BRADIE, BRADIE & BRADIE: Houston & Conroe - Wills, Probate & Business Law

04/01/2026

35 years ago, I left a downtown law firm and joined my parents in a law practice, forming Bradie, Bradie & Bradie. Hard to believe it has been that long. How time flies. How blessed I have been to have had such wonderful partners and clients over these years. Thank you, all!

Michell S. Bradie
Bradie, Bradie & Bradie PLLC

04/19/2025

HOMESTEAD Five-Year Renewal Plan

Many folks in Montgomery, Harris, and surrounding counties have said that they noticed their homestead exemption was removed, or they got a letter saying they needed to reapply for their homestead.

It used to be that you filed it once, and you were done. That has changed.

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 1801, which became effective September 1, 2023, which requires the chief appraiser of an appraisal district to verify the eligibility of homeowners for the homestead exemption at least once every five years. Appraisal districts are starting to enforce that now.

To do so, most appraisal districts mail taxpayers a notice instructing them to reapply for their exemption within the time stated in the letter. The deadlines for different appraisal districts are not all consistent, either.

If the taxpayer does not reapply or otherwise respond, the appraisal district removes their homestead exemption. Most taxpayers find out when they see a huge jump in their property tax bill.

I have also heard that in addition to just coming up on 5 year cycles, possibly filing any kind of deed, like a Revocable Transfer on Death Deed, or an Executor's Distribution Deed from one spouse to the surviving spouse, have been enough to trigger having to reapply for your homestead exemption.

So, if you should receive a letter from your appraisal district, please don't ignore it. Reapply to maintain your homestead exemption and tax benefits. If you file any type of deed related to your property, go ahead and reapply for your homestead exemption just to be on the safe side.

02/08/2024

Please be aware of this email scam, and DO NOT click on the links. This warning was originally sent by the Texas Comptroller's Office.

01/05/2024

Our voicemail system through Consolidated Communications has been down the last few days. Supposedly, they are working to fix it. If you call our firm and it disconnects or rings fast busy, then I am on the phone talking with a client. It just doesn’t roll to voicemail. If it rings a few times and then disconnects, I am in a meeting with a client and unable to answer, but it won't roll to voicemail. So, please try calling again later. Hopefully, Consolidated will get this fixed soon. Sorry for the inconvenience.

12/31/2023

Some good advice. Happy New Year, everyone!

Year's end is when we look to the future. Part of that exercise includes the difficult chore of wills and estates. But, take a lesson from the Queen of Soul and do it right. | Fox News

Year's end is when we look to the future. Part of that exercise includes the difficult chore of wills and estates. But, take a lesson from the Queen of Soul and do it right.

11/16/2023

When husband and wife own a house together, it does NOT automatically pass to the surviving spouse when the first spouse dies. Unless you have a special type of deed, like a Revocable Transfer on Death Deed (TODD), or the home is titled in the name of some type of trust, the transfer of the deceased spouse’s interest in the home usually needs to go through some type of probate process. This may be probating a Will, or using a Small Estate Affidavit, or Determination of Heirship. Sometimes an Affidavit of Heirship may be used.

Even with a trust or a TODD, some steps still need to be taken, whether it is the Trustee preparing a transfer deed, or preparing the Affidavit of Death that needs to be recorded for the TODD.

If you do not deal with the transfer of your deceased spouse’s interest, you will not be able to sell the house.

If there is an insurance claim for damage to your home, the insurance company will issue a check payable to you and your deceased spouse’s estate, which can’t be deposited until you go through probate.

If your spouse has passed, please take the necessary steps to transfer their interest in the home.

10/24/2023

When was the last time you reviewed your Will and Powers of Attorney? You should do so every 3 to 5 years, and sooner if there have been major changes, like deaths, births, divorce, people moving away, or falling out of friendship with people. Additionally, as your children become adults, you may consider naming them as alternate Executor or Agents.

11/04/2022

If you left a voicemail message for our office (Bradie, Bradie & Bradie) from mid-day Wednesday through close of business Friday, please give a call back. We did NOT get your messages. Consolidated Communications "fixed" the problem this evening by DELETING all our voicemails to reset the password. I am so sorry for any inconvenience.

04/01/2022

Today is the 31st Anniversary of the forming of Bradie, Bradie & Bradie. Thank you to all of our wonderful clients. I am truly blessed to be able to do what I do. It has been a pleasure to have gotten to know so many wonderful people along the way!

(My father, Peter R. Bradie, pictured below, actually started his firm in 1978. My mother, Anna B. Bradie, joined my father after she and I, also pictured below, graduated from law school together in 1989. I worked for a while in a downtown law firm, but joined my folks in practice on April 1, 1991. My father has passed, and my mother is now retired.)

12/29/2021

https://communityimpact.com/houston/tomball-magnolia/business/2021/12/28/family-owned-law-firm-bradie-bradie-and-bradie-home-of-first-mother-daughter-law-school-duo/?utm_campaign=Impact%3A%20Tomball%2FMagnolia&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=199494005&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_cP2AJJP6eXwFMXfcN1FHg2TFKy8LbX3KcuhRSS3uTjNBps5RHeNsm_LjMKWYuLu5ftvRSln2fxIY4VVIgEOnvv3c_CQ&utm_content=199494005&utm_source=hs_email

Michell Bradie said she and her mother, Anna Bradie, were the first mother-daughter duo in the nation to attend law school together. Michell is a senior partner of Bradie, Bradie and Bradie, a family-owned law firm based in the Magnolia area.