Planning your estate in Irving?
Texas has no state estate or inheritance tax, and it offers independent administration, which can make settling an estate here simpler and cheaper than in many states — if your documents are done right. Irving sits mostly in Dallas County, so probate is handled in the Dallas County Probate Courts. Most estate planning lawyers here charge flat fees, so you can know the cost of a will or full plan before you start.
Estate planning is about making things easier for the people you leave behind, and a clean set of documents can spare your family a slow, costly probate. The firms below handle estate planning and probate for Irving and the surrounding North Texas counties, and appear consistently across Super Lawyers, Justia, Expertise.com, and Three Best Rated, with verifiable estate-planning focus. Most quote flat fees for common documents.
How we picked these 5: We reviewed peer rankings (Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell), bar recognition, and client review patterns across Justia and Expertise.com. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate
The firm provides estate planning to Dallas-Fort Worth families across Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties, including wills, powers of attorney, living wills, trusts, and probate.
Practice focus: Estate planning, wills, trusts, probate
A full-service Irving law firm focused on probate cases, estate planning, wills, and trusts for local families and individuals.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, guardianship
Lead attorney Sarah E. Oliai is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in estate planning and probate law, and the firm covers estate planning, probate, and guardianship.
Practice focus: Wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, probate administration
The firm guides clients through probate administration and helps individuals plan their estates with wills, living trusts, and powers of attorney.
Practice focus: Estate planning, will contests, probate litigation
With more than 50 years of collective experience, the firm handles estate planning and probate litigation, and founder Richard Kevin Spencer is known for will-contest and probate trial work.
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with vetted estate planning attorneys in Irving. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Match the lawyer to the complexity. A straightforward will, powers of attorney, and a medical directive are routine for any estate planning firm here. A blended family, a special-needs beneficiary, business interests, or a larger estate calls for a lawyer who builds trusts and plans around those situations regularly — ideally one board-certified in estate planning and probate.
Ask for a flat-fee quote for the documents you need, what is included, and whether the firm also handles probate if it comes to that. Because most firms quote flat fees, comparing two is easy and tells you a lot about how each one works.
The firms above are a starting point, not a verdict. The right lawyer for you depends on your facts, your budget, and how you want to be treated. Use these five signals to compare them.
Relevant, recent experience. “We handle everything” is a weakness, not a strength. You want a lawyer who works estate planning cases in Irving week in and week out, not one who takes them occasionally between unrelated matters. Recent, repeated experience with cases like yours is the single best predictor of a good outcome.
Straight talk about your case. A good lawyer tells you what is strong and what is weak in your situation at the first meeting, not just what you want to hear. If everything sounds easy and the outcome sounds guaranteed, be skeptical. Real cases have real risks, and an honest lawyer names them.
Communication you can live with. Most complaints about lawyers are not about losing. They are about silence. Ask who returns your calls, how fast, and whether you will reach the actual attorney or only a screener. Set that expectation before you sign, because it rarely improves later.
Fees in writing, in plain English. You should leave the first meeting knowing exactly what you will pay, what it covers, and what could cost extra. A clear written fee agreement is a sign of a well-run practice; a vague “don't worry about it” is a sign to keep looking.
Local knowledge. The lawyer who appears in front of your Irving judges and agencies regularly knows how each one runs a proceeding, how local outcomes tend to break, and which resolutions are realistic. That practical knowledge is hard to fake and easy to verify. Just ask.
A basic Texas estate plan usually includes a will, a durable power of attorney, a medical power of attorney, and a directive to physicians. For many families that is enough. Others add a living trust to keep assets out of probate, a transfer-on-death deed for a home, or special provisions for minor or special-needs beneficiaries. A good lawyer matches the documents to your family and assets rather than selling a one-size package.
If someone dies and probate is needed, Irving estates are handled in the Dallas County Probate Courts. Texas offers independent administration, which lets an executor settle many estates with limited court supervision — faster and cheaper than the court-heavy probate in some other states. Whether your estate qualifies depends on your will and your family situation.
Most Irving estate planning lawyers charge flat fees. As a rough guide, a simple will runs about $300 to $1,200, while a fuller plan with a living trust, powers of attorney, and a medical directive commonly runs $2,000 to $5,000 depending on complexity. Probating an estate, if it becomes necessary, often runs $2,500 to $6,000 or more.
Ask exactly what the flat fee includes — how many documents, and whether updates later cost extra. Get the quote in writing. For a fuller breakdown, see our guide to what an estate planning lawyer costs.
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees how your estate planning matter will end before reviewing your file, walk away.
The disappearing senior lawyer. You meet a name partner at intake, then never speak to them again while a junior runs the file unsupervised. Ask in writing who your day-to-day lawyer will be.
No verifiable track record. “We have handled thousands of cases” is marketing. Real evidence is named results, peer recognition such as Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers, and a clean record with the state bar.
Pressure to sign immediately. A reputable firm gives you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a sign of a volume mill, not a careful practice.
Vague fee terms. “Don't worry about the cost” is a red flag. Every legitimate firm puts the fee, what it covers, and what triggers extra charges in writing.
Most firms on this list offer a consultation. Use it, take notes, and compare at least two firms before you sign.
No state estate or inheritance tax. Texas does not impose its own estate or inheritance tax, which simplifies planning for most families compared with some other states.
Independent administration. Texas lets many estates be settled with limited court supervision, which can make probate faster and cheaper — if your will is drafted to allow it.
Dallas County probate. Irving sits mostly in Dallas County, so probate is handled in the Dallas County Probate Courts; a lawyer who practices there regularly knows the local process.
Tell us what is going on. We'll match you with vetted estate planning firms from the list above. Most respond within one business day.
No. Texas does not impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax. A large estate could still face the federal estate tax, but that affects relatively few families. A lawyer can tell you whether federal planning applies to you.
Usually a will, a durable power of attorney for finances, a medical power of attorney, and a directive to physicians. Some families also add a living trust, a transfer-on-death deed, or special provisions for minor or special-needs beneficiaries.
Most charge flat fees. A simple will often runs $300 to $1,200, while a fuller plan with a trust and powers of attorney commonly runs $2,000 to $5,000. Ask exactly what the flat fee includes before you start.
Irving sits mostly in Dallas County, so probate is handled in the Dallas County Probate Courts. Texas offers independent administration, which can make settling many estates faster and cheaper than in states with court-heavy probate.
It depends. Many Texas families do fine with a well-drafted will because of the state's streamlined probate. A trust can help if you want to avoid probate, have out-of-state property, or have privacy or special-needs concerns. A lawyer can tell you which fits.
Review it after major life changes such as a marriage, divorce, birth, death, or a significant change in assets, and otherwise every few years. Ask your lawyer whether updates are included in the flat fee or billed separately.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one how many cases like yours they have handled in Irving in the last three years. The answer tells you most of what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team