Estate Planning for Galveston County, Texas Property Owners

For most Galveston County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.

For a Galveston County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Probate Court. The two tools that keep a Galveston County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Clerk, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.

Skipping this planning step means the Probate Court decides who receives the property: a simple Texas probate takes 4+ months and opens with $360 in court filing fees. Texas also lets owners name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on vehicle titles, which keeps cars out of the same process.

Record a Transfer-on-Death Deed in Galveston County

A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Galveston County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Clerk during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.

Before recording, a Texas transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentTex. Estates Code 114.001 to 114.106Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathTex. Estates Code 114.001 to 114.106Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.

Where to Record Property Documents

Deeds and other real property documents for Galveston County are recorded with the County Clerk at 600 59th Street, Suite 2001, Galveston, TX 77551. Phone: 1-409-766-2200. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.

Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 17253, Galveston, TX 77552.

The County Clerk charges $25 for the first page plus $4 for each additional page. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $29 to record in Galveston County. No transfer tax applies to a transfer on death deed.

Recording Office Record

County Clerk

Galveston County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

600 59th Street, Suite 2001, Galveston, TX 77551

Mail

P.O. Box 17253 Galveston, TX 77552

Verified October 17, 2026 · Source

Estate Planning Attorneys Serving Galveston County

Solo PracticeHouston, TX

Elliott Estate Law, PLLC

Serves 4 counties

Houston practice handling probate and estate administration in the Harris County probate courts, plus Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Galveston counties. John T. Elliott, board certified in estate planning and probate law since 2011, probates wills, opens independent and dependent administrations, determines heirship, and handles probate dispute litigation and guardianship administration.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationGuardianship

Office
952 Echo Lane, Suite 330Houston, TX 77024

FirmHouston, TX

Hensley & Krueger, PLLC

Serves 5 counties

Houston firm on Kirby Drive representing executors, heirs, and beneficiaries through probate and trust administration, heirship determinations, intestacy, and creditor claims against estates, serving Harris County and surrounding counties. The attorneys carry over half a century of combined experience and take qualifying contested will cases with no upfront fees.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more

Office
5615 Kirby Drive, Suite 720Houston, TX 77005
Free consultation

FirmThe Woodlands, TX

Hopkins Centrich Attorneys at Law

Serves 4 counties

Serves Montgomery, Harris, Fort Bend, and Galveston counties from The Woodlands. Handles Texas probate end to end: getting an executor or administrator appointed, preparing the inventory and appraisement, running the creditor-notice period, retitling property into the estate, and closing with the required accountings. Steven J. Clausen is board certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipand 5 more

Office
8701 New Trails, Suite 200The Woodlands, TX 77381

FirmHouston, TX

Patout, Fontana, & Dellis PLLC

Serves 6 counties

North Loop Houston firm handling estate planning and probate alongside construction, insurance, and commercial litigation in Harris County. Assists families with will drafting, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and all three Texas probate tracks — dependent administration, independent administration, and muniment of title.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConstruction LawTrustsWills

Office
1235 N Loop W, 8th FloorHouston, TX 77008

FirmHouston, TX

Porter Hedges LLP

Since 1981 · Serves 8 counties

Houston firm founded in 1981 whose Trust, Probate, and Estate Planning group serves business owners, executives, and their families in Harris County and the surrounding metro. Handles estate and trust administration, probate disputes, creditors' claims, and the fiduciary duties of executors and trustees, and drafts wills, family and charitable trusts, and business succession agreements.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more

Office
1000 Main Street, 36th FloorHouston, TX 77002

Solo PracticeGalveston, TX

The Christiansen Law Firm

Serves 3 counties

Serves Galveston County and the upper Texas coast from downtown Galveston. Handles muniment of title, affidavit of heirship, ancillary administration, and administration where there is no will, at a fixed probate fee quoted up front, and drafts wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and powers of attorney. Zoom, phone, or in-person consultations.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness SuccessionPower Of AttorneyTrusts

Office
2121 Market Street, Box #10Galveston, TX 77550
Free consultationVirtual consultations
See all 14 firms serving Galveston County →

Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.

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Legal Sources

Data sourced from Texas statutes and official state code. How we research.

Forms for Planning Your Estate in Texas

Free forms for planning your estate in Texas: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Texas.

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Last Will and Testament

In Texas, a will is signed before 2Tex. Est. Code § 251.051Verified Sep 16, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyTex. Est. Code § 251.051Verified Sep 16, 2026View source.

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Codicil to a Will

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Healthcare Power of Attorney

Texas allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2Health & Safety Code § 166.164Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.

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HIPAA Release

In Texas, a HIPAA release names who may receive your records and, as the state requires, names HIV/AIDS-related information and genetic informationTex. Health & Safety Code § 81.103(a), (b), (d) (Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, § 1; last amended Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1278, § 12); Tex. Occ. Code §§ 58.102, 58.104 (Added Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, § 14.001(a))Verified Jun 19, 2026View source expressly before a provider releases them.

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Financial Power of Attorney

Texas requires explicit durability language for a power of attorney to survive incapacityTex. Est. Code § 751.0021Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, and it is signed before a notaryTex. Est. Code § 751.0021Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.

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Transfer on Death Deed

In Texas, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryTex. Estates Code 114.001 to 114.106Verified Oct 19, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathTex. Estates Code 114.001 to 114.106Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.

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Lady Bird Deed

In Texas, a Lady Bird deed is recognized by court decisionsIn re Estate of Turner, No. 06-17-00071-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana Dec. 8, 2017, pet. denied) (mem. op.)Verified Oct 23, 2026View source: the owner keeps a life estate and the power to sell or convey the property without the granteeIn re Estate of Turner, No. 06-17-00071-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana Dec. 8, 2017, pet. denied) (mem. op.)Verified Oct 23, 2026View source.

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Vehicle Transfer on Death

Texas allows a transfer-on-death beneficiary designation on a vehicle titleTex. Transp. Code 501.0315; Tex. Estates Code ch. 115Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, filed through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), through county tax assessor-collector offices using Form VTR-121.

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In Texas, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.

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An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Texas runs $4,130Estimate: 10 hours at $413, Clio's Texas Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $6,195Estimate: 15 hours at $413, Clio's Texas Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.

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