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Recent Blog Posts
Do You Have to Pay for Your Child’s College as Part of Child Support in Texas?
When parents divorce or separate, one major concern is how their child’s expenses will be covered — especially when it comes to college tuition. In many states, courts can order a parent to contribute to a child’s educational expenses as part of child support. However, Texas law takes a different approach. At Brandon Wong & Associates, our Texas family lawyers help divorcing and separated parents navigate child support and we are here to answer your questions.
Does Texas Child Support Cover College Tuition?
In Texas, child support obligations generally end when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. The Texas Family Code does not require parents to pay for a child’s college education as part of court-ordered child support. This means that, unless parents agree otherwise, there is no legal obligation for a parent to contribute to tuition, housing, or other college expenses.
Hague vs. Non-Hague Adoptions
If you are considering international adoption, you may have come across two terms: Hague and non-Hague adoptions. At first glance, the distinction might not seem significant, but the route you choose will shape your adoption experience and impact everything from legal protections to adoption timelines.
As you begin this journey, it is important to understand the differences between these two processes and how they interact with Texas law. At Brandon Wong & Associates, our Texas international adoption attorneys understand Hague and non-Hague adoptions and will guide you, whichever route you choose.
What is the Hague Adoption Convention and How Does it Affect Adoption?
The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption is an international treaty designed to protect the best interests of children, adoptive families, and birth parents. Countries that participate in the Hague Convention must follow strict guidelines to prevent child trafficking and ensure ethical adoption practices.
When Is a Business Considered Marital Property in Texas?
Dividing and valuing a business in a divorce is complicated. A judge will consider several factors before making a final decision on whether your business will be considered community or separate property, and some take precedence over others. If you are losing sleep over the fate of your company, you should speak with a Texas family law attorney who can provide you with legal advice and representation.
At Brandon Wong & Associates, our divorce lawyer is qualified to help you address your concerns about your family business. Attorney Brandon Wong has been practicing family law for well over a decade, and he knows how to advocate for his clients’ best interests in difficult divorces.
When Was the Business Established?
Timing is an important factor in categorizing a business as community or separate property. As a general rule, if you bought or created the business during your marriage, it is more likely to be considered community property.
If I File for Divorce in Texas, Will I Get Alimony?
If you are thinking about filing for divorce in Texas and you depend on your spouse’s income, you might be wondering whether you can get alimony. In Texas, alimony is officially called "spousal maintenance." Unlike in some other states, Texas has strict rules about when spousal maintenance can be awarded. It is not automatic, so it is important to understand what the law says and how it applies to your situation. To get the most reliable information about whether you could get alimony in your divorce, call our San Antonio, TX divorce lawyer.
What Are the Rules About Alimony in Texas?
The rules about spousal maintenance are explained in Texas Family Code Chapter 8. To qualify, you must show that you do not have enough money or property to meet your basic needs after the divorce. You must also meet at least one of the following conditions:
Five Important Terms in a Texas Divorce Involving Kids
In Texas, family law uses specific terms that can seem confusing at first, especially because they are different from commonly used terms like "child custody" and "visitation." If you are thinking about getting a divorce, taking the time to learn these terms and what they mean can make divorce easier and less stressful. At Brandon Wong & Associates, our Texas divorce and family law attorneys focus on making the divorce process approachable for everyone. Call us today.
Conservatorship
In Texas, "conservatorship" refers to the legal rights and responsibilities a parent has regarding their child. Instead of terms like "custody," Texas law uses "conservator" to describe a parent's role. There are two main types:
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Joint Managing Conservatorship (JMC): Both parents share decision-making responsibilities for major aspects of the child’s life, like education and medical care.
Can My Separate Property Become Marital Property in a Divorce?
In Texas, dividing property during a divorce is often a complex process, especially when trying to distinguish between separate and marital property. Texas is a community property state, meaning most property acquired during the marriage is jointly owned by both spouses and subject to division in a divorce.
However, separate property, which belongs solely to one spouse, is not divided during a divorce. This distinction can become blurred when separate property becomes marital property, in part or in whole. Understanding how this happens and the consequences can help you protect your interests, and our Texas family lawyers are here to help.
What is Separate Property in Texas?
Under Texas law, separate property includes assets owned by one spouse before the marriage, as well as gifts, inheritances, and personal injury settlements received during the marriage. This type of property is not subject to division in a divorce, but proving an asset is separate property requires clear and convincing evidence, such as documentation or financial records.
How Can I Recover Unpaid Child Support?
Child support is critical for ensuring children have the money to buy the things they need to thrive. The stereotypical deadbeat dad tends to be a parent who disappears, is unemployed, or is simply uninterested in his children’s wellbeing. Often, however, parents who do not pay child support are able to do so but choose not to for selfish or vindictive reasons.
If your child’s other parent has the ability to pay child support but refuses to do so, it can cause significant financial strain and emotional stress for the entire family. Fortunately, there are legal options to help you recover unpaid child support. An experienced Texas child support recovery attorney can guide you through the process, ensuring you take the right steps to protect your rights and those of your child.
Recognizing Common Child-Support Avoidance Tactics
Some parents, especially financially savvy parents, intentionally avoid child support payments using various tricks and tactics. This can make it very difficult to recover the money you need. Understanding these strategies is the first step toward addressing them effectively. Common child-support avoidance tactics include:
Fault vs. No-Fault Divorces in Texas: What's the Difference?
If you want a divorce in Texas, there could be several concerns keeping you up at night. You might worry that you will be held responsible for ending the marriage and what you stand to lose.
The state of Texas recognizes both fault and no-fault divorces; depending on the circumstances of the breakdown of your marriage, you may or may not get an equitable share of your marital assets. Regardless of whether you are going through a fault or no-fault case, a Texas divorce lawyer at Brandon Wong & Associates can offer professional guidance and represent your best interests in a court of law.
Understanding Fault in Divorce
Not every slight or grievance constitutes a fault-based divorce. In Texas, grounds for fault-based divorce are specific, as follows:
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Cruelty. Physical or emotional abuse is recognized as a valid reason for fault divorce in Texas if it reaches a point where living together with your spouse becomes inhospitable.
What Are The Barriers to Adoption in Texas?
Adopting a child is one of the most noble things a parent can do. However, there are rules and regulations in place in Texas with children’s safety in mind, making sure that a potential parent is the best fit. Before you look into adoption, it is important to know what barriers may stand in your way, and how you might address them if at all possible. A knowledgeable Bexar County, TX family law attorney can help you overcome obstacles in the adoption system, and advocate for you in court.
Age
In Texas, you must be at least 21 years old to adopt a child. This applies when parents want to adopt as well as when there is a request to adopt within a family, for example, when an older sibling wants to adopt a younger one. Unfortunately, there is no way around this regulation but to wait.
Health Conditions
When determining your fitness to be a parent, adoption agencies will take a thorough look at your medical history, including physical and mental conditions. The mere presence of a health condition will not disqualify you; the agency will only make a judgment against you if your health would inhibit your ability to provide for the child’s needs.
Paternity Tests and Divorce
Infidelity is a common cause of divorce. If you know that your spouse has been unfaithful, it might raise questions about whether you are the father of her children. In Texas, when a child is born to a married woman, her husband is legally presumed to be the child’s father. However, the presumption of paternity is rebuttable. This means that you have an opportunity to prove that you are not the father and have the law recognize that the children in question are not your responsibility. If you suspect that you are not the father of your spouse’s children, it is generally best to determine paternity during your divorce. An experienced San Antonio, TX divorce lawyer can help you with this complex situation.
Paternity Must be Established Before Child Custody is Decided
Issues that concern the children cannot be decided until paternity is established. If you suspect that the children born into your marriage are not biologically yours, it makes sense to wait until you are sure to start discussing child custody and child support. The court will likely order a paternity test and wait for the results before moving on to other issues since the paternity issue can affect every aspect of your divorce.
From our office in San Antonio, we provide legal help to clients throughout Central Texas, including Converse, Seguin, Selma, Windcrest, Schertz, Live Oak, New Braunfels, Alamo Heights, Balcones Heights, Castle Hills, Hollywood Park, Shavano Park, Leon Valley, Helotes, Boerne, Bexar County, Comal County, Kendall County, Guadalupe County and Medina County.
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
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