An award of spousal maintenance unofficially referred to by McKinney divorce lawyers as alimony can be affected by many factors. Is cheating one of them? For example, do you still have to pay support to an ex who committed adultery? Or if you started seeing someone after your separation, will that be counted against you? McKinney divorce lawyers explain how extra-marital relationships could affect a court’s determination regarding alimony, property division, and more.

The results of a paternity test can drastically change family dynamics or have virtually no effect at all, depending on the situation. But what are the legal ramifications? Seasoned McKinney family lawyers explain the consequences of establishing paternity in Texas.

We’ve all seen scenes in movies where an attorney in a black suit reads a will aloud to family members waiting anxiously to learn what property they have inherited. Wills can provide a way to distribute property in minute detail. But they can also fulfill a function that is even more important. You can use a will to direct and protect the future of your minor children. If you have children under the age of 18 or plan to have children in the future, it is a good idea to talk to a McKinney will attorney about incorporating guardianship provisions in your will. 

Allen family lawyers often talk to divorced or separated parents who are uncertain about whether they need permission from their ex to take their child on vacation. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question because many factors affect the legal rights and requirements of the parties involved.

In Texas, couples can get married without the formality of any type of ceremony. This is known as common law marriage or informal marriage. Although many states do not allow residents to marry without formalities the way Texas does, common law marriages formed in Texas are recognized in all other states.

When most people hear the term “estate planning,” they think about older people preparing to distribute property in a will or trust. However, estate planning is just as critical for young adults, including those just heading off to college.

Whether for work, family ties, or just a change of scenery, one partner often decides to move out of the area after a divorce. When parents of a child were never married to begin with, the likelihood that one parent will relocate may be even greater.

Divorce is not easy at any stage in life, but couples divorcing over the age of 50 face some concerns and potential problems that are often not as relevant for younger couples. While there used to be a tendency for older couples with irreconcilable differences to remain married and miserable, now these couples often choose to divorce and move forward with their lives independently.

If you mention the term “estate planning,” most people in Collin County probably think of wills, trusts, and other legal mechanisms involving property. These provide important ways to prepare for the future, but there are other critical documents you should also include in your estate plan. To be fully covered, you should have documents that address healthcare decision-making.   

Sometimes they do it intentionally, but many times divorcing parents are not really aware when it’s happening. Parental alienation is all too common in McKinney divorce cases. One or both parents say and do things to damage their child’s relationship with the other parent.