Trust Attorney in Galveston, TX

Rooted in Galveston Since 1987. Estate Planning Built Around Your Family.

A trust is a legal arrangement in which one party holds and manages assets for the benefit of another. Under the Texas Trust Code, trusts are among the most flexible tools in a complete estate plan, working alongside a will to protect assets, provide for loved ones, and prepare for the unexpected. At The Law Offices and Mediation Center of Susan M. Edmonson, we’ve helped Galveston-area individuals and families build estate plans from our locally rooted office since 1987. Our team brings over seven decades of combined legal experience to every client we serve.

Susan M. Edmonson is a native Galvestonian who has lived and practiced in the Galveston Bay Area her entire life. That local presence isn’t incidental. It shapes how we understand our clients’ goals, their families, and the community they want to protect.

Why Galveston Residents Use Trusts

A will is a powerful document, but it only takes effect at death and must pass through Texas probate court before assets can be distributed. Probate can be time-consuming and costly, and because proceedings become public record, the details of your estate are open to anyone who asks. A properly funded trust can bypass probate, transferring assets to your beneficiaries privately and without court involvement.

A trust also does something a will can’t: it addresses incapacity during your lifetime. When you name a successor trustee, that person can step in immediately to manage trust assets if you become unable to do so (often without court involvement). Generic online templates, however, may not meet Texas state law requirements and can be rendered invalid, leaving your family without the protection you intended.

Types of Trusts Under Texas Law

No single trust structure fits every situation. We review each client’s assets and circumstances before recommending a path forward. Common trust types in Texas include:

• Revocable Living Trust: You remain in full control as trustee during your lifetime and can change or revoke the trust at any time. At your death, assets can transfer privately to your named beneficiaries without probate.
• Irrevocable Trust: Once created, this trust generally can’t be altered. Assets move out of your direct control, which can support asset protection strategies or, in some cases, Medicaid planning. Tax implications vary by structure.
• Special Needs Trust: Designed for families supporting a dependent with disabilities, this trust can provide for their care without jeopardizing eligibility for Medicaid or SSI benefits.
• Charitable Trust: Transfers assets to a charitable organization and may offer tax benefits to the creator, depending on the structure and applicable law.

Even a fully funded trust is typically paired with a pour-over will, which captures any assets not retitled into the trust and allows you to name guardians for minor children. We make sure both documents work together as a coherent plan.

A Trust Lawyer Who Knows Galveston. Not Just a City Page.

Many Galveston residents searching for estate planning help encounter Houston firms that maintain a Galveston city page without a genuine local presence. Our office has been here continuously since 1987, and our practice is built on knowing clients personally rather than processing them through a large caseload.

Credentials & Continuity

Susan M. Edmonson holds Board Certification in Family Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a credential she has maintained since 2002. That certification reflects the standard of professional rigor our entire practice upholds across every matter we handle, including estate planning. Because we also handle probate, we can guide a trust from drafting through administration. That continuity matters when it’s needed most.

Mediation Experience That Supports Estate Planning

Our background in mediation sets us apart in another way. Family dynamics are often the most complicated part of estate planning. When competing interests or sensitive conversations arise, our mediation experience helps families work through those issues without defaulting to litigation.

How We Work with Trust Clients

We start every engagement by understanding your long-term goals before a single document is drafted. What assets do you have? Who should benefit? What happens if you become incapacitated before you pass away? Those answers shape which trust structure fits your situation.

Once a trust is drafted, funding it is the next critical step: retitling assets such as real estate, bank accounts, and investment accounts into the trust’s name. A trust only avoids probate for assets it actually owns, so we walk clients through this process carefully. After the plan is in place, we offer ongoing reviews as life changes: a new marriage, the birth of a grandchild, a shift in financial circumstances, or updated wishes.

Schedule a Consultation with The Law Offices and Mediation Center of Susan M. Edmonson

We serve clients throughout Galveston and the surrounding Galveston Bay Area. Whether you’re building an estate plan for the first time or updating an existing one, our team is ready to help you create a plan that reflects your goals and protects the people who matter most.