McKinney Divorce Law Blog

Regardless of one's profession, the obligation to help provide for one's children is one of the most important matters in life. Though the majority of parents make every effort to ensure that they are in compliance with child support orders, there are parents who find themselves falling behind in these vital payments. Texas parents who are in need of assistance with either making payments or collecting these monies may seek relief through the family courts.

Recently, a former candidate for a state congressional seat was ordered by a judge to make a payment to his former spouse for child support or face a 10-day jail sentence. The judge has ordered the man, Steve Gill, to provide support in the amount of $170,000 by the end of May. He reportedly owes an estimated $245,300, which he has been ordered to pay. His former wife filed a lawsuit in January of this year after not having received support for an unspecified period of time. The amount owed includes medical expenses as well as college tuition costs. 

Studies show that the poverty rate for children from single-parent families is significantly higher than for children who live in two-parent homes. Though there are measures that have varying success in ensuring that custodial parents receive child support payments, more may need to be done to improve the lives of these children. Texas residents who rely on assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may also benefit from increased compliance with child support orders.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently issued a statement requesting that individual states revise program rules to help enforce compliance with child support requirements. The agency is recommending that both custodial and non-custodial parents sign an agreement that they will seek to cooperate with existing support orders or will enter into an agreement regarding these essential payments. This recommendation would apply to both parties whenever either applies for benefits from the nutrition program.

When the Bezos' announced their impending divorce, the story was carried on every news outlet. Though there have been many high net worth divorce filings among the wealthy and newsworthy, this one garnered much attention based on the value of the assets on the line. However, there are four key points from this divorce that may serve any Texas resident. 

A high asset divorce means there is much more at stake than in the average dissolution. As such, a divorcing couple may be tempted to fight for their share during the property division. Instead of preparing for battle, the Bezos' elected to make a joint public statement announcing their divorce and their desire to seek a future as friendly co-parents. With this in mind, the first step in approaching a divorce is to have a narrative ready. This narrative may prevent the public disclosure of personal issues and prevent friends from having to choose sides.

The decision to divorce was probably made after much careful consideration. Likewise, when it comes to the property division settlement, Texas residents are encouraged to approach this process carefully. Though this is a community property state, the division of certain assets can quickly become complicated.

One area where the division of assets can become troublesome is retirement accounts. There are several different classifications, and the rules and potential costs of dividing these accounts may have different implications for the parties involved. When it comes to federal regulations and the Internal Revenue Service, retirement and pension plans fall into two distinct categories: those that are classified as qualified and those that are not. Qualified accounts required a Qualified Domestic Relations Order signed by a judge before they can be separated into two accounts. A 401(k) is the most common type of account subjected to these rules.