Guides & Checklists for Texas Families

When a marriage is ending or a parenting arrangement is falling apart in New Braunfels, the hardest part is often not knowing where to begin. People tell us they lie awake making mental lists: what to gather, who to call, what to say to the kids, whether to move out, whether to touch the joint account. These guides are our attempt to put those lists on paper so you can stop carrying them around in your head.

At New Braunfels Family Law, we wrote everything in this section for Comal County families and the surrounding communities, from Canyon Lake and Bulverde to Seguin, San Marcos and Boerne. The law discussed is Texas law, and where a local detail matters, such as which county your case belongs in, we point it out.

How New Braunfels Families Can Use These Guides

Think of this section as a workbench rather than a textbook. You do not need to read every page in order. Pick the guide that matches the question keeping you up at night, work through it, and come back for the next one when you are ready.

A few suggestions that tend to help:

• Print the checklists. Many people find it easier to work with paper and a pen than a phone screen. Cross things off as you go.
• Keep one folder. Paper or digital, put every document you gather in one place. It saves hours later and reduces legal fees when your lawyer does not have to chase paperwork.
• Write down your questions. As you read, note anything that does not fit your situation. Those notes make a consultation far more productive.
• Go at your own pace. Some of these topics are emotionally heavy. It is fine to read one section, close the page and come back tomorrow.

What You Will Find Here

The guides fall into a few broad groups.

Getting Ready

These guides cover the weeks before anything is filed. They walk through residency rules, choosing the right county, gathering financial records and making early decisions about housing and money. If you are only beginning to think about divorce, this is the place to start. Our pages on how to file for divorce and where to file pair well with them.

Protecting Yourself While the Case Is Pending

Separation is a period when small missteps can create big problems: a heated text message, an unexplained cash withdrawal, a photo posted at the wrong moment. Several guides focus on what to avoid and how to keep your finances and your reputation steady until the case is resolved. They also touch on temporary orders, which can set the ground rules while a case moves forward.

Children and Parenting

Telling children about a divorce and learning to parent from two homes are among the hardest things a family goes through. Our parenting guides offer age-by-age suggestions, sample language and practical tools for working with the other parent. For the legal side of parenting arrangements, see our overview of child custody in Texas.

Mediation and Court

Many family cases in Comal County are resolved by agreement, often through mediation, but some go before a judge. Because part of New Braunfels lies in Guadalupe County, your case may be heard in either county depending on where you live. These guides explain how to prepare for each setting so you walk in organized and calm rather than overwhelmed. For more on the process itself, see our page on divorce mediation.

Planning Ahead

Not every guide is about ending a relationship. If you are engaged or newly married, our guide on raising the subject of a premarital agreement may help you start that conversation kindly and productively.

Words You Will Hear

Family law has its own vocabulary, and Texas uses some terms that differ from what you hear on television. Our glossary defines dozens of terms, from “conservatorship” to “QDRO” to “ward,” in plain language.

When a Guide Is Not Enough

Guides can help you prepare, but they cannot weigh the specific facts of your family. Situations that usually call for a lawyer’s direct involvement include:

• Family violence, threats or a need for a protective order
• A spouse who is hiding money, running a business or controlling all the financial information
• A plan by either parent to move a significant distance with the children
• A case involving military service, retirement accounts or significant property
• Any situation where papers have already been served on you and a deadline is running

If any of these apply, it is worth calling before you take the next step.

Talk With a New Braunfels Family Law Attorney

Whether you live near the Comal River downtown, out by Canyon Lake or along the I-35 corridor toward Schertz, our family law team has spent more than a decade helping people in Comal County and nearby counties work through divorce, custody, support and guardianship matters. If a guide raised more questions than it answered, call us at (830) 302-4071 for a free consultation by phone, video or in person. Hablamos español, and flat fees are available for many matters with a predictable scope.

Last reviewed November 13, 2026. General information only, not legal advice.