Once you've decided to divorce, it's critical that you develop a strategy for the future. Divorce is a very stressful life event and the divorce process can make it very difficult to make important decisions. Your circumstances are unique, and it's invaluable to have an attorney who understands what you're facing and how to guide you to take the best course of actions. Getting legal counsel early in the process is critical. It's important that you prepare yourself legally, financially, and emotionally for life during and after-divorce.

​

Attorney Rehman has served clients in contested divorces, simple divorces, and complex-divorces dealing with high-net value estates consisting of both community property and separate property. Regardless of how complicated your case may seem, consult with an experienced divorce attorney to better understand your rights in a divorce.

​

Call today to schedule a consultation with a Sugar Land divorce lawyer.

​​

Community Property Division

​

A divorcing couple must split all of their community property at divorce. "Community Property" basically means all of the property a married couple own together. Normally, community property includes everything the married couple bought or earned during their marriage, and it does not include "separate property."

 

Identifying the nature and size of the community property estate and separate property estates is often the most hotly contested part of a divorce. It's important to have an accurate and reliable understanding of your marital property rights during a divorce. The property that is considered when dividing the marital estate upon divorce includes, but is not limited to –

 

• Real estate;

• Personal property, including vehicles, furniture, jewelry, family heirlooms, art, and other personalities;

• Financial accounts, including bank accounts, investment and brokerage accounts, mutual fund accounts, etc;

• Stocks, Commodities, digital assets (ie: Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, other cryptocurrencies); 

• Employment related retirement accounts, 401k plans, and pension plans, etc;

• Business interests (closely held corporations, LLCs, partnerships, DBAs, etc);

• Intellectual Property (trademarks, copyrights, patents);

• Pets.

 

Every divorce has its own unique set of issues. A skilled divorce attorney can guide you to focus on all important details regarding your property rights in a divorce. Contact a divorce lawyer in Fort Bend County for a consultation and begin developing the right legal strategy for you.

​

Hidden Assets: 

Some spouses make extra efforts to hide property from their partners. They usually maintain secret bank accounts, have undisclosed investments, or may even "loan" money to friends, relatives, or business partners in order to hide it from being included in the community property estate that is to be divided at divorce.  Some spouses waste the family's money on lavish gifts and unreasonable expenses, without consent from their husband or wife. And some spouses refuse to fully declare their income to avoid child support or spousal support obligations. 

​

An experienced divorce attorney can give you an honest assessment and cost-benefit analysis before you initiate a full-on effort to investigate your spouse for hidden assets. Contact a Texas divorce lawyer to learn about your legal rights and duties when it comes to your marital property. Choosing the right Fort Bend County divorce law firm can have a major impact on the outcome of your divorce case. 

​​​​

Retirement Accounts and QDRO:

In a divorce, if either you or your spouse owns retirement assets (examples: 401k, IRA, or a pension account) then you may need a QDRO ("qualified domestic relations order") to divide the retirement assets. A QDRO allows the recipient to either withdraw their awarded funds from the retirement account or "rollover" the funds into a separate individual retirement account ("IRA"). Typically, one-or-both parties must pay administrative fees and income-taxes on the funds withdrawn from the retirement account. The 10% early withdrawal penalty may be avoided if the withdrawal from the retirement account is made "incident to a divorce."

​

Digital Assets; Cryptocurrencies: 

Due to the recent rise in values of cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), there is now even more risk that a divorcing-party may try and hide significantly valuable digital assets from their spouse during a divorce case. Identifying, tracking, and dividing such value in digital property can be tricky when considering the volatile price fluctuations in such digital assets, but not impossible. It can be more complicated when the divorce case involves crypto that has yielded staking rewards, mining rewards, airdrops, yields from liquidity pool lending, locked digital assets, etc. NFTs (digitized non-fungible tokens) are another form of digital assets where a spouse could potential hide significantly value from their spouse and divorce court. Choosing a Texas divorce lawyer that is knowledgeable with cryptocurrencies, digital assets, and the crypto markets could be critical for your divorce if crypto and other digital assets may be involved in your divorce case.​

​​

​

​

​

Uncontested Divorces

Do you want to finalize your divorce quickly at minimum cost? A simple, uncontested divorce is your best option to achieve that. An agreed divorce often refers to when the spouses can agree to all terms relating to the divorce (for example: marital property division, debts, child related matters). It is often the best course of action for couples with a modest community property estate. Similarly, it's ideal for parents can agree to terms on child related matters like conservatorship (rights and duties), possession and access (physical custody schedule), and child support.  

 

A simple divorce can be accomplished without a lawyer. However, it tends to be more time consuming and exposes to you many risks of compromising your interests. A divorce attorney can help protect you from compromising your own rights in the marital property, child related matters, spousal support, and any of many other concerns that get finally resolved in the final order (Final Decree of Divorce).

​

That is why it is important that you hire a trustworthy lawyer who can protect your interests and not drive up legal fees. A default divorce is another type of uncontested divorce that occurs when one spouse is seeking the divorce and progressing the case, and the other spouse has been served but is being non-responsive or inadequately participating in the divorce proceedings. Both achieve a relatively cheap divorce. ​

​

Call today to schedule a consultation with a Sugar Land uncontested divorce lawyer. 

​​​

Children Related Issues​

"What is in the best interest of the children" is the primary question Texas family courts ask when dealing with suits affecting the parent-child relationship. Divorcing or separating parents have to deal with many issues relating to their children like:

​

• Possession and Access (physical custody): Texas law encourages strong relationships with both parents while putting children’s safety and best interests first. Courts generally favor appointing parents as joint managing conservators (JMCs) of their children, which allocates parental rights and responsibilities between the parents. Parenting time follows a separate schedule and need not be divided equally. When the evidence warrants it, a court may appoint one parent as sole managing conservator or place restrictions on parenting time. Sole managing conservatorship does not automatically eliminate the other parent’s right to see the children. An experienced Fort Bend County family law attorney can help you understand your options and pursue a parenting arrangement suited to your family’s needs.

​

• Enforcement and Modification of Custody Orders: A custody order can settle the case without settling every disagreement. If parenting time is being withheld, or if you are accused of violating the order, or if there may be parental alienation, or if there has been a material and substantial change in the  circumstances of someone affected by the live Orders, then understanding your legal position is a useful first step. Enforcing existing obligations and requesting different custody terms involve separate legal questions. A Fort Bend County family law attorney can review the Order alongside the facts, explain your options, and offer a candid assessment of the next steps..

 

• Child Visitation and Modification: Has a change in residence, employment, or other circumstance made it difficult for you to spend time with the children during your periods of possession? Are you concerned that your children are not safe if left alone with the other parent? Are you seeking to have the other parent limited to only supervised visitation? Contact a skilled family law attorney to discuss what legal options can address your concerns.

​

• Child Support and Paternity: Child support can be agreed upon by parents, or it can be ordered by the Courts. Normally, Texas family courts order child support based on the Texas child support guidelines. Do you need to establish paternity and start receiving child support? Are you anticipating a divorce and need to understand what you can expect in regards to child support? Call a skilled family law lawyer to learn more about the process to start receiving child support.

​

• Modification of Child Support: Are you concerned that you may be paying more than you are legally required to due to a change in employment, salary, or other circumstance? Or are you concerned that the other parent is not paying as much as they would be obligated under the state's child support guidelines? Call a family lawyer experienced in child support modifications for professional guidance.

​

• Enforcement of Child Support Orders: Is the other parent disobeying a child support order and missed multiple child support payments? Medical Support? You may first want to confirm whether you're able to receive assistance from the Texas Attorney General's office or other public assistance services. Otherwise, your best option may be to retain a skilled family law attorney. 

​

• Relocation: Are you thinking about moving to a new city or state? Or has the other parent threatened to move away with your child for their own personal reasons? A family law attorney help determine what you can legally do about relocation.​ Many Texas divorce decrees are made to limit the ability of a parent with primary custody to relocate a child's primary residence.