TRS pension or the Optional Retirement Program — how do I choose?

It turns on how long you'll stay and how much certainty you want. The pension rewards a long career with one employer and delivers guaranteed lifetime income; the ORP is portable and market-dependent, which suits shorter tenures and people who value control. The election is typically made early and is often irrevocable, so we model both against a realistic career path before you sign.

What legal documents do LGBTQ+ parents in Texas need?

A court judgment of parentage through confirmatory or second-parent adoption is the strongest protection for a non-genetic parent — it's recognized in every state, unlike a birth certificate alone. Alongside that: wills naming guardians, durable and healthcare powers of attorney with HIPAA authorizations, and medical consent authorizations for the children. We budget these into the family plan rather than treating them as an afterthought.

Do we have to live in Hyde Park to work with Aequitas?

No. Aequitas is fee-only and virtual-first — we work with LGBTQ+ households in Hyde Park the same way we work with clients across Austin and the rest of the US. This page is written for the Hyde Park demographic, not as a residency requirement.

Is there a minimum account size?

No asset minimum. Engagements are priced based on planning complexity, not portfolio size, so we can work with LGBTQ+ high earners still building wealth — not just clients who already have it.

What happens on the intro call?

Twenty minutes, video or phone. We ask what you're actually trying to figure out, share how Aequitas would approach it, and decide together whether an engagement makes sense. No pressure, no product pitch.

LGBTQ+ couple in Hyde Park, Austin reviewing their financial plan

Austin · Hyde Park

LGBTQ+ financial planning for Hyde Park

You've owned here long enough that the homestead cap matters. The plan should make sure you're using every legal edge you're entitled to.

Schedule a free intro call 20 minutes · video or phone · no product pitch

Quick answer

Is there a financial advisor for LGBTQ+ households in Hyde Park?

Yes. Aequitas Financial is a fee-only fiduciary practice serving LGBTQ+ professionals, couples, and families in Hyde Park and across Austin. Meetings are virtual, there is no asset minimum or commission, and plans are built around TX tax, titling, and chosen-family protections.

Source: CFP Board — Code of Ethics & Standards of Conduct

Who this is for

Built for Hyde Park LGBTQ+ households

Hyde Park is quieter and more family-oriented — established LGBTQ+ households, academics, and long-partnered owners in Craftsman single-family.

The 10% homestead cap is your biggest quiet asset and nobody is watching it.
College funding for kids is real and no 529 is open.
Estate documents don't reflect a life built here.
Second-parent adoption is still on the to-do list.

On the ground

Hyde Park: academic benefits and family planning

Hyde Park draws university faculty and staff, healthcare professionals, and established households — which means UT retirement choices, 403(b) and 457(b) plans running side by side, and a decision between the Teacher Retirement System pension and the Optional Retirement Program that has consequences for the next thirty years.

The other Hyde Park theme is family building in a state whose legal environment is less protective than the coasts. Texas recognizes marriage equality, but we still recommend confirmatory or second-parent adoption for non-genetic parents — a court judgment of parentage carries full faith and credit everywhere, and a birth certificate is not the same instrument. We also make sure powers of attorney, healthcare directives with HIPAA authorizations, and medical consent documents for minor children are current and carried, not filed away.

How we help Hyde Park households

Homestead + Travis County property-tax cap

Homestead exemption filed, 10% assessed-value cap tracked, and appeal cadence set — a boring recurring win that compounds meaningfully over the years you own here.

529s, life insurance, and the two-parent stack

Education funding, term coverage sized to what your family actually needs, and legal parentage locked down in every state you might travel through.

Second-parent adoption follow-through

Even with marriage, presumption laws don't travel reliably across state lines. We help you sequence and budget the second-parent adoption that makes parentage bulletproof in every state.

Next step

Go deeper, or just talk to us

Skim the broader context if you want more before reaching out — or book the call and we'll cover it live.

LGBTQ+ financial advisor in Austin

The city-wide overview: how Aequitas works with Austin LGBTQ+ households across cash flow, tax, investing, and estate.

LGBTQ+ tax & cost-of-living guide: Austin

State income tax, property tax, estate tax, and LGBTQ+ planning overlays specific to Austin.

Schedule Your Intro Call

FAQ

Hyde Park planning FAQs

This page is part of our wider guide to LGBTQ+ financial planning — how fee-only, fiduciary planning works for queer households, and which topic to start with.

Ready to talk through your plan?

On a free intro call we'll walk through where you are, what you're trying to figure out, and whether an engagement makes sense — no pressure.

Schedule Your Intro Call