As one of Hollywood’s favorite couples announced the end of their marriage last month, many people expressed sadness at the fact that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck made the announcement a day after their tenth anniversary. Texas residents may be surprised to know that 10 years is an important milestone in a marriage, not just for emotional reasons but also for legal reasons. In many states, … [Read more...]
Commitment to enforcing fathers’ rights
When a couple decides to end their marriage in Texas, they are only intending to end their legal relationship with one another, not with their children. However, this often does not end up happening -- even though there is no discrimination on the basis of gender in custody agreements in Texas, mothers are sometimes deemed more suitable for custody in more conservative societies. This means … [Read more...]
Texas considering custody law for shared parenting
In an ideal world, once a couple is married they remain together for the rest of their lives and raise their children together, supporting one another emotionally and financially. However, Dallas families are well aware that the reality is much different. Oftentimes, marriages come to an end for various reasons and couples with children have to come up with a way to raise their … [Read more...]
Can I relocate with my children after divorce?
When Dallas couples get married, they often begin a new chapter of their lives by promising to stay together for the rest of their lives. You might have children and aspire to raise them to the best of your ability and provide the best for them. However, people, situations and lives change, potentially leaving you at odds with your spouse. This could cause you to face off in an amicable or hotly … [Read more...]
Am I eligible to receive spousal maintenance after my divorce?
Alimony, or spousal maintenance as it is called in Texas, is a periodic payment made from one spouse to the other and generally comes from the paying spouse’s income. Texas residents may be aware that when a marriage comes to an end a spouse may be eligible to receive alimony from their soon to be ex-spouse. This is particularly true if the receiving spouse does not have enough property at the … [Read more...]
Understanding property division principles and process helps
When a couple is divorcing, their assets are divided according to equitable property division rules. The complexity of the process can vary by the number and nature of the assets involved in the divorce process. Understanding the property division process and how it works can lend itself to a smoother divorce process which can save time, money and acrimony for the parties involved. In addition … [Read more...]
What is a lump sum alimony payment?
Payments made from one spouse to another after a divorce is finalized are known as alimony, or spousal support or maintenance. These payments are made from one spouse to another and the aim is to provide support to the dependent spouse and allow them the opportunity to continue living their life in a standard similar to what they were doing before the divorce. Dallas residents may only be … [Read more...]
File your taxes under the right filing status
While another tax season has come and gone, another tax deadline will be upon us before we know it. During the time in-between, events may occur that will further complicate the process of filing, one being divorce. There are many questions that pop into one’s mind, including how does one decide which status to file under-married filing jointly or single and who claims the children as exceptions? … [Read more...]
How long does divorce take?
It is often not easy to decide to put an end to one’s marriage, but once Texas residents make the decision they may want the whole process to be over as soon as possible so they can begin to move on. Therefore, their first question may be about the estimated time it will take for their divorce to become final. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this question. A number of … [Read more...]
Let our experience guide you through stepparent adoption
All Texas families with children want the best for them and many choose a second spouse accordingly, hoping that their new spouse will love their child the same way they do and provide them with the security and stability their child needs and craves. As discussed previously on the Dallas Family Law Blog, one of the ways stepparents can provide this security is by adopting their stepchild. Lawyers … [Read more...]