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How Does Being a Military Family Impact Your Child Custody Case in Texas?

Family law cases involving military servicemembers and veterans are exceptionally complex, often entailing cross-state disputes regarding child support. Many individuals commence modification and enforcement proceedings in Texas without clarity on jurisdiction. This week, we’ll delve into military-related family law cases, including legal guardianship and military benefits.

Geographical distance compounds the challenges faced by military members in family law matters. Texas law delineates possession and visitation rules depending on proximity to children. Residing over 100 miles away significantly restricts access, exacerbating the strain on parents dealing with child support enforcement amidst family disputes.

Outstanding child support arrears pose particular problems for veterans, especially younger ones, who confront amplified employment difficulties compared to civilians. Coupled with lower education levels, these factors heighten the risk of falling behind on child support payments, creating a demanding situation.

Can you relate to this scenario—being a veteran or active-duty servicemember, contending with child support arrears amidst adversities? If so, the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, is here to assist. In today’s blog post, we’ll explore this topic further, providing valuable information on resources and potential solutions to navigate child support and custody issues successfully.

Juggling Multiple Commitments

Consider that as a service member or veteran, you likely juggle multiple directions simultaneously. Your commitment to your occupation, country, family, children, and any other commitments that you have all take up your time.

Couple this with child support payments and other financial obligations, and you are in an unenviable position as far as commitments to your time and money. Add onto all of this the fact that your job is incredibly stressful, and you have a perfect combination for feeling like there is no escape from the difficulties of life, family, and work.

Specifically, there are challenges that you may be facing regarding legal guardianship and military benefits, considering the length of your deployments, stress related to service in the military, employment after the military, and the problems associated with having to move and relocate frequently. With all of these factors flying at you (sometimes all at the same time), it is no wonder that child support payments and legal issues are not at the top of the list of your concerns. While active-duty servicemembers often have assistance provided through the military, there may not be specific assistance for your particular needs.

Relocation, Station Changes, and Deployments Challenges

What makes military relocations unique is that, unlike civilian moves, you often don’t have a say in the matter. Relocating is part of your duty, and your personal preferences may not be considered. This can pose challenges when it comes to parenting your children, especially if they don’t live with you full-time.

If you’ve been to court before and have child support orders, you’re probably familiar with your monthly child support obligation, typically based on a percentage of your military income. However, changes in pay due to promotions or new roles can make meeting these obligations difficult. Conversely, if your income increases, the other parent may seek a court order for higher child support payments.

As an active-duty servicemember, it’s likely that your children don’t reside with you full-time, resulting in additional expenses related to visitation. This can be a significant change if you were previously stationed closer to your children. Changes in pay can also affect your ability to meet child support obligations.

Even if you have court-ordered visitation rights, it can be challenging to exercise them when stationed far away. Irregular schedules or distant training can make it difficult to adhere to specific visitation times, leading to negotiations with the other parent or missed opportunities.

When stationed away from your usual residence, you may need to arrange alternative accommodations for your children, as military regulations often prevent them from staying in barracks. These added expenses come in addition to your ongoing child support obligations, which must be fulfilled regardless of your military circumstances. If you’re stationed in another state, you may encounter multiple states’ child support orders, with jurisdiction typically based on where the initial order was issued or where your children reside.

I hope that today’s blog post has been exciting and enlightening for you to read through. Please come back tomorrow to learn more about legal guardianship and military benefits and how life as a parent and servicemember can present problems for families.

If you have any questions about the subject matter we presented today, please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC. We offer free consultations with licensed family law attorneys six days a week. It would be an honor to sit down with you to answer questions and address how our office can provide you and your family with assistance during difficult times.

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