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Where Can I Find Help To Reduce Probate Stress In The Greater Houston Area?

Sherri Lund

Resources for people going through probate

by Sherri Lund


It's not easy when a loved one passes away. Death can bring unimaginable grief and confusion, especially when you are the one to make decisions about the estate. However, there are many sources of help both locally and online that can offer support through community.

The resources below can help you during this difficult season. Whether you need support as you navigate your grief or you need assistance with an estate issue, you're in the right place.

The following resources are clustered into these categories so you can find just what you need. Links are included. and provided helpful links. If you know what you’re looking for, just click on a category title and you can skip to that section.

  • Dealing with Grief

  • Remembering Your Loved One

  • Parenting Support

  • Support for Widows & Widowers

  • Resources for Financial Support

  • Executor Responsibilities

  • Books on Probate, Wills, and Trusts

And, if you’d like to download a copy of this Resource List, you can do it here.

If you feel like you are fumbling your way forward with a probate case in Harris County, Texas, or another county around the greater Houston area, keep reading.

The goal of this article is to provide helpful resources for the Executor, Administrator, Personal Representative, or any individual going through the loss of a loved one.


Do any of these questions sound familiar?

  • What can I do to honor the memory of my loved one in a special way?

  • How do I find my way through grief?

  • Where can I find assistance as a grieving parent?

  • Is help available for grieving single parents?

  • Where can I find support as a widow or widower in Texas?

  • Can someone help me with finances after a loved one dies?

  • What is an Executor expected to do as they probate an estate in the greater Houston area? 

  • What are some good books that can help me with probate, wills, trusts, and estates?

The resources below cover a broad range of topics. They include grief, financial help, support for widows and parents, as well as probate and trust issues.

Note: This list isn’t complete but it's a good start. Browse through what’s here and let us know what you find helpful. And if you need something that isn’t here, let us know about that on our Contact page. If you need it, chances are someone else does too. We will continue to develop this page with additional resources for the community.

Dealing with Grief

  • Grief Share — Grief Share is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life's most difficult experiences. You don't have to go through the grieving process alone.

  • Grief.com — Grief.com is dedicated to helping people deal with all kinds of grief. They offer education, information, and other helpful resources on their website and in groups.

  • Talkabout — Talkabout is an online magazine from Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. Talkabout offers support, inspiration, and quizzes around topics of grief and berevement.

Remembering Your Loved One

  • Legacy.com — This website is a place to post an obituary online. If you scroll down the home page, you'll find helpful articles on a number of topics. They also have resources under the News & Advice tab.

  • Dignity With Distinction — This short article lists ten creative ideas to do with someone's ashes as a loving tribute.

Parenting Support

  • Bo's Place — Bo's Place is a Houston-based bereavement center that offers grief support services to children, ages 3 to 18, and their families who have experienced the death of a child or an adult.

  • Single Parent Missions — While Single Parent Missions is not specifically for grieving parents, this organization offers life-giving resources and relationships to all single parent families. They provide spiritual and physical support like daily online devotionals and household help through volunteer care teams.

  • Arise Ministries — Arise Ministries is another empowering resource that focuses on the emotional and spiritual well-being of single moms. This ministry is not specific for someone going through loss due to death. It can offer hope and help to any single mother as they parent alone.

Support for Widows & Widowers

  • Grief Guide Ministries — Grief Guide Ministries is a ministry in the greater Houston area with a Christian emphasis. Designed to support men and women, they offer classes and support groups that meet online and in person.

  • One Fit Widow — At age 36, Michelle Steinke-Baumgard became a widow of two small children. Her website and her work are aimed at helping other widows obtain good health & fitness.

  • W Connection — The W Connection was created by widows for widows. They offer support, education, connection, encouragement, and empowerment.

Support for Military Families

  • TAPS — TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) provides compassionate care to all those grieving the death of a military loved one.

Resources for Financial Support

  • Fiscal Tiger — Finding financial resources specifically for widows and widowers isn't easy. This site offers ideas on financial assistance, how to manage your bills and debt, finding childcare and healthcare, mental health resources, and more. While it is aimed at divorced parents, there may find helpful ideas for someone who has lost a loved one.

  • Assad Financial Group — Betsy Assad helps single and married clients understand their financial options so they can make informed decisions. We heard her at a single mom’s conference. Her office is in Houston, TX, where she is often giving seminars, workshops, and Lunch-and-Learns at schools and local businesses to promote financial awareness.

Executor Responsibilities

  • How to be a good Executor of a Will or Estate — AARP article on 10+ steps on how to honor the deceased and be a good Executor of the estate.

  • Guidelines for Individual Executors & Trustees — This article, published by the American Bar Association (ABA), is written from a legal perspective. It gives an overview of estate planning. It provides terms and discusses wills, probate, and trusts as well as the Executor's responsibilities.

  • Mistakes in Managing an Estate — Published by Wall Street Journal, this short article mentions four mistakes an Executor wants to avoid in a probate case.

  • Executorium — Our newest find, Executorium provides an online directory for businesses that support Executors, Personal Representatives, and individuals going through probate. Enter you county and state to find professionals in a variety of industries.

Books

Note: Laws change and vary from state to state. The books provided below offer insight into the probate process and help you get familiar with terms. Before you make important decisions regarding wills, estate planning, probate, and trusts, remember to check the publishing date. Attorneys and qualified advisors in your state are your best bet for the most current advice for your particular probate issue.

We understand your probate struggles because we've been in it, neck-deep ourselves.

We know that things can feel overwhelming right now. Probate can drag on, and you might wonder if life will ever feel normal again.

While we are not counselors or grief specialists, we believe you deserve a life of joy, balance, and freedom from stress.

That’s why we created this resource page. It’s also why we offer our services. Probate is a big project, but we can help. Together we can bring it to a close more efficiently and effectively. 

We're dedicated to helping people in the greater Houston area with probate issues big and small. Together, we can find ways to help you move forward with your life.


Additional resources you might find helpful:

  • Download the Checklist 

If you found this article helpful, I'd love to hear from you! You can fill out my Contact Form or message me on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Sherri Lund is a Certified Probate Expert, Life Coach, and mental health advocate. As the owner of Willow Wood Solutions, she uses her extensive training to provide thoughtful and compassionate guidance to Texas families in probate. 

Disclaimer: Please note that Sherri Lund and Willow Wood Solutions do not offer legal or mental health services. Any information in this article should not be misconstrued as legal or medical advice. We recommend that you seek the advice of an attorney, CPA, or tax attorney regarding any decisions about your probate in Texas. For mental and physical health issues, please speak to a doctor.