Welcome to our Houston and Midland, Texas Family Law, Estate Planning Blog

If you were feeling relatively content in your marriage, you were likely caught off guard by your spouse's decision to file for divorce. Learning that your spouse no longer wants to continue in the relationship can affect every aspect of your life, and for a time you may find it difficult to concentrate at work or be an engaged parent. You may even be feeling depressed, in which case you should seek professional guidance.

If you are struggling to emotionally deal with the difficult aspects of divorce, you may want to step back to reflect on the bigger picture. It's easy to focus on the short-term negatives, but by thinking about the ways that divorce may benefit your life, you may be able to move forward more positively. The following are some of the possible advantages of divorce.

Many people think that a will is only for someone with a great deal of assets. The truth is that making a thorough estate plan that includes a will is a good idea for anyone and everyone. Even for those who recognize how important a will can be, they may procrastinate or avoid creating one. Experts caution against this practice and stress that proper estate planning is necessary to ensure that a person's estate is handled in the manner that he or she wishes. Fortunately, experts also have guidance for those here in Texas and elsewhere who may be struggling with the process.

One expert recommends that people think about who their will might positively affect. If people have children or other loved ones they want to be sure are cared for in the event of their deaths, a will is a way to reduce costs and detail precisely what care needs to be provided. Thinking about a will in a positive light may also be more inspirational for a person who feels guilty for not completing one.

Though most people in Texas have car insurance, they hope it's something they'll never have to use. When they need it, they are grateful to have it available. Unfortunately, some people may have their legitimate insurance claims denied, which can be devastating to their finances. This is what one man from out of state says happened to him when his car insurance company refused to pay his claim after he was in a motor vehicle accident.

The man in this case purchased a car from a relative and drove several states away to get it. During his trip home, he was in a car accident, which caused damage to the vehicle. He believed the car should have been covered by his insurance. His insurer reportedly believed the damaged car was meant to replace his previous car, which didn't carry collision coverage, only liability. His insurer denied the claim, and, according to the man, tried to dictate what repairs on the newer car would be allowed.

A divorce can happen to any person of any age or background. However, researchers have recently seen a surge in the number of people getting divorced who are older than 50. A quarter of the people who divorced in 2010 were 50 years old or older, which is an increase of 15% from just 20 years earlier. The reasons for this are varied, but Texas families may be interested in the particular challenges that a divorce for people in this demographic may produce. A recent study found that there are certain financial difficulties that a person who experiences a gray divorce may encounter.

First, a person's household wealth may drop by half and women are the ones more likely to feel the pinch. Many people in this age bracket are trying to help their young adult children afford college, which significantly adds to the potential financial burden. Those who have a gray divorce have less time and ability to build up previous financial investments that they had to divide in a divorce agreement. For those who may have already retired but feel the need to re-enter the workforce, that can be very difficult due to their age.