Alers Law · Estate Planning · TECH & EQUITY PROFESSIONALS
Estate Planning for Tech and Equity Professionals in Texas
Your wealth may sit in RSUs, options, an ESPP, a 401(k) and deferred compensation. Each is governed by its own paperwork, and a will alone does not tie them together.
Serving clients across Texas: in person in Dallas, Frisco and throughout Dallas–Fort Worth, or by secure video anywhere in the state.
Not just documents. A strategy for everything you’ve built.
The discovery call is a fit check, with no legal advice.
Dallas · Frisco · Denton · Statewide by videoWho this is for
Professionals whose wealth sits in more than one plan.
Engineer or product leader
With RSUs vesting each quarter and a will that predates the first grant.
Executive with ISOs, NSOs or an ESPP
Plus deferred compensation, and several accounts with outdated beneficiaries.
Dual-income couple
With brokerage accounts, retirement accounts and young children, but no named guardian.
Professional who has changed employers
Several times, and left old 401(k)s and IRAs behind.
Parent planning for children
Who wants a plan that keeps children’s inheritance out of court-supervised arrangements.
Know the gaps
What can go wrong without a plan
Five places where paperwork and plans quietly disagree.
- Your will may not control your equity
Equity awards generally pass according to the plan documents and grant agreements, not just your will.
- Beneficiary forms override the will
401(k), IRA and life insurance beneficiary designations bypass the will entirely, so an old form can send money to the wrong person.
- Unvested awards are not guaranteed
Depending on the plan, unvested awards may be forfeited or accelerated at death or disability. We read your plan to see which applies.
- Naming a minor child directly creates problems
Minors generally cannot manage inherited property, and that can lead to court involvement. A trust is often the better choice.
- No agent may be able to act
If you are incapacitated, an agent may need clear authority over brokerage and equity accounts.
At a glance
How each asset actually passes
Each kind of asset follows its own paperwork. A plan only works when all of it points the same way.
What a plan for you can include
Built from the pieces your situation needs.
Revocable living trust and pour-over will
A central structure for assets that can be titled to it.
Beneficiary coordination
We review designations across retirement accounts, life insurance and other accounts so that they match your plan.
Brokerage account strategy
TOD/POD designations compared with trust ownership, based on your goals.
Equity review
We read plan documents and grant agreements for transfer rules and death or disability provisions.
Powers of attorney
Durable and medical, with authority for an agent to deal with brokerage and equity accounts as appropriate.
Trusts for children and guardians
So minors are not named directly.
Home transfer strategy
Trust deed, TODD or lady bird deed where appropriate.
Asset protection strategies
Within what Texas law allows.
Clear scope
What we do, and what we don’t.
What we do
- Draft wills, trusts, powers of attorney, HIPAA and directives
- Review how equity plan documents and your estate plan fit together
- Coordinate beneficiary designations
- Coordinate with your CPA and financial advisor on tax treatment
- Help fund your trust after signing
What we don’t do
- Act as your CPA or prepare tax returns
- Give securities or investment advice
- Act as your financial advisor
- Handle corporate transactional work beyond coordination
- Handle probate administration
We’ll tell you what’s outside our scope and coordinate with the right professional. We coordinate with your CPA and financial advisor on tax treatment.
Bring this to your session
Your equity and tech professional estate plan checklist
- Current will or trust and date signed
- List of RSU, ISO, NSO and ESPP grants with plan names
- Grant agreements and plan documents saved in one place
- Death and disability terms in each plan noted
- 401(k) beneficiary forms checked
- IRA beneficiary forms checked
- Life insurance beneficiaries checked
- Deferred compensation plan beneficiaries checked
- Brokerage accounts: TOD/POD or trust ownership decided
- Old employer accounts located
- Minor children not named directly; trust planned
- Guardian named
- Durable and medical powers of attorney signed
- Spouse’s interest in equity earned during marriage discussed
- List of accounts and login access for your agent
- Review calendar set for job changes, grants and life events
How it works
Five clear steps, from first conversation to signing.
Alers Legacy Strategy Session
We map your accounts, grants and family.
Legacy Design Meeting
We design how each asset should pass.
Precision Drafting
Documents are drafted and beneficiary changes are identified.
Legacy Walkthrough
We walk through the plan in plain English.
Legacy Signing Ceremony
You sign, and we help you fund your trust.
Plans are quoted as one flat fee after the first meeting.
Optional · After signing
Legacy Circle
An optional annual membership that keeps your plan current as life changes.
- Annual check-in
- Power of attorney refresh every three years
- Secure digital storage of your documents
- Annual meeting with your CPA or financial advisor about your plan
- Member webinars
- Member pricing on future updates
Your attorney
Meet your attorney.
Attorney Beverly Alers has been licensed since 2012, holds a J.D. cum laude and an LL.M. in Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, and is bilingual in English and Spanish (Abogada Alers).
Serving clients across Texas. In person at our Frisco and Denton offices by appointment, or by secure video anywhere in the state. Se habla español. (469) 207-1515
FAQs
Questions we hear.
Does my will control my RSUs and stock options?
Generally, equity awards follow the plan documents and grant agreements. They may have their own transfer and death provisions. We read them alongside your plan.
Do beneficiary designations override my will?
Yes, for 401(k)s, IRAs and life insurance, the named beneficiary generally receives the account regardless of the will. That is why we review every form.
What happens to unvested awards if I die or become disabled?
It depends on the plan. Some forfeit unvested awards and some accelerate them. Check your plan with us and with your HR or plan administrator.
Should I name my children directly as beneficiaries?
For minors, usually not. A trust can hold the funds and name a trustee to manage them.
Does my spouse have an interest in equity I earned during marriage?
Texas is a community property state, and equity earned during marriage may involve a community interest. The details depend on grant dates, vesting and the plan.
Do you give tax advice about ISOs, NSOs or ESPP shares?
No. We coordinate with your CPA and financial advisor on tax treatment.
Should my brokerage account be in my trust or TOD?
Both can work. The better choice depends on your goals, the account type and the rest of your plan.
Can we meet by video?
Yes. We serve clients anywhere in Texas by secure video, and meet in person in Dallas–Fort Worth at our Frisco and Denton offices by appointment.
Start with a conversation
Your accounts are scattered across plans. Your plan shouldn’t be.
Your Alers Legacy Strategy Session is where we begin.
Or call (469) 207-1515 · Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
General information about Texas law, not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.