Years ago, most people assumed they needed to use a will to ensure that their property would be allocated properly after they passed away. Then suddenly many estate planning lawyers started insisting that living trusts were a better option.

Clients frequently ask McKinney family lawyers whether Texas is a “mother state” or “father state” when it comes to issues like custody, visitation, and child support. Fathers, in particular, are worried about what rights they have and what they need to do to enforce those rights.

If you’re in the middle of the divorce process with a narcissist or other self-centered, manipulative personality type, you know how frustrating the communication process can be. Even after divorce, you may find it incredibly difficult to deal with issues such as child care or mutual debts that require contact with your ex.

The most carefully crafted estate plan may fall to pieces if family members, trustees, and executors and others do not understand what you have prepared and what their duties will be. A McKinney will attorney knows one of the best ways to avoid chaos and enable everyone to face the future with confidence is to hold an estate planning “fire drill.”

Even though tax laws change, one constant feature is that parents can usually obtain some form of financial benefit when they are able to claim a minor child as a dependent on their tax return. After parents divorce, one question a McKinney child custody lawyer often receives is “can we both claim the tax benefits?” Parents also usually want to know whether the tax benefits are based on custody arrangements.

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.