. Unlike wills, the terms of the trust remain private between the family after a death. Trusts are also used to provide for people with a disability or incapacity, and different levels of control may be tailored to fit certain situations. There are many other types of trusts, each having different legal implications. Whether a trust is included as part of your estate plan depends upon your own circumstances and goals.

Your complete estate plan will include all the proper powers of attorney for financial management and medical decisions, as well as for the appointment of caretakers for your minor children, if applicable. You may also direct the types of end-of-life treatments you wish to receive in situations where you are unable to speak for yourself, and to issue instructions concerning your funeral and other personal matters. Collectively these documents are often called your "ancillary" documents, and they involve you making many thoughtful choices.

Probate is the legal process to settle a person's final affairs after their death. Understanding how your own assets could be affected by probate is important when you start to do your own planning. While probate is intended to be simplified in Texas, there are the chances for complications whenever inheritance rights must be established without a will, if too much time has elapsed since the death, or if there is extensive property or debt involved. Some assets may be held in a manner that avoids probate by updating the beneficiary designations or by signing and recording a transfer on death deed, where indicated.

I earned my law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1996 and was admitted to the Texas Bar later that same year. I initially began my legal career here in Austin, where most of my caseload involved family law matters and child protection litigation. In 2002, I joined the Travis County Domestic Relations Office as an attorney for the Juvenile Division. During that time, I also became a credentialed mediator.

Working closely with families navigating difficult and often high-conflict situations gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of planning ahead and protecting the people who matter most. Those experiences shaped both my perspective and my approach to serving clients. In 2014, I returned to solo private practice and, after thoughtful reflection, felt called to focus my work on estate planning.

My goal is to make the estate planning process clear, practical, and reassuring. My law practice is focused on helping people prepare essential documents, such as wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, and medical directives that serve in times of illness, incapacity, or loss. Thoughtful planning can help ensure that your wishes are clearly communicated, protect the people you care about most, and minimize unnecessary court involvement. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is seeing the peace of mind clients experience once they have a plan in place.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Michael, our three grown daughters, and my parents, who live in East Tennessee. While much of my legal work involves helping clients plan for later stages of life, I continue to enjoy working with children at a nearby elementary school and volunteering as a chaperone on youth mission trips whenever I can. I also serve as a volunteer mediator through the Austin Dispute Resolution Center.