There have been few periods in history as fertile as this one for an entrepreneurial seed to take hold. Those with a passion and a plan can find their fortunes through a combination of quality work, good marketing and a consumer market that’s willing to embrace the artisan, the craftsman or the unique intellectual offerings of a visionary.

Unfortunately, embracing your passions and dreams can kill your marriage.

While there isn’t a lot of research on the subject, the anecdotal evidence is high that entrepreneurs experience a lot of marital troubles. According to the experts (including some entrepreneurs who have been there), this is why:

DNA kits like those from Ancestry and 23 and Me are becoming commonplace everywhere. What was mostly a cottage industry has seen tremendous growth thanks to aggressive advertising in the last year or two.

That’s creating all sorts of unexpected complications for adoptees, their adoptive parents and even some birth parents. It also suggests that the law may have to eventually take new steps if it wants to keep up with the science of the times.

DNA kits are a huge hit. However, they also stand the potential for disrupting lives in numerous ways. For example, someone who hasn’t been told he or she was adopted may find out the hard way after doing a DNA test without mentioning it to his or her family in advance.

Domestic violence is a very real hazard when it comes time for couples to split up. The sad truth is that domestic violence can spill over from just the two people involved in the relationship into the lives of others in tragic ways.

For example, the recent shooting in a Texas church that took the lives of 26 people and inflicted injuries on another 20 people as they were praying stemmed entirely from complicated family issues.

Among the victims were several relatives of the gunman’s estranged wife. He and his mother-in-law had been exchanging text messages and his had taken a threatening tone. It’s believed that he felt that his wife’s family was to blame for the couple’s estrangement.

Each family law issue is unique in several ways. They are unique because of the people involved and the nature of the problems they may be experiencing. For these reasons and others, it is always wise to speak with a lawyer before formalizing any marital agreement. With that said, the short answer to your question is yes, family law attorneys do often recommend postnuptial agreements for Texas couples experiencing marital difficulties.

You should also understand just what a postnup could do for your relationship. Often, one of the biggest areas of conflict between couples revolves around finances. A marital agreement can address this aspect of a relationship by specifying financial arrangements should divorce or separation occur.

Postnuptial agreements may also address family law matters like property division, child support and debt division. Having such a legal contract in place if divorce becomes a possibility can reduce or eliminate much of the conflict that goes hand-in-hand with ending a marriage.

Family law attorneys will nearly always tell you that preservation of the family unit is the ultimate goal. The lawyers with this firm are no exception. However, there are certain situations in which it may be in the minor’s best interests to sever the parental connection legally. This process is called emancipation and as you might imagine, it can be a complex endeavor.

The youngest age at which a minor can seek emancipation in Texas is 16 years. To become emancipated at this young age, the minor must already be living apart from his or her parents. In all other cases, children must be 17-years old in order to separate legally from their parents.

Age is not the only criteria for emancipation. Minors must also be able support themselves and manage their own affairs. Further, they will have to show the family law court system how they intend to meet this criteria. Minors must also be able to prove why emancipation from their parents is in their best interests. In other words, they have to have a valid and viable reason for requesting emancipation.