Understand Family Law. Explore options in divorce, child support, custody agreements. Find a qualified family lawyer to guide you through the process.
Common law marriage in Texas IS a legally valid form of marriage that carries identical legal rights and protections as ceremonial marriage. Both are recognized under Texas Family Code § 2.401, and the key difference is procedural—ceremonial marriage requires a license and ceremony, while common law marriage requires meeting three statutory elements without formal documentation….
Yes, a common law wife in Texas is entitled to the same legal rights and protections as a ceremonially married wife when three statutory requirements are met: agreement to be married, cohabitation as husband and wife, and holding out as married to others. These entitlements include equal property division, spousal support, inheritance rights, and federal…
Yes, Texas recognizes common law marriage when three specific requirements are met: the couple agrees to be married, lives together as husband and wife, and holds themselves out to others as married. This type of marriage is just as legally valid as a ceremonial marriage, giving you the same rights to property division, spousal benefits,…
Yes, you can adopt your stepchild even if the biological father refuses to sign consent papers. Courts can terminate parental rights involuntarily through legal proceedings that prove abandonment, unfitness, or that adoption serves the child’s best interests. Can a stepparent adopt without the biological father’s permission? What legal grounds allow courts to override a father’s…
You can claim the federal Adoption Tax Credit once per child for each adoption you complete, with no limit on the number of children. If you adopt multiple children, you claim the credit for each child separately. Additionally, unused portions of the credit can be carried forward for up to five years. As of January…
The $3,600 child tax credit was a temporary expansion that expired after 2021—for tax year 2026, the maximum credit is $2,200 per qualifying child under age 17, with income limits starting at $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for married couples filing jointly. What are the current income requirements for the child tax credit, and…
A child qualifies as special needs for the adoption tax credit when a state or tribal government determines the child cannot or should not return to their parents’ home AND has specific factors making placement without assistance unlikely—not simply because they have a medical diagnosis. Does my child’s disability automatically qualify them as special needs…
The maximum adoption credit for special needs children is $17,280 for tax year 2026—and unlike regular adoption credits, you can claim the full amount regardless of your actual expenses. How much is the adoption credit for special needs compared to standard adoptions, and what makes this benefit so valuable? According to the North American Council…
Yes, you can legally place an autistic child for adoption, just as you can with any child, though the process involves special considerations and support systems you should understand first. Parents also ask “what are my options if I can’t care for my autistic child” and “are there alternatives to adoption for special needs children.”…