Tag Archive for: Texas Family Law Attorney

Texas Family Law Attorney Talks About the Trouble With Pro Se Divorce

If you are thinking of filing for divorce, you may be thinking about doing so pro se. When a person files a pro se divorce, they file for divorce on their own behalf, without the aid of an attorney. It is easy to understand why pro se divorce is so attractive. Attorneys charge fees for their services. Finding an attorney can take a little time, because not every attorney is available to take new cases whenever a potential client inquires and because not every attorney is a good fit for every prospective client. If you work and have a family, you may also be thinking that pro se divorce might be easier because you would not have to find time to meet with an attorney, assuming that you could afford to hire one and could fine one who was not only available to take your case but who is also a good fit for you. Pro se divorce may even appear to be easy, because there are forms, software, and other products that promise a complete divorce solution and that are available for purchase at attractive prices.

What you may not know and what the people or companies that are selling the divorce products will not tell you is that many people who represented themselves in their divorce cases are dissatisfied with the results. Even worse, some people who represent themselves at the beginning of their divorce cases seek assistance from an attorney at some point during the proceedings and end up paying more in legal fees than they would have had they retained the same attorney at the outset of the case because the attorney had to do extra work to “fix” mistakes that the person made as a pro se litigant prior to retaining the attorney. One example of a mistake that a pro se litigant might make is using the wrong forms or submitting forms late, both of which can happen when you use a divorce product like the ones that were described above.

In contrast, many people who are represented by attorneys in their divorce cases are satisfied with the outcomes. Retaining an attorney to represent you does not guarantee that you will get the exact result that you want in your divorce, but it does give you the best possible chance at getting as much of what you want as is possible. While it is true that hiring an attorney costs money, it is money well spent because your attorney can help you to understand whether a proposed property settlement or other proposed financial provision will serve your best interest. Your attorney can also help you avoid accepting a divorce settlement that would long term consequences, financial or otherwise, that do not serve you.

One of the most compelling reasons to work with an attorney for your divorce is that working with an attorney increases your chance of settling your divorce without going to trial. Settling a divorce is much less stressful and much less costly than going to trial, and both parties usually feel satisfied with the outcome.

Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra – A Trusted Source for Texas Divorce Law Expertise

Retaining an attorney for your Texas divorce case does cost money, but pro se divorce can be even more costly in every sense of the word. Make sure that your Texas divorce gets done right, and gets resolved in a manner that works well for you. Call Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

Texas Family Law Attorney Talks About the Trouble With Pro Se Divorce

If you are thinking of filing for divorce, you may be thinking about doing so pro se. When a person files a pro se divorce, they file for divorce on their own behalf, without the aid of an attorney. It is easy to understand why pro se divorce is so attractive. Attorneys charge fees for their services. Finding an attorney can take a little time, because not every attorney is available to take new cases whenever a potential client inquires and because not every attorney is a good fit for every prospective client. If you work and have a family, you may also be thinking that pro se divorce might be easier because you would not have to find time to meet with an attorney, assuming that you could afford to hire one and could fine one who was not only available to take your case but who is also a good fit for you. Pro se divorce may even appear to be easy, because there are forms, software, and other products that promise a complete divorce solution and that are available for purchase at attractive prices.

What you may not know and what the people or companies that are selling the divorce products will not tell you is that many people who represented themselves in their divorce cases are dissatisfied with the results. Even worse, some people who represent themselves at the beginning of their divorce cases seek assistance from an attorney at some point during the proceedings and end up paying more in legal fees than they would have had they retained the same attorney at the outset of the case because the attorney had to do extra work to “fix” mistakes that the person made as a pro se litigant prior to retaining the attorney. One example of a mistake that a pro se litigant might make is using the wrong forms or submitting forms late, both of which can happen when you use a divorce product like the ones that were described above.

In contrast, many people who are represented by attorneys in their divorce cases are satisfied with the outcomes. Retaining an attorney to represent you does not guarantee that you will get the exact result that you want in your divorce, but it does give you the best possible chance at getting as much of what you want as is possible. While it is true that hiring an attorney costs money, it is money well spent because your attorney can help you to understand whether a proposed property settlement or other proposed financial provision will serve your best interest. Your attorney can also help you avoid accepting a divorce settlement that would long term consequences, financial or otherwise, that do not serve you.

One of the most compelling reasons to work with an attorney for your divorce is that working with an attorney increases your chance of settling your divorce without going to trial. Settling a divorce is much less stressful and much less costly than going to trial, and both parties usually feel satisfied with the outcome.

Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra – A Trusted Source for Texas Divorce Law Expertise

Retaining an attorney for your Texas divorce case does cost money, but pro se divorce can be even more costly in every sense of the word. Make sure that your Texas divorce gets done right, and gets resolved in a manner that works well for you. Call Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra today, at (903) 753-7499.

Texas Family Law Attorney Discusses How Rushing Your Divorce Could Cost You

One of the most pressing concerns that divorce clients have is the length of time that their divorce case is likely to take. This is completely natural, given the nature of divorce. By the time divorce clients meet with a family law attorney to begin the process of divorce, they have decided to end their marriage and they want to move forward in their lives. As strong as that desire may be, it is essential that you not rush your divorce case.

The primary reason that patience is important during a divorce is that being impatient could cost you lots of money. Some individuals file for divorce without an attorney, or they choose an attorney who offers a very low price for divorce services without fully understanding what their fee covers and what it does not. When mistakes are made, these individuals must seek experienced counsel to address them, which often costs more than they would have paid if they had retained knowledgeable counsel at the outset of their divorce case.

Another important reason to take your time with your divorce is to avoid rushing to decisions. The divorce process involves a lot of negotiation, and it is often a good idea to sit with proposals made by your soon to be former spouse for a while before deciding whether or not to accept them. Hasty decision making does not work out well in many situations, and this is especially true for divorce cases. For example, if you quickly skim through a parent child contact schedule that your soon to be former spouse has proposed and sign it without taking a close look at it and thinking carefully about how you would likely feel living with it, you might agree to something that does not work well for you, or that gives you much less parenting time than you believe is fair. It is much better to read it carefully, think about it, and then decide whether it will work for you or whether you will propose something different.

While the legal process associated with divorce may take some time, it is important that people who are getting divorced understand that the legal aspects of your divorce are just part of the picture. This realization can be quite empowering, because there are many ways that you can move forward in your life even as you navigate the divorce process. For example, working with your feelings about the end of your marriage, either on your own or with the aid of a therapist, can be done at any time. You could also focus on strengthening relationships with yourself, your children, and other people who are close to you. There are so many ways that divorcing individuals can move forward as they work through the divorce process. The key to doing so successfully is to remember to make choices that will not detract from your divorce proceedings. Fortunately, you do not have to make these decisions all on your own. If you have a question about whether a specific course of action would likely affect your divorce case, your Texas divorce attorney is likely to be able to help you find the answer.

Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra – Your Source for Texas Divorce Law Expertise

Divorce cases can take some time, but that time is well spent as an investment in your future. If you have questions about divorce in Texas, Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra can help you. Call our office today, at (903) 753-7499.

Texas Family Law Attorney Suggests Planning Ahead for Your 2016 Divorce

Many people who file for divorce do so in January. The desire to improve one’s life is at its peak at the start of each year, so it is not surprising that there are approximately thirty percent more divorce cases filed in January than there are in any other month. If you plan to file for divorce in January of 2016, be sure to plan and prepare for your divorce in advance. There are some things that you can do to give yourself the best possible chance of obtaining an outcome in your divorce case that will work well for you.

One mistake that some people make is filing for divorce without first considering the legal, personal, and financial implications of ending their marriage. Divorce is a major life decision, and it is essential that you seek professional advice in three key areas so that you can obtain important information about what your life could look and feel like during and after your divorce.

An essential step in preparing for your divorce is consulting with a divorce attorney. Your divorce attorney can explain the process of divorce in your state, as well as what you might reasonably expect to occur during and after your divorce case. Since the rules regarding divorce are different from state to state, an understanding of what rules will apply during your divorce case is critical for being able to think about how your divorce case might play out. For example, when it comes to dividing marital assets, Texas is a community property state, but other states follow different methods of distributing property. If you have children, custody and visitation rules vary from state to state. Your divorce attorney can explain how your family life is likely to be different for you during and after your divorce.

Since there are so many emotions involved in divorce, seeking out a psychologist can help you to feel confident that you are making a clear decision that is in your best interest. It can also help you in determining whether you need additional support around issues like abuse or depression which could affect the way in which you navigate your divorce case. When you select a psychologist, understand that you may not feel comfortable with the first psychologist that you visit, or the second, or even the third. Interacting with a psychologist is an intensely personal experience and it is well worth the time and effort to find someone you can trust who can support you before, during, and after your divorce.

Your financial situation may change drastically during and after your divorce, so be sure to consult a certified financial planner before diving in. Your financial planner can help you understand what effects your divorce is likely to have on your finances. The financial implications of divorce range from matters that affect day to day survival like income and expenses to periodic and long-term considerations like taxes and retirement. Your financial planner can take what you know about your financial situation and help you understand what your options could be both during and after your divorce.

Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra – Texas Divorce Law Expertise You can Trust

The arrival of a new year brings with it a powerful surge of energy that you may want to use to transform your personal life. If you are planning ahead for a 2016 divorce, Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra could help you. Call our office today, at (903) 753-7499.

Texas Family Law Attorney Discusses Divorce after Age Fifty

Divorce knows no boundaries when it comes to age. Couples of any age can encounter difficulties in their marital relationships that they feel would be best resolved by divorce. While divorcing couples as a group may face similar challenges, there are some issues that are especially relevant to marriages in which one or both of the spouses are fifty years of age or older.

For example, all divorcing couples must deal with the issue of property distribution. Regardless of a couple’s age, navigating the issue of who gets to keep the marital home can be complicated. Older adults are even more likely to younger adults to have developed a deep attachment to their home, and they may be reluctant to think about going to live anywhere else. However, owning a home is not without its responsibilities. If you are thinking about trying to keep your home, remember that the costs of home ownership will be yours to bear, along with the cost of maintaining your home and either paying someone to maintain it or doing things like mowing the lawn, repairing things that break, and shoveling the driveway and walkways yourself. It is also important to remember that the spouse who keeps the home will get fewer of the couple’s other assets, in order to compensate the spouse who is not going to keep the house for his or her share of the home’s value.

Other financial considerations for adults over the age of fifty who are considering divorce include retirement and alimony. Depending upon what your spouse does for work and whether they have any retirement funds of their own, you may have a few different options for addressing the issue of dividing up retirement funds. For example, if your spouse has a smaller retirement fund than you do, they may ask you to provide them with some of your retirement income, or they may ask you to give them other assets in exchange for being able to retain all of your retirement funds. You and your spouse’s past and present work history will also affect the issue of alimony. If your spouse has done little to no work outside of the home during your marriage, they are likely to be awarded long-term alimony because their post-divorce employment prospects are not the same as a spouse who is currently employed or who held a job during some of the marriage.

Older couples are less likely than younger couples to have to make plans for parenting time, because often, all of their children have reached adulthood. Despite the lack of a formal requirement to address the needs of their children, many divorcing couples with adult children do think about and plan for the continued roles of their adult children in their lives. If you and your spouse have talked about involving your children as caregivers for you as you age, it is important that you discuss whether and how your divorce will impact any plans that you have made. Of course, this will necessarily involve consulting with your children and involving them in the decision making process.

Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra – Comprehensive Legal Support for Divorcing Texans

Divorce can happen at any age. Older adults face all of the challenges that other divorcing couples must grapple with, as well as some additional issues like alimony and the roles of their adult children in their lives. If you have questions about divorce, Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra can help you. Call our office today, at (903) 753-7499.

Texas Family Law Attorney Explains Collaborative Divorce

If you are considering filing for divorce, or if you have recently filed for divorce, you may have heard of the term “collaborative divorce”. If you have heard of collaborative divorce and you are wondering what it is, you have come to the right place. I feel as though it is important that divorcing Texans understand what collaborative divorce is, because it has been used to accomplish many positive outcomes in Texas divorce cases.

In a collaborative divorce, the parties work with their lawyers to reach agreements on the issues that are relevant to their case, instead of having a judge decide on those issues in court. Couples who have resolved their divorce cases through collaborative divorce are often very satisfied with the outcomes in their cases. Couples with children who have resolved their divorce cases through the process of collaborative divorce also report satisfaction with the outcomes of their cases, not only for themselves but for their children as well.

Collaborative divorce is a process that a couple may choose to engage in if both spouses are committed to resolving their divorce without litigation. Before a couple can resolve their divorce collaboratively, both parties must sign a contract which indicates their commitment to completing the process. That same contract also specifies that the attorneys who represent the spouses in their collaborative divorce are prohibited from representing either party in family-related litigation in the future.

It is important to note that the process of collaborative divorce is different from both arbitration and mediation. In arbitration, the parties explain their positions to an arbitrator, who then decides the outcome of the matter. Mediation is a process in which a neutral party, the mediator, works with the parties both separately and together in an attempt to reach an agreement. The process of collaborative divorce involves multiple meetings where both parties are present with their attorneys. The meetings have limited agendas, so as to keep the parties and their attorneys focused on and working towards the goal of reaching an agreement.

Collaborative divorce provides a method by which parties can work through the issues of parenting time, child support, and property distribution to craft a divorce agreement that could give each of them some of what they most want out of their divorce. Many couples with and without children are choosing collaborative divorce because it enables them to avoid the time, expense, and emotional turmoil that often accompanies a trial. Sometimes, even couples who are involved in high-conflict relationships are able to resolve their divorces through the collaborative divorce process because they go through the process with the assistance of their attorneys.

Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra – Providing Strong Advocacy for Divorcing Texans

Getting divorced is not easy, but there are some options for resolving your divorce case that may be easier than others. If you would like to learn more about collaborative divorce, Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra can help you. Call our office today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas Family Law Attorney Talks About Dividing Business Interests in Divorce Cases

If one or both spouses in a Texas divorce own an interest in a business, the ownership of that business interest must be addressed in their property settlement. There are many ways that business interests can be addressed in property settlements. In fact, you might say that there are as many ways to handle business interests in a divorce as there are types of business interests that spouses own. Whether one or both of you own and operate your own businesses, participate in and own part of a family business, or own some other type of interest in a business, the disposition of your business interests takes place in the larger context of your property settlement. This means that the overall scheme for dividing all of your marital property, including any business interests that are deemed marital property, must have a just and right result.

Business interests can be a tricky item to deal with during a divorce property settlement. They are not simply items of value, they carry with them tax consequences, including tax consequences which may be triggered upon the transfer of the business interest, they generate income, and they can involve debts. Sometimes, it is fairly easy to decide what to do with a business interest. For example, if one spouse owns and operates their own business with no help, either physically or financially, and the non-involved spouse wants nothing to do with it, the spouse who owns it will keep it. Usually when this happens, the spouse who does not get the business interest receives money or property with a value similar to the value of the business interest, so as to keep things fair.

Sometimes, though, spouses own and operate businesses together. When this happens, the spouses may have to make some difficult decisions about whether the business will continue, who will continue it, and other similar matters. Sometimes, things are able to keep going just like they were before the divorce because some divorcing couples who own businesses together have excellent professional relationships and the ability to separate their business relationship from their personal relationship. If this scenario applies to a divorcing couple, their attorneys can help them to design a settlement that provides for continued joint operation and ownership.

Other couples who own businesses will not be able to continue on in business together after their divorce. When this happens, it is common for the spouse who wants to keep the business and operate it as their own to buy out the other spouse’s ownership interest in the business. Buyouts often consist of the other spouse getting money or assets that are worth about as much as the business is worth. Business valuation experts are often consulted to help the parties determine what the business is currently worth, so that they can make decisions about how to proceed with it. In some divorce cases, neither spouse wants to continue owning or operating the business. They may wind up the business and dispose of business assets and pay business debts in their property settlement agreement.

If you or your spouse has an ownership in one or more businesses, a Texas divorce attorney can help you explore your options for dealing with business ownership in the property settlement. Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra can help you understand many things about property settlements, whether or not they involve a business interest. To learn more about property settlements in your Texas divorce, please call us today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas Family Law Attorney Discusses Property Settlements

One of the major components of a Texas divorce is the property settlement. Texas is a community property state, which means that the judge will order a division of the divorcing couple’s marital property that is “just and right”. Of course, a just and right property division can take many forms, including a division of assets and debts that is not equal. This may leave many people wondering how assets can be justly and rightly divided in an uneven matter.

The reason why some property divisions are even while others are lopsided is that marital property is not divided in a vacuum. In other words, the circumstances of the divorce matter. A lot. Factors like whether one spouse is a stay at home parent, the age of the parties’ children if they have any, whether there is an innocent spouse and a spouse who is at fault for the failure of the marriage, whether there are differences in the spouses’ health status or age, and more are all up for consideration when a judge is deciding how to distribute a divorcing couple’s marital property.

There are also other principles that judges consider when they design property distributions. The transfer or division of some types of assets can have tax consequences, so those must be factored in when considering where those particular assets will go. Also, since the marital estate includes both assets and debts, the judge must decide how to divide both the positive and the negative aspects of the couple’s marital property.

The overall amount of marital property also has an effect on how it will be divided, with couples with large marital estates often getting a closer to equal distribution than those with fewer resources to divide. Some types of assets are also difficult or impractical to divide, such as businesses that are owned and operated by one spouse. When there are assets that are not easily divisible, judges often design property settlements that grant the difficult to divide asset to the spouse to whom it is most useful while giving a group of assets which, when taken together, have a value that is close to that of the difficult to divide asset to the other spouse.

If you have questions or concerns about property settlements, a Texas divorce attorney can help you find the answers that you need. Whether you want to know more about property settlements or you have a question about child custody, an attorney can help you understand what your options are. Texas Family Law Attorney Alex Tyra can tell you more about how marital property is divided in Texas, as well as how you and your soon to be former spouse may be able to design a property settlement that meets both of your needs without asking a judge to divide your property for you. If you would like to learn more about property settlements or any other aspect of your Texas divorce, please call us today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas Family Law Attorney Talks about Alcohol, Addiction, and Divorce

Alcoholism and drug abuse are two things that can ruin a marriage beyond repair. They are long-term problems that have far-reaching effects into the life of the person who is an addict or an alcoholic, their spouse, and their entire family. Unfortunately, many American families struggle with alcoholism and addiction. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of divorce among middle-aged couples. One of the biggest problems facing families that are affected by alcoholism and addiction is that many people try to keep it hidden, or to pretend that it is not happening in their home. This can be exhausting, and often, spouses of alcoholics and drug addicts arrive at a point where they can no longer deny what is going on inside of their home. The problem then becomes what, if anything, they will decide to do about it.

A lack of love is not often found in marriages that end because of alcoholism or drug addiction. In fact, spouses of alcoholics or addicts often report that they love their spouse very much and wish that they did not have to end the relationship. Spouses of addicts and alcoholics do not often decide to file for divorce early on in the marriage, or even shortly after they realize that their spouse has become an alcoholic or a drug addict. They often spend years doing whatever they can to make the marriage work and help their spouse get treatment, but eventually they realize that whether their spouse becomes sober or not is not up to them. That is often the most difficult thing for the spouse of an alcoholic or a drug addict to realize, but it can also be a powerful catalyst that helps them decide that ending the marriage is the best thing that they can do for themself and for their children if they have any.

Drug addiction and alcoholism are very serious obstacles to overcome, and recovery is a lifelong challenge. Even addicts and alcoholics who express a strong commitment to overcoming their addictions can stumble and fall along the way. The spouses and families of people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol experience the process of recovery, with all of its twists and turns, right along with the person who is recovering. Unfortunately, the intense emotional ups and downs that accompany living with an alcoholic or addict, whether they are recovering or not, can, over time, cause other people in the household to develop issues of their own. Because of this, it may still be necessary to divorce your spouse, even if they are recovering.

If you are married to an alcoholic or a drug addict, it may be difficult to make the decision to end your marriage. Unfortunately, for a marriage to be sustainable, both spouses must be committed to making it work. If you have made the difficult decision to end your marriage, a Texas Family Law Attorney can provide you with the top-quality legal support that you deserve. Texas Divorce Attorney Alex Tyra can help you to understand the divorce process, and he can help you to pursue a resolution of your Texas divorce case that meets your needs. If you have questions or concerns regarding your Texas divorce, please call our office today, at (903) 753-7499.

 

Texas Family Law Attorney Talks about Alcohol, Addiction, and Divorce

Alcoholism and drug abuse are two things that can ruin a marriage beyond repair. They are long-term problems that have far-reaching effects into the life of the person who is an addict or an alcoholic, their spouse, and their entire family. Unfortunately, many American families struggle with alcoholism and addiction. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of divorce among middle-aged couples. One of the biggest problems facing families that are affected by alcoholism and addiction is that many people try to keep it hidden, or to pretend that it is not happening in their home. This can be exhausting, and often, spouses of alcoholics and drug addicts arrive at a point where they can no longer deny what is going on inside of their home. The problem then becomes what, if anything, they will decide to do about it.

A lack of love is not often found in marriages that end because of alcoholism or drug addiction. In fact, spouses of alcoholics or addicts often report that they love their spouse very much and wish that they did not have to end the relationship. Spouses of addicts and alcoholics do not often decide to file for divorce early on in the marriage, or even shortly after they realize that their spouse has become an alcoholic or a drug addict. They often spend years doing whatever they can to make the marriage work and help their spouse get treatment, but eventually they realize that whether their spouse becomes sober or not is not up to them. That is often the most difficult thing for the spouse of an alcoholic or a drug addict to realize, but it can also be a powerful catalyst that helps them decide that ending the marriage is the best thing that they can do for themself and for their children if they have any.

Drug addiction and alcoholism are very serious obstacles to overcome, and recovery is a lifelong challenge. Even addicts and alcoholics who express a strong commitment to overcoming their addictions can stumble and fall along the way. The spouses and families of people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol experience the process of recovery, with all of its twists and turns, right along with the person who is recovering. Unfortunately, the intense emotional ups and downs that accompany living with an alcoholic or addict, whether they are recovering or not, can, over time, cause other people in the household to develop issues of their own. Because of this, it may still be necessary to divorce your spouse, even if they are recovering.

If you are married to an alcoholic or a drug addict, it may be difficult to make the decision to end your marriage. Unfortunately, for a marriage to be sustainable, both spouses must be committed to making it work. If you have made the difficult decision to end your marriage, a Texas Family Law Attorney can provide you with the top-quality legal support that you deserve. Texas Divorce Attorney Alex Tyra can help you to understand the divorce process, and he can help you to pursue a resolution of your Texas divorce case that meets your needs. If you have questions or concerns regarding your Texas divorce, please call our office today, at (903) 753-7499.