The latest book compassionately prepares grieving families and furthers Hilton’s mission of education and practical advice.

Leigh Hilton, an award-winning estate planning and elder law attorney who has compassionately served Denton and surrounding communities for over 30 years, is excited to announce the release of her latest book, What Your Family Should Know If Something Happens to You. Adding to what is already an impressive list of titles Hilton has written, the latest entry is a practical, easy-to-read guide that sets aside the legalities of traditional legal documents—such as wills and trusts—for a brief moment and focuses on additional documents and other valuable tools that can prepare family members for the legal, economic, practical, and emotional consequences one must face when you have passed away or can no longer make important decisions.

In clear language, What Your Family Should Know If Something Happens to You, encourages readers to gather and organize important information that we often take for granted and end up scrambling for during a time when we should be grieving. The goal is to help you communicate openly with your children, siblings, parents, and relatives, and plan ahead in a way that brings peace of mind rather than panic.

“My heart goes out to families who have to suffer because the person who passed away did not know how to make it easier,” Hilton said. “For surviving children and siblings, in particular, it can be incredibly overwhelming to deal with so many issues during such a difficult time. Often, this results in them having to step in to look through files, stacks of paper, and even unopened mail—mining for answers to some pretty difficult questions.”

Hilton added, “That is what this book is all about. In some small way, I can help make a difference.”

More About What Your Family Should Know If Something Happens to You

What Your Family Should Know If Something Happens to You is the latest release for Hilton, who has already published helpful titles such as Who Gets Your Stuff When You Die, Finding Strength in the face of Alzheimer’s, and What Your Spouse Should Know If Something Happens to You. Each book furthers Hilton’s mission to be more than the typical estate planning and elder law attorney. Beyond preparing legal documents and helping craft strategic estate plans that protect everyone you love and everything you own, she prides herself on offering practical advice with a personal touch—someone who will listen to clients, understand their concerns, offer support, compassion, and patience during the most difficult of times, and walk with them and their family throughout each stage of whatever journey comes next.

This book serves as a roadmap for family members who must now navigate the challenges of moving forward after a loved one passes away. One of the biggest factors causing delays and overall confusion in estate settlements is the inability to locate assets, critical documents, and important information. This causes unnecessary expenses, wasted time, and frustration at a time when they should be dealing with grief.

A few tips include how to:

Face challenges as a surviving family member
Organize important family information
Create a detailed family binder
Get your financial affairs in order
Decide between a will and a trust
Pre-plan a funeral
Conduct legacy interviews
Ensure someone cares for pets

No matter how many decisions or changes family members may face, they will be easier to handle with appropriate planning and support. What Your Family Should Know If Something Happens to You is as comprehensive as it gets and is available now.

About the Author

For more than 30 years, Leigh Hilton has helped over 8,000 families protect the assets that they leave to loved ones from divorce, creditors, lawsuits, and predators. She has also helped over 600 families implement the plans that she has prepared after the death of a loved one and helped over 2,400 families implement the plans prepared by other attorneys. She is an accomplished author and frequent speaker, having given over 700 speeches to various organizations and groups.

Whether your estate is large or small, complex or straightforward, Leigh would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your estate planning needs. Leigh also helps with Special Needs, Medicaid, and Veterans’ planning.

Leigh was born in Dallas and grew up in Denton. She attended the University of North Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Science, graduating with honors in 1989. She earned her law degree at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, TX, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1992. She has been married for 37 years and is the mother of two boys.

Leigh Hilton is proud to provide legal counsel rooted in Christian values.