From my experiences working for the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, I have come to realize and appreciate that marriages can end even after both spouses have put in a lot of effort to maintain the relationship. It can be highly emotional to parents like you who need to separate themselves from their spouses. If you are a parent of a child with a disability, it can be even more of a challenge.
There are so many factors to consider for a person in your position compared to a parent going through a divorce in most circumstances. With monthly, weekly, or even daily medical attention needed for your child, you may be concerned with whether or not you will be able to have any say-so in the decision-making surrounding this subject.
On a practical level, is your child able to travel safely between your home and wherever your spouse ends up living? Is it going to be a complex logistical situation to allow your child to get into a vehicle to make the drive? Sometimes the exertional requirement of getting up out of the house and into a car can be too much on certain days. The last thing you want to do is put your child through any undue stress or hardship.
Finally- related to the medical treatment that we discussed earlier- are you going to be able to afford all of the necessary medical expenses associated with caring for your child now that you will be in a single-income household? What if your spouse is not as willing as he or she has always been to this point as far as paying medical bills and providing transportation? How will this work out once your divorce has been completed?
I can tell you that while your concerns are undoubtedly heartfelt and legitimate, you are not the only parent who is worrying about these things right now. Today’s blog post will discuss some concepts to think about as you move toward divorce. Worrying is one thing- but to worry and not plan is another. I hope to assist you in planning for life after your divorce, bearing in mind your child’s specific needs.
Getting a divorce means getting orders from a judge regarding custody and other subjects.
The result of a divorce is that you and your spouse will both sign a Final Decree of Divorce that contains all of the provisions associated with your children and your property. These are the marching orders that you and your spouse will abide by once your divorce has become finalized. Visitation, a possession schedule, orders regarding child support as well as specific provisions for your disabled child will need to be included in the decree.
Child Support needs to be considered especially important for your disabled child.
Let’s assume that you are named the primary conservator of your child during the divorce. This means that you are to be awarded the right to designate your child’s primary residence and be able to receive child support payments from your ex-spouse. While this is a standard set up for parents after a divorce, you should start to think about what you would like your final decree to read regarding your ability to care for your disabled child.
For instance, most child support orders stop once your child graduates from high school or turn 18, whichever occurs later. However, your child may need financial assistance and support for the entirety of their adult life or at least for some time after the age of 18. As a result, you need to negotiate for and obtain an order that allows you to receive child support for whatever period you believe is necessary to meet your child’s minimum basic needs. Your ex-spouse would readily agree to this in a perfect world based on a mutual understanding that your child needs it and is in their best interests. Unfortunately, this is not always the case; you need to be prepared to push for this and negotiate for it in mediation.
Additional costs that your child will incur due to their disability will need to be factored into the specific amount of child support that you receive. In most situations, 20% of your ex-spouse’s net monthly income will be paid as child support. However, this may not consider the total of your child’s needs and continued care. If you cannot negotiate for a higher than guidelines level of support, you should know that if you present sufficient evidence to warrant it, a judge can award this in a trial. You and your attorney determine that this is worth going to trial over.
Handling custody agreements with a disabled child
The word “custody,” as we commonly know it, is not utilized once in our Texas Family Code. What custody refers to, generally speaking, is a combination of visitation and possession of your child. A custody agreement discusses where your child will live primarily. Also, and this is just as important, the contract will dictate which parent will be able to make decisions for your child regarding their medical care and education.
Typically, parents like yourself will share in the decision-making responsibilities. This is relevant to you because your child will likely require changes and updates to their treatment regimen with regularity. Some of these changes can only be arrived at after thoughtful discussion. Are you going to have as much say-so as you believe necessary to protect your child’s best interests? If your child were to be diagnosed with a new condition, you would likely want to make sure that you can select their care schedule and physician. This portion of your divorce decree concerns those topics.
Finally, many custody agreements place restrictions on where your child can live. For example, suppose your divorce is in Harris County. In that case, it is common to have a geographic condition that limits your child’s ability to live in Harris and its contiguous counties (counties that border Harris). That geographic restriction is lifted if you choose to live outside the area after your ex-spouse has moved. The condition is essential for your family in that caring for your child will likely be a team effort rather than something that you do on your own.
What is a parenting plan?
A parenting plan details what is necessary for your child’s daily care and goes into some detail on how you and your ex-spouse will “co-parent” your child after the divorce. For many parents, this section is included in the decree and not given much thought to after that. For you, as the parent of a child with a disability, this section should have special meaning since you will want to ensure that your child receives consistent and reliable care no matter which parent they are with.
You can be as detailed as you would like, and I recommend doing so. Suppose you are more comfortable including special instructions on how medical equipment works, how often a particular medication needs to be administered, or how to utilize a specific assistive device like a walker. In that case, it is your prerogative to include that in the parenting plan. Your divorce decree should not be cookie cutter. It should take into account your specific circumstances. Remember that your efforts are being undertaken to help your child live their best life.
Spousal maintenance and other tips for handling a divorce with a disabled child will be posted tomorrow.
We will continue to discuss the essential attributes of a divorce involving a disabled child in tomorrow’s blog post. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding this subject or any other in family law, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC. We offer free of charge consultations six days a week with one of our licensed family law attorneys.
book
![Adobe Stock 62844981[2]](/?seraph_accel_gci=wp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F09%2FAdobeStock_628449812.jpeg&n=ZoLGz1rB9EpXzbEKYFZug)
If you want to know more about what you can do, CLICK the button below to get your FREE E-book: “16 Steps to Help You Plan & Prepare for Your Texas Divorce“
![Divorce Wasting Assets[4]](/?seraph_accel_gci=wp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F09%2FDivorce-wasting-assets4.jpeg&n=sXY6yiEXD50JDzE8l8yrtA)
If you want to know more about how to prepare, CLICK the button below to get your FREE E-book: “13 Dirty Tricks to Watch Out For in Your Texas Divorce, and How to Counter Them” Today!“
Other Related Articles
- Post high school life for an adult disabled child in Texas
- How much child support can you receive in Texas for a disabled child over the age of 18?
- Handling your child support duties as a disabled veteran in Texas
- Disabled and receiving Social Security benefits? Read this blog post before beginning your divorce
- Spousal maintenance in a divorce with a disabled child
- Getting a divorce when you or your spouse is disabled
- Guardianships and alternatives for adult, disabled children in Texas
- Can you collect spousal maintenance for an extended time period if you are disabled?
- Spousal Maintenance for a Disabled Spouse in Texas
- Alimony or Spousal Support and a Disabled Spouse in Texas
Bryan Fagan, a native of Atascocita, Texas, is a dedicated family law attorney inspired by John Grisham’s “The Pelican Brief.” He is the first lawyer in his family, which includes two adopted brothers. Bryan’s commitment to family is personal and professional; he cared for his grandmother with Alzheimer’s while completing his degree and attended the South Texas College of Law at night.
Married with three children, Bryan’s personal experiences enrich his understanding of family dynamics, which is central to his legal practice. He specializes in family law, offering innovative and efficient legal services. A certified member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, Bryan is part of an elite group of legal professionals committed to ongoing education and high-level expertise.
His legal practice covers divorce, custody disputes, property disputes, adoption, paternity, and mediation. Bryan is also experienced in drafting marital property agreements. He leads a team dedicated to complex family law cases and protecting families from false CPS allegations.
Based in Houston, Bryan is active in the Houston Family Law Sector of the Houston Bar Association and various family law groups in Texas. His deep understanding of family values and his professional dedication make him a compassionate advocate for families navigating Texas family law.
