Is a handwritten will valid for inheritances directed to co-habitants of the will writer's home?
Can a handwritten will be used for legal distribution of assets to people who were living with the person who wrote the will at the time of their death? Do inheritance laws allow for this? We are in Texas.
Expert Answer
I do not know if handwritten wills are valid in Texas. Handwritten wills are valid in some states, but not in others. You'll need to check with a Texas lawyer to see if a handwritten will is valid in that state. The answer is a simple "yes" or "no," so the lawyer shouldn't charge you much. Ask before hiring a lawyer what his or her fee will be. If he or she says anything like "This is a complicated question, and will take time," find another lawyer.
If handwritten wills are valid in Texas, I think people who were living with the will-writer would be legally-acceptable beneficiaries. I can see no reason why they should be barred from being beneficiaries. Of course, it's theoretically possible that there's some weird quirk in Texas law that prohibits this, but I doubt that in reality there's such a prohibition.