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

As a divorcing parent, you may be concerned about the effect that your divorce will have on your child. Unfortunately, some children suffer significantly as a result of their parents' divorce. They may have unaddressed fears about the split, and they may internalize certain negative emotions by blaming themselves. This, in turn, can have implications on their grades at school and future prospects.

It is important to understand the psychology of children when dealing with such issues. Children do not think in the same way that adults do. However, this does not mean that they are unaware of conflicts and marital issues. By taking simple steps to communicate with your child and by seeking to truly understand them, you will be able to work through this challenging time by their side.

Being an executor can be a great honor, but it is also a major responsibility. Many people here in Texas recognize the importance of the role, but are nervous about what is expected. Experts have advice for those who are appointed to this position, and warn of some common mistakes that can occur during the probate process.

One of the main components of being the executor of a will is dealing with beneficiaries. Some people make the mistake of not maintaining communication with beneficiaries, or even favoring one over all of the others, which can have disastrous consequences. Beneficiaries may decide to petition the court to remove the executor. Some executors might think that distributing or selling assets on their own will avoid this kind of problem, but that can also be cause for removal. Other people, for varied reasons, make the mistake of doing nothing at all, which does not honor the wishes of the deceased and can complicate the entire matter.

When people get a divorce, they sometimes feel a certain amount of shame for having gone through such a difficult event. Despite the fact that a large percentage of people in Texas and across the country are divorced, the stigma attached can be too much for some people to deal with. In particular, people are often reticent to share details of any of the financial hardships that can come with a divorce. Experts say that this reluctance may be unhelpful and that, contrary to popular belief, it can actually be beneficial for a person to openly discuss their financial situation, in the right circumstances.

One study showed that over half of divorced people in the country rarely discuss their financial situation with the rest of their family. In comparison, among all survey respondents, only 27 percent felt uncomfortable bringing up money matters to loved ones. The same study found that a higher percentage of divorced people feel that they do not make enough money to care for themselves and that they allocate more of their income to debt than savings. What these statistics reveal is that many people feel ashamed about the state of their finances after divorce.

If you are a custodial parent, it is likely that you are financially dependent on child support payments to some extent. The payments that you receive from the other parent will help you to pay for your child's food, shelter, child care and extra-curricular activities. If you have not been receiving child support payments recently, you may be feeling angry or distressed about this issue.

The state of Texas takes child support enforcement very seriously, because it recognizes the impact that missed payments can have on families. There are many options for parents who are suffering financially due to delinquent payments.