Travis County Enhanced Life Estate Deed Form

Last validated March 31, 2026 by our Forms Development Team

Travis County Enhanced Life Estate Form

Travis County Enhanced Life Estate Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Document Last Validated 3/31/2026
Travis County Enhanced Life Estate Guide

Travis County Enhanced Life Estate Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document Last Validated 3/5/2026
Travis County Completed Example of the Enhanced Life Estate Document

Travis County Completed Example of the Enhanced Life Estate Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document Last Validated 3/5/2026

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

Immediate Download • Secure Checkout

Important: Your property must be located in Travis County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Travis County Clerk - Recording

Address:
5501 Airport Blvd / For postal mail: PO Box 149325
Austin, Texas 78714-9325

Hours: 8:00am-5:00pm M-F

Phone: (512) 854-9188

Recording Tips for Travis County:
  • Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these
  • Request a receipt showing your recording numbers
  • Have the property address and parcel number ready

Cities and Jurisdictions in Travis County

Properties in any of these areas use Travis County forms:

  • Austin
  • Del Valle
  • Leander
  • Manchaca
  • Manor
  • Mc Neil
  • Pflugerville
  • Spicewood

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Travis County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Travis 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 Travis County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Travis 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 Travis 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 Travis County?

Recording fees in Travis County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (512) 854-9188 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

An enhanced life estate deed—commonly called a Lady Bird deed—allows property owners to name a beneficiary who will receive real estate at the owner's death, without the property passing through probate. The owner retains a life estate with full control during their lifetime, including the power to sell, mortgage, or convey the property without the beneficiary's consent.

How It Works
The grantor conveys a life estate to themselves while designating a remainder beneficiary. Unlike a traditional life estate deed, the "enhanced" version includes a reserved power of appointment, meaning the owner can change the beneficiary, revoke the deed entirely, or transfer the property at any time—no permission from the beneficiary required.

Key Features
The deed is designed to preserve homestead status (if claimed) along with associated property tax exemptions and protections during the owner's lifetime. Because the transfer does not take effect until death and the owner retains full control, no gift occurs for federal gift tax purposes at the time of recording.

Lady Bird Deed vs. Transfer on Death Deed
Texas recognizes both Lady Bird deeds and statutory transfer on death deeds (TODDs). Both accomplish similar goals, but they operate differently. A TODD is governed by statute (Texas Estates Code Chapter 114) and follows specific execution and recording requirements. A Lady Bird deed is a common-law instrument with a longer history of use. The right choice depends on the owner's circumstances; for complex situations, consult a local attorney.
(Texas Enhanced Life Estate Deed Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Important: Your property must be located in Travis County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

This Enhanced Life Estate Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Travis County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Travis 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 Travis County Enhanced Life Estate Deed 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 - ( 4700 Reviews )

Glenda M.

November 9th, 2021

I am very pleased with my purchase of the Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant form. I previously purchased this form from the leading providing of DIY legal forms and it was rejected by the Registrar in my state. I then had to start over. Plus I needed a form that would show me a completed example and give me line-by-line instructions. Deeds.com filled the bill perfectly. Their website also let me know the last date the form was updated.

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Leesa N.

December 29th, 2022

Easy, Fast, Inexpensive and Responsive!

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Sherrl F.

June 3rd, 2021

I had a excellent experience using DEEDS.COM. Very clear directions and site was easy to use. I paid the fee to have my deed electronically filed and it was done the day I requested it be filed.

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Karen D.

September 25th, 2020

Very easy to use and understand. Thank you.

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Thank you!

Robert S.

January 23rd, 2019

The cost was well worth it. It was very easy to download, fill in the necessary information and then print the deed. I filed my need deed today and everything was complete and accurate because of the example you provided.

Reply from Staff

Thanks Robert, we appreciate your feedback!

LISA B.

December 5th, 2019

GOT WHAT I NEEDED FORMS WORKED FINE.

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Anthony P.

December 7th, 2021

Documents exactly as described, no complaints.

Reply from Staff

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DAVID W.

March 10th, 2026

Very easy to work with. A lot less money than a lawyer.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your kind words and for choosing us.

Denise G.

May 7th, 2020

It would be helpful if an email was sent to notify you of any additional invoices needed, documents were accepted and/or recorded. It is not always convenient to check your website on a daily basis to determine the status of the requesting recordings.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Paula P.

February 4th, 2026

Important: Click Download to save each PDF to your device. Open and complete the PDFs using Adobe Acrobat Reader (free). Get Adobe Acrobat Reader Browser PDF viewers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Mac Preview) may display fillable fields incorrectly. This information should be shared with the potential buyer BEFORE purchase. Messy formatting and a deeds.com advertisement on each page. I will not purchase from deeds.com again.

Reply from Staff

Paula, thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. As the product wasn’t a good fit for you, we’ve canceled your order and provided a full refund so there’s no need for you to use the documents.

Stacie S.

June 26th, 2020

This process was very simple once I got the form right! I would definitely utilize this system in the future if I needed to.

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Tarik W.

July 20th, 2021

Excellent customer service!!!!!

Reply from Staff

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SHIRLEY H.

September 21st, 2022

I like that they have all the forms, but I could not find it they would submit the forms to the recorders office

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Anita M W.

May 17th, 2023

This process is outstanding, and it saved the hassle of going downtown and dealing with traffic.

Reply from Staff

Thank you for the kinds words Anita. Glad we could be of assistance. Have an amazing day!

Richard S.

February 11th, 2021

Nicely done. Smooooth

Reply from Staff

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