Divorce is stressful. Much of the stress is tied to uncertainty about what "life after divorce" might look like. For Federal employees and spouses, questions linger about what employment-related benefits can be impacted by a court order. Our firm's website provides a wealth of information about how a Texas divorce decree can impact...
Visitation When The Non-Custodial Military Parent Deploys
This blog post looks at an issue affecting military parents who don't have custody of their children. Specifically, it answers the question of who can exercise visitation on behalf of a non-custodial military parent when they deploy--assuming Texas has jurisdiction to decide the matter. Before diving into the subject, I'll quickly mention that this...
Temporary Custody During Military Deployment
A question that comes up quite often among unmarried and remarried military parents is this: who gets custody of your child when the military parent is ordered to deploy? Is it the new spouse who is the child's stepparent? Is it the other parent? Is it someone else? The answer contains three key components. ...
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Common Estate Planning Mistakes
Planning for the care of your property or family members after your death is often a complex process. The following list of common estate planning mistakes will help to ensure that you are making smart decisions to protect your loved ones and legacy.
Planning your estate by yourself. An estate planning attorney has...
Annulment vs. Divorce: What’s the Difference?
Today, it can be argued that there's little difference between a divorce and an annulment given our current "no fault" divorce laws. Afterward you are no longer married in either case. Still, some people favor an annulment over a divorce for religious or other moral reasons.
Technically, however, an annulment is based on...
When to Update Your Will & Estate Plan
Your will is an ongoing process that needs reviewed periodically to ensure its validity and relevance. This is particularly true when changes occur in your family or personal situation. Your will and estate plan should be revised in response to life-altering events, such as:
Changes in EmploymentIncome changes may alter or invalidate portions...
When Is a Gift an Advancement on Inheritance?
Envision an unfortunate scene after your passing. Your three adult sons are bickering about the inheritance each expects to get. You had given your eldest son a $10,000 check a few years ago to help him out of a financial jam. Now, the middle and youngest sons claim the eldest should get $10,000 less...
Five Years Living Together—Does that Constitute a Common Law Marriage?
Probably not. A common law marriage can't occur "accidentally," merely because a couple has lived together for some period of time. More is required. Let’s take a closer look.
Not every State recognizes common law marriage. Texas is one of the few that does. Texas recognizes a common law or “informal” marriage if...
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act—Not Every Default Judgment is Invalid
Serious misconceptions exist about the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (formerly known as the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act). Some military members believe that if they don’t appear in court, nothing bad can happen. They believe military service entitles them to absolute protection. Wrong. When the member later appeals, they believe mere mention that...
What Happened to the Wedding Gift Down Payment on the Home?
Congratulations! You are the proud parents (or grandparents) of the bride. We’ll call her Susan. Susan married Joe. As a wedding gift, you wrote a $20,000 check to “Susan and Joe” to help the happy couple purchase their first home. You thought about writing the check only to Susan but opted...