Gillespie County Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) Form
Last validated July 18, 2026 by our Forms Development Team
Gillespie County Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) Form
Fill in the blank Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) form formatted to comply with all Texas recording and content requirements.

Gillespie County Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) form.

Gillespie County Completed Example of the Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) Document
Example of a properly completed Texas Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) document for reference.
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Additional Texas and Gillespie County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Gillespie County Clerk
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm
Phone: (830)997-6515
Recording Tips for Gillespie County:
- Ask if they accept credit cards - many offices are cash/check only
- Recording fees may differ from what's posted online - verify current rates
- Both spouses typically need to sign if property is jointly owned
- Recorded documents become public record - avoid including SSNs
Cities and Jurisdictions in Gillespie County
Properties in any of these areas use Gillespie County forms:
- Doss
- Fredericksburg
- Harper
- Stonewall
- Willow City
Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Gillespie County
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Gillespie County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Gillespie County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Gillespie County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.
Can I reuse these forms?
Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Gillespie County you only need to order once.
What do I need to use these forms?
The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.
Are there any recurring fees?
No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
How much does it cost to record in Gillespie County?
Recording fees in Gillespie County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (830)997-6515 for current fees.
Questions answered? Let's get started!
The Texas lady bird deed occupies an unusual place in the deed catalog: no statute creates it, no official form exists for it, and Texas title and estate planning practice has relied on it for decades anyway. Formally an enhanced life estate deed, it conveys property to a named grantee now while the grantor keeps a life estate coupled with the power to sell, mortgage, lease, gift, or otherwise dispose of the property at any time, without the grantee's signature or consent. Whatever remains at the grantor's death passes to the grantee automatically, outside probate.
A life estate with the powers kept
A traditional life estate deed hands real leverage to the remainder holder: the life tenant cannot sell or refinance without the remainderman joining in. The enhanced version removes that leverage. This form's reservation keeps the full possession, use, rents, and income of the property for the grantor's life, together with an unrestricted lifetime power of disposition and the right to keep all proceeds. A disposition by the grantor during life divests the grantee's interest to that extent; a conveyance of the whole property leaves the grantee with nothing. That retained power is why the arrangement is described as revocable in effect.
Where the deed gets its authority
The lady bird deed rests on Texas common law and the general conveyance statutes rather than an enabling act. Property Code Chapter 5 supplies the writing, signing, and delivery requirements, and this form uses its Section 5.023 mechanism to exclude the implied covenants expressly, so the conveyance is made without warranty of title. When the legislature codified the transfer on death deed in 2015, Estates Code Section 114.004 preserved other lawful transfer methods, leaving the common law instrument standing alongside the statutory one. The two differ where it counts: a transfer on death deed cannot be created through a power of attorney and is effective only if recorded before death, while the lady bird deed operates as a present conveyance under ordinary deed law.
Medicaid, MERP, and the probate line
Much of the deed's reputation comes from Medicaid administration. Texas estate recovery reaches the probate estate, and property passing under a recorded lady bird deed never enters it. The state's MEPD Handbook likewise treats a properly structured enhanced life estate transfer of the home as outside the transfer penalty rules. Both positions are administrative policy rather than statute, a distinction the guide explains plainly along with the deed's other limits: liens follow the property, and the grantor's homestead and property tax exemptions continue because the grantor remains an owner in possession.
One grantor, sometimes two signatures
This variant recites a single grantor. Because the deed is a lifetime conveyance, a married grantor conveying homestead brings Family Code Section 5.001 into play, and the form carries a labeled joining spouse signature block with its own notary certificate for that situation; the joining spouse conveys nothing and simply evidences the statutory joinder. The deed is formatted for Texas recording standards and opens with the Property Code Section 11.008 confidentiality notice. The download includes the fillable blank, a completed example on a realistic Williamson County fact pattern, and a plain language guide walking through every numbered section; the materials are informational and are not legal advice.
Important: Your property must be located in Gillespie County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.
This Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) meets all recording requirements specific to Gillespie County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Gillespie County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.
Save Time and Money
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April 18th, 2019
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December 24th, 2020
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June 18th, 2022
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Eleanor W.
April 7th, 2019
I haven't taken the forms to our county clerk for recording yet so not sure they contain all needed information in the order needed but forms were easy to read, easy to save and with well documented instructions available. Thank you
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September 14th, 2019
I found the form I need and while they couldn't file it via the e-recording way I had a great experience. Fingers crossed all goes well when I go in to record. Thanks!
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July 11th, 2021
Ordered and received the appropriate quitclaim deed docs for my area. Recorded with no questions or issues. All arounds solid product and service.
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February 3rd, 2021
I was glad that I paid to get a copy of the gift deed it help me out a lot and the copy of the example how to fill everything out was great
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