Upshur County Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) Form
Last validated July 18, 2026 by our Forms Development Team
Upshur 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.

Upshur 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.

Upshur 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.
All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees
Immediate Download • Secure Checkout
Additional Texas and Upshur County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Upshur County Clerk
Gilmer, Texas 75644
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 12:00 & 1:00 -4:30pm
Phone: (903) 843-4015
Recording Tips for Upshur County:
- Double-check legal descriptions match your existing deed
- Ask if they accept credit cards - many offices are cash/check only
- Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these
Cities and Jurisdictions in Upshur County
Properties in any of these areas use Upshur County forms:
- Big Sandy
- Diana
- Gilmer
- Ore City
Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Upshur County
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Upshur 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 Upshur County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Upshur 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 Upshur 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 Upshur County?
Recording fees in Upshur County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (903) 843-4015 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 Upshur 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 Upshur County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Upshur 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
Get your Upshur County Enhanced Life Estate Deed (Lady Bird Deed) (Individual) form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.
4.8 out of 5 - ( 4769 Reviews )
Rachel S.
January 25th, 2021
It would be nice to get a reply in a small window that says "Your request package has been submitted." That way I can log out and wait for the email. I do love the efficient service.
Thank you!
Regina W.
February 3rd, 2022
So glad I found this form. Very easy to download and looks like all the instructions are there to correctly fill out my paperwork. Thanks.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
David M.
July 30th, 2022
Very easy to use and modify if necessary. Spot on with each county requirement for recording and Notarizing
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Joseph K.
June 12th, 2020
Your responsiveness is outstanding. I appreciate the guidance and consistent support. Thank you.
Thank you!
Claudia S.
October 18th, 2022
The site is very user friendly. Where can I get a copy of all the invoices that were paid? Thank you. Claudia
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Herbert R.
November 12th, 2022
Your website was very helpful. Hopefully, I will have it completed correctly prior to use.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Gerry C.
February 6th, 2021
Forms appear to be most current and instructions clear. Inserting grantor/grantee information onto form a bit "clunky" however no major issues. I will be using services again.
Thank you!
Peggy G.
May 19th, 2019
This is an easy document to complete and file. Thank you for having the completed sample for review.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Tom L.
January 10th, 2023
For better grammatical structure you should add the word "BE" after the first three words.... Your review may ..... BE....displayed.
Thanks for letting us know!
Joe D.
June 15th, 2019
Complete coverage of deeds, laws, etc.
Thank you!
RICHARD A.
March 4th, 2023
Smooth, simple, and complete. A great forms service.
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
Thomas A.
February 25th, 2021
Deeds.com is an easy-to-use resource for the busy real estate practitioner .
We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
George W.
April 2nd, 2020
The process was easy and the forms were a very complete package. FAST AND EASY DOWNLOAD
Thank you George.
Steve G.
August 21st, 2021
The forms were very easy to use. However, the Mercer County cover page is an older version. You can find the recent version on the county website.
Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!
Janet M.
February 9th, 2024
Deed.com is an amazing site. After calling many places and going on many websites to figure out what I needed to submit (most counties cannot help with questions and the place I needed to turn the documents into could not help either, they are not allowed to give legal advice) I came across Deeds.com. It has been so helpful and I was able to research what documents I needed. I purchased one document and after more research I realized I needed a different document. Deed.com refunded my first purchase. I then purchased an Affidavit of Death and a Deed for the county and state I needed them for. Both the example and guide were very helpful and I will be submitting my documents after I have them notarized. I give five stars
Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience!