A new Supreme Court ruling has many service members and their families interested. A hotly debated issue has finally been settled in the case, and according to Military Times, Howell v. Howell has settled the matter: if a veteran chooses disability pay and waived retirement benefits, state courts cannot try to recoup the loss of benefits for a divorcing spouse. The case is based on an older law, changed in 2003, that required vets to choose between their full retirement pay, which was taxed, or “offset” part of this pay with disability pay, which is not taxed.
How can I navigate summer vacation with an ex?
Summer vacation time is once again right around the corner and kids all over Texas may be excited to be out of school for a few months. If this summer is the first one after a divorce for your family, it will no doubt be a different type of summer for you and your kids. How can you make sure your children are able to fully enjoy their summer break with this magnitude of change in their lives?
Letting your child know about the custody situation
Divorce can be messy, and parents in Texas may be tempted to keep their child in the dark for as long as possible so they won't have to witness it. Unfortunately, it's crucial for children to be informed about any custody changes or the divorce on a whole, and keeping them out of the loop may actually do more harm than good.
Using 401K money to pay child support
When getting divorced in Texas, parents who are ordered to pay child support as part of their divorce settlement may often wonder how they will be able to manage such payments. The financial impact of a divorce and the increased cost of living alone versus with someone else can take a bit out of a person's income and even savings. When considering different options, a retirement account may be one option.
Texas car registration withheld with unpaid child support
Unpaid child support is an issue across the nation, but Texas officials have found one way to help remedy the problem. According to CBS DFW, parents with unpaid child support bills are unable to renew their car’s registration. With approximately one million parents across the state responsible for making child support payments, almost half of them are behind in payments by one month or more. Mothers are often the primary custodial parent, and in Texas 48 percent of single mothers and their children have incomes below the poverty line.
