Divorce can be a difficult and stressful process, especially when it comes to figuring out who will pay the bills while the divorce is pending. In Texas, there are specific laws and guidelines in place to determine how financial responsibilities are handled during this time.

First, it’s important to understand that in Texas, the court presumes that both parties will continue to pay their own bills during the divorce process. This means that the court expects each party to continue paying for their own living expenses, such as rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, and other necessary expenses. However, there are certain situations in which the court may order one party to pay for certain expenses for the other party.

One example of this is if one party has significantly more financial resources than the other. In these cases, the court may order the financially stronger party to pay for the other party’s living expenses until the divorce is final. This is known as temporary spousal support, and it is intended to help the financially weaker party maintain their standard of living while the divorce is pending.

Another situation in which the court may order one party to pay for certain expenses for the other party is if there are children involved. In Texas, the court will typically order the parent with primary custody of the children to continue paying for the children’s expenses, such as school tuition, extracurricular activities, and other necessary expenses. The court may also order the non-custodial parent to pay child support until the divorce is final.

It’s also important to note that if the couple has joint accounts or assets, the court may order that both parties continue to contribute to these expenses during the divorce process. This can include things like car payments, credit card bills, or mortgage payments on a jointly-owned home.

It’s also worth mentioning that if one party is not paying the bills that they are ordered to pay, the other party can take legal action to enforce the court’s order.

In summary, during a divorce in Texas, the court presumes that both parties will continue to pay their own bills. However, there are certain situations in which the court may order one party to pay for certain expenses for the other party. This includes temporary spousal support for a financially weaker party, and child support for the parent with primary custody. Additionally, if there are joint accounts or assets, the court may order both parties to continue contributing to these expenses during the divorce process.