Children

Did you know that you are no longer the legal guardian of your 18-year-old son or daughter?  Eighteen is the age of majority in Texas, meaning that at age 18, young adults are presumed competent to make decisions about health care, finances, and other important areas of life. What does that mean for your child graduating from high school?  For one thing, it means that you are not able to...

Many families are blessed with a child (or adult) who happens to have a disability. There is obviously some concern regarding that loved one’s care and standard of living once a parent or other caregiver is no longer able to provide for them. SSI and Medicaid Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid can help, but they are limited and require the disabled person to have very depressed levels of assets and...

With so much disagreement nowadays, here is one thing we can all agree on: Leaving money outright to a minor child is a really bad idea. It is such a bad idea, in fact, that most judges will take extraordinary steps to tie up the money for as long as the law permits rather than see it be squandered by a shiftless parent, guardian or 18-year old. So if there is universal...

School is almost out, and children and parents alike eagerly await summer break. However, summertime can bring on the blues for families affected by divorce. With proper planning and communication, however, summer can be what it should be for everyone: fun, relaxing and memorable. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you or a loved one are dealing with divorce. Be a Better Co-Parent When temperatures rise, take meaningful...

In 2005, Texas introduced the requirement for Parenting Plans. Parenting plans essentially replace the Standard Possession Order and the terms previously associated with child custody and child visitation in Texas. “Parenting plan” means a temporary or final court order that sets out the rights and duties of parents in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship and includes provisions relating to conservatorship, possession of and access to a child, and child...

Can't we all just agree? No.  And maybe  that's a good thing. Sometimes the stakes are too high for compromise in a Texas child custody case.   In those types of child custody cases, you  need an aggressive child custody attorney in your corner.   The family law attorneys at Hammerle Finley Law Firm may be able to help. Texas child custody cases between parents  usually arise in three types of situations.  First, there are the unmarried parents...

Texas has an easy way for parents to allow a relative to care for their children - just sign a simple document. Our attorneys at Hammerle Finley have used it successfully for several families. The name of the document is “Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative.” What a benefit for parents, grandparents and children! Texas provides that a parent can essentially delegate legal care of a child to a relative, without going...