The Bowen Law Firm PLLC

09/03/2026

September 10 marks the climatological peak of Atlantic hurricane season. 🌧️ Before severe weather disrupts routines, your estate plan should be current, properly executed, and accessible to the people who may need it.

Start with the people named to act for you. Confirm your executor, trustee, financial agent, medical agent, guardian, and backups are still appropriate. Marriage, divorce, births, deaths, health changes, relocation, or new property may also mean your documents need another review. 👥

Access can become a serious problem during an evacuation. Protect signed originals from water and fire, keep secure digital copies, and make sure trusted people know where key records are stored. 🔐 A short emergency information sheet can identify your agents, physician, pharmacy, insurance contacts, and document locations without exposing passwords or full account numbers.

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps families in Houston review wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, beneficiary designations, and asset coordination. ⚖️ Remember that changing a will does not automatically update every beneficiary designation or account arrangement.

Use the full hurricane season estate planning checklist to review your documents before a storm is named: https://www.bowenlf.com/preparing-estate-plan-before-houston-hurricane-season-peaks/

Review your Houston estate plan before peak hurricane season. Check wills, powers of attorney, beneficiaries, and records. Call today.

09/03/2026

An adoption can cost $25,000 to $50,000 or more before the process is complete. 💰 The final amount can vary because some expenses are difficult to predict at the beginning.

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps families in Houston understand the adoption process and the costs that may arise along the way. Starting with legal guidance earlier may also help families better understand what the process could require before additional issues develop. 👨‍👩‍👧

Some expenses depend on factors that are not known upfront. The judge assigned to the matter, the appointment of an ad litem, and that professional's hourly rate can all affect the overall cost. ⚖️ Those variables make it difficult to give every family one exact figure.

Waiting until later in the adoption process to involve an attorney can also mean higher legal costs. Our team can help identify the steps ahead, explain the potential expenses involved, and address questions as the case progresses. 📋

Considering adoption and trying to understand what you should financially prepare for? Contact our team with your questions about the process and the costs that may apply to your situation.

09/01/2026

September 10 marks the climatological peak of Atlantic hurricane season. 🌧️ A storm can separate family members, close offices, interrupt communications, and make important financial or medical decisions harder.

Before severe weather threatens Houston, check who is named as your executor, trustee, financial agent, medical agent, guardian, and backup decision maker. Confirm they are still willing, available, trustworthy, and able to carry out the role. 👥

Access matters too. Keep signed originals protected, consider waterproof copies for evacuation, and maintain encrypted digital backups. 🔐 Make sure trusted people know where documents are stored. A document that cannot be located when needed may create unnecessary complications.

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC encourages families to review wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, and beneficiary designations before a storm is named. ⚖️ Recent marriage, divorce, births, deaths, property changes, health changes, or outdated beneficiaries may signal that your plan needs another look.

See the full hurricane season estate planning checklist and practical preparation steps here: https://www.bowenlf.com/houston-estate-planning-before-peak-hurricane-season/

Review your Houston estate plan before peak hurricane season. Call Bowen Law Firm, PLLC at 713-255-7321 for trusted guidance.

09/01/2026

Talking to the insurance company after an unexpected death can be a costly mistake. While your family is grieving, the insurer may already be reviewing coverage, responsibility, and the circumstances surrounding the claim. ⚠️

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps families in Houston address the details that can quickly become overwhelming after a wrongful death. That can include insurance communications, reports, and the steps involved in moving a claim forward while loved ones focus on grieving. ❤️

One important step is limiting direct conversations with the insurance company. Insurers have their own teams protecting their interests, and statements about what happened may become part of how they evaluate or challenge a claim. 📄 Families should understand who they are speaking with before discussing details.

Choosing an attorney also means asking about courtroom experience. A wrongful death claim may require someone prepared to present the case before a judge and jury if necessary. Our team handles these matters on a contingency fee basis, with compensation coming from a percentage of a settlement. ⚖️

Have questions about an insurance call, a wrongful death claim, or what to consider when choosing an attorney? Contact our team to discuss your situation and the next steps that may apply.

08/27/2026

Registering your child for soccer does not automatically require your co-parent to give up scheduled possession, provide transportation, or split the cost. ⚽ A recurring activity can affect both households long after registration day.

Before committing, read the signed custody order. Check who has decision-making authority, whether written consent is required, and what it says about possession, transportation, travel, expenses, and notice. 📋 A shared calendar or past routine may not change the court-ordered terms.

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps parents in Houston address custody conflicts involving these issues. Before registration, share the complete schedule, location, fees, equipment costs, travel expectations, and any effect on exchanges or parenting time. ✍️ Getting an agreement in writing can create a clearer record if a dispute develops.

Travel teams and camps deserve extra attention. An overnight tournament may trigger itinerary, contact information, consent, or exchange requirements. Keep registration forms, receipts, schedules, travel plans, and written communications. 🧾 If conflicts continue, document dates and missed exchanges without involving your child in the disagreement.

See our full discussion of extracurricular activities, possession schedules, expenses, transportation, enforcement, and modification: https://www.bowenlf.com/extracurricular-activities-texas-child-custody-conflicts/

Learn how sports, lessons, camps, and travel can cause Texas custody disputes. Call Bowen Law Firm, PLLC at (713) 255-7321.

08/27/2026

Texas stepchild adoption requirements have been changing, which makes current information especially important before you begin. ⚖️

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC works with families in Houston on family law matters, including situations where a stepparent wants to legally adopt a child already welcomed into the family. ❤️

The process should start with understanding the requirements that apply today. Because this area has seen changes over the past several years, relying on outdated assumptions can mean taking steps that are no longer necessary or paying for things the process may no longer require. 📋

Cost matters too. Adoption is about making an existing family relationship legally recognized, and unnecessary expenses can take resources away from the family’s future. Our team focuses on identifying a cost effective approach while following the current requirements for the adoption process. 💰

Thinking about adopting your stepchild? Ask our team what the current process may require in your situation and what steps may be unnecessary before you spend time or money moving forward.

08/25/2026

A back-to-school receipt does not automatically mean the other parent owes 50%. 🎒 In Texas, the signed court order and any enforceable agreement usually determine who is responsible.

Start with the exact language of your order. It may address tuition, tutoring, technology, uniforms, extracurricular activities, or testing, and it may require advance written consent, receipts within a stated period, or payment by a specific deadline. 📄

Routine supplies can be treated differently from larger expenses like private-school tuition, specialized tutoring, a high-cost laptop, or band instruments. Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps parents in Houston review these provisions and document disputed educational costs. ⚖️

Before buying an expensive item, check whether approval is required. Keep the school list, receipts, proof of payment, and written communications. If reimbursement is requested, send the required documentation within any deadline in the order. 🧾 Do not reduce regular child support or withhold court-ordered possession because of a disputed school expense.

Clear written communication can prevent another disagreement next semester. Separate required school needs from optional upgrades, identify the amount requested, and give a reasonable response date. ✏️

Read our full breakdown of handling back-to-school expense disputes between Texas co-parents: https://www.bowenlf.com/who-pays-back-to-school-expenses-texas-co-parents/

Texas co-parents disputing school costs should review their order and document expenses. Call Bowen Law Firm, PLLC at 713-255-7321.

08/25/2026

A postnuptial agreement can address a lot between spouses, but issues involving children should be left out. ⚖️

That distinction matters when deciding what belongs in the agreement. Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps families in Houston understand which marital issues may be addressed now and which matters remain for the court. 📄

For spouses considering a postnuptial agreement, the goal is to identify the issues that can be handled between them and document those terms clearly. Property and other marital matters may be part of that discussion, while provisions concerning children are treated differently. 👨‍👩‍👧

Trying to include child related issues in the same agreement can create unnecessary confusion about what the document is meant to accomplish. Our team can help clients focus the agreement on appropriate marital matters while recognizing that issues involving children remain for the court. ⚖️

Considering a postnuptial agreement and unsure what should be included? Contact our team with your questions about what you want the agreement to address, or share this with someone who may be considering one.

08/20/2026

August can bring school schedules, household expenses, and parenting routines back into sharp focus. 📚 For Texas couples considering divorce, the calendar itself changes no law, but the return to regular routines can reveal decisions that need attention.

An August filing does not mean an immediate divorce. Texas generally requires one spouse to have lived in the state for the preceding six months and in the filing county for the preceding 90 days. Courts also generally cannot grant a divorce before the 60th day after filing. ⏳

Before filing, gather financial records you may lawfully access, including bank statements, pay stubs, tax returns, retirement statements, loan documents, and records of recurring child expenses. 💵 Do not hide assets, empty accounts, destroy records, or transfer property to prevent disclosure.

Parenting plans also need to work during ordinary school weeks. Consider transportation, childcare, activities, school enrollment, and information sharing. Temporary orders may address possession schedules, support, housing, bills, and property while the case is pending. ⚖️

Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps families in Houston evaluate divorce, custody, support, temporary orders, and property concerns. Read our full guidance on August divorce timing in Texas: https://www.bowenlf.com/august-divorce-timing-in-texas/

Learn how school schedules, finances, custody, and Texas waiting-period rules may affect an August divorce filing. Call 713-255-7321.

08/20/2026

Crossing a state line can change the rules that apply to a domestic adoption. ⚖️ That is one reason understanding the legal process before moving forward matters.

Domestic adoption may be more straightforward than international adoption in many situations, but exceptions and unusual circumstances can arise. When child custody is involved, the applicable rules can differ depending on where the matter takes place. 📍

The first step is making sure you have enough information to make the right decision for your family. Bowen Law Firm, PLLC helps prospective adoptive parents understand the process, the legal considerations involved, and the questions they should be asking before taking the next step.

Court proceedings can add another layer of uncertainty because individual cases and circumstances vary. 👨‍👩‍👧 Our team focuses on helping clients understand what may come next so they can approach important decisions with clearer expectations and practical information.

For families in Houston considering domestic adoption, getting legal guidance early can help clarify the path ahead. Have a question about adopting a child domestically or how crossing state lines could affect the process? Contact our team to discuss your specific situation.