Prenuptial agreements or premarital agreements are often misunderstood. Some people think that these useful legal contracts are only needed for extremely wealthy couples. Others assume that only those with little faith in their relationship’s long-term sustainability would sign a prenup. In reality, prenuptial agreements can benefit couples of all income levels and lifestyles. Furthermore, signing a prenuptial agreement does not mean that a spouse plans to eventually divorce. Couples with strong, healthy relationships frequently use premarital agreements to define property rights and financial expectations during the marriage.

Legal Protections Offered by Prenuptial Agreements

Many people are initially hesitant to even consider signing a prenuptial agreement because the contract largely deals with divorce concerns like property division and spousal support. However, it is important to realize that even the best marriages sometimes end. Even if a couple never divorces, premarital agreements can address property rights upon a spouse’s death.

Premarital agreements can be customized to meet the spouses’ specific needs. Often, premarital agreements are used to:

Every child has two parents. However, there are some situations where a parent may not be legally recognized as a child’s parent. This usually occurs when parents are unmarried, although there may be other situations where a person who is believed to be a child’s biological father does not have a legally established relationship with the child. In these cases, paternity will need to be legally established. Paternity can be a crucial element of protecting a father’s rights, and it will also ensure that both of a child’s legal parents will be obligated to provide the child with financial support. By understanding when it may be necessary to establish paternity and the procedures for doing so, parents can make sure they are taking steps to protect their rights and their child’s best interests.

Presumption of Paternity in Texas

Texas law outlines several situations where a man will be presumed to be the legal father of a child:

• The man was married to the child’s mother at the time of birth.

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Divorce can have a massive impact on spouses’ finances. If you are thinking about divorce, you may have questions about how your assets and debts will be divided. Will you get to keep your home? Which spouse will retain ownership of the vehicles? What about retirement accounts and investments? The answers to these questions are not always clear. That is why it is always a good idea to work with an experienced divorce lawyer to receive advice catered to your unique situation. Read on to learn about property division laws in Texas and how these laws may apply to your case.

Spouses May Reach an Out-of-Court Agreement on Property

Both spouses jointly hold property and debts that were accumulated during the marriage - with a few exceptions. Dividing property and debts is often one of the most consequential aspects of the divorce case. If you and your spouse are on relatively good terms, you may be able to reach your own property division agreement. Your lawyer may be able to help you negotiate a property division settlement without court intervention. However, you may need to consult with financial professionals such as appraisers and accountants to ensure that your property division agreement makes sense given your particular situation.

Excessive arguing, financial conflict, lack of commitment, and religious differences are just some of the reasons that couples get divorced. Marriages end for countless reasons, but when you get divorced in Texas, you will need to state one or more “grounds” or reasons for the divorce. There are seven official grounds for divorce per Texas law.

Fault-Based Divorce in Texas

The grounds for divorce vary from state to state. In Texas, a spouse can pursue a fault-based divorce or a no-fault divorce. Fault-based grounds include:

• Infidelity, meaning that a spouse cheated on the other spouse.

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The division of a couple’s joint property is often one of the most significant aspects of a divorce, especially in high net worth divorce cases. Whether spouses are able to reach an out-of-court property division settlement or property division is decided by the court, the division of assets and debts should be based on accurate, current financial data. Unfortunately, some spouses attempt to sway the outcome of the divorce in their favor by lying about their assets and income.  

How Spouses Hide Assets in a Divorce

To divide property in a divorce, both spouses must disclose detailed financial information. However, some spouses fail to tell the whole truth.

Some common tactics used to conceal assets or manipulate property division in a divorce include: