Rath Law PLLC

12/19/2025

Thank you to all who voted for Rath Law PLLC as the BEST of 2025 West Memorial in the attorney category. It is truly my pleasure to help individuals and families understand the estate planning and probate processes. Knowledge is power, and if you don't know what you don't know, how can you make the right decisions for yourself and or your family?

01/30/2025

Before you buy an investment property, do you know what the return on investment (ROI) will be, and or how to calculate it? Read this article for information on this very important issue before you invest your money.

A return on investment (ROI) for real estate can vary greatly depending on how the property is financed, the rental income, and the costs involved.

01/08/2025

I have the very good fortune to work with many wonderful people on a daily basis. Helping couples like Jeff & Sonia reinforces the decision I made to change my practice areas to estate planning and probate.

"Even before you sent [the special needs trust information] to us, Sonia and I were discussing how glad we are that we hired you as our estate attorney. You are exceedingly knowledgeable, but you also care about your clients. You take the time to determine exactly what we want and the best way to get there. We really appreciate that degree of professionalism and need it!" - Jeff & Sonia T.

12/31/2024

Do you have a senior in high school heading off to college in the fall? Or perhaps enrolling at a technical school? Consider speaking with your attorney about basic estate planning documents for that child who is already, or soon will be, an adult.

A basic statutory durable power of attorney, medical power of attorney, HIPAA Authorization, and FERPA Consent (for those off to college) could avoid difficulty and expense in the future.

Schedule an appointment with your attorney today to start your young adult off right on the road to self-sufficiency.

12/26/2024

2025 is just around the corner! If you are a small business owner it is time to update your mileage reimbursement rate from 67 cents to 70 cents per mile. It could make a significant difference in your reimbursable expenses!

Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year!

11/27/2024

Wishing all of my family, friends, and clients a safe and Happy Thanksgiving with their loved ones!

08/07/2024

Discover the crucial role of a bookkeeper in a small business. Learn how accurate financial management, compliance, and insightful reporting can drive your business's success.

https://fas-accountingsolutions.com/the-role-of-a-bookkeeper-in-a-small-business/?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

08/03/2024

As I think about how far I've come as a business owner, I recognize that the tools used by me as a business owner are also applicable to my personal life. I budget as a business owner, I track expenses and income as a business owner, and I find satisfaction at the end of the month when I have money left in my bank account. I had basic financial skills before I started my business, but my business coach, Greg Hess of Coach Hess LLC, helped me sharpen those skills so much! And now I am more equipped to plan for my not-so-distant retirement!

The foregoing was a long way of asking the question: Who would be interested in a series of free classes teaching basic financial skills? Basic information like the definition of fixed & variable expenses, how a credit score and/or FICO score affect your access to credit and the cost of your credit, why saving is important, even if you start out very small, etc. I want to help everyday folks acquire skills to make their lives better today, and into the future.

I expect the classes would be held in the community room of a local public library in Houston if there is any interest. I am in the process of enlisting a financial professional to present the classes, but would like to gauge interest. Please feel free to share with friends and on neighborhood forums.

Have a fabulous weekend!

07/04/2024

Wishing all a safe and happy July 4th holiday with loved ones!

06/04/2024

Did you hear that on April 1, 2024, the rules for FDIC insured accounts changed? Is that an issue for most Americans? It depends. A summary of the changes is as follows:

*As of April 1, 2024, the maximum insurance coverage for a trust owner with five or more beneficiaries is $1,250,000 per owner for all trust accounts held at the same bank.

*Depositors can name as many beneficiaries as they wish, however the coverage limit will not exceed $1,250,000 as of April 1, 2024.

*This coverage change applies to both existing and new trust accounts, for all deposit products, including Certificates of Deposit, regardless of purchase or maturity date.

In addition, the definition of a "revocable trust" now includes informal trusts such as payable on death (POD) accounts, transfer on death (TOD) accounts, Totten trusts, and accounts with labels such as “in trust for” or “as trustee for.”

If you are the beneficiary of a trust, whether formal or informal, you may wish to confirm that the account balance is below the $1.25 million limit. If not, then you may wish to consider opening a new account at a different financial institution and transferring sufficient funds (taking into account interest to be earned) to the new account so as to be well under the new limit. Of course doing so if the funds are invested in certificates of deposit may not be possible if the instruments have not yet matured.

02/14/2024

Kudos to this Massachusetts librarian! Another example of how one person can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Some victims of domestic violence can’t summon help because their partners keep watch over their phones. So a librarian outside Boston launched an initiative to hide burner phones, pre-loaded with numbers for women’s shelters and other services, inside hollowed-out old library books she gives to...