Williamson County, TX · Free Consultation
Liberty Hill, TX Spousal Support Lawyer
What Our Clients Say
Texas treats spousal maintenance as a bridge to self-support, not a permanent income. In Liberty Hill, SMB Law, PC helps spouses on both sides address the law’s expectation that the receiving spouse work toward independence. A Liberty Hill spousal support lawyer knows Texas treats maintenance as a bridge to independence, not a permanent income, and argues that expectation on either side. Shane M. Boasberg has handled Central Texas divorce finances for more than twenty years and personally handles these claims.
Liberty Hill’s growing families include many spouses who stepped back from careers to raise children, and the question of how quickly they can realistically return to work is often central.
Where a Liberty Hill spousal support case is handled
Liberty Hill is in Williamson County, so spousal maintenance is decided as part of the divorce filed with the Williamson County District Clerk at the Justice Center in Georgetown.
The duty to work toward self-support
Texas law starts from a presumption that maintenance is not warranted unless the spouse seeking it has exercised diligence — either in earning enough to meet their minimum reasonable needs, or in developing the skills to do so during the separation and the divorce proceeding. In practice, courts expect a genuine effort: job searching, training, or finishing an education. When maintenance is awarded, it is meant to run for the shortest reasonable period that lets the receiving spouse get there, unless a disability or the care of a disabled child makes self-support impractical. This rehabilitative orientation cuts both ways. A spouse who has been out of the workforce raising children can point to the concrete time and training needed to re-enter it, while a paying spouse can argue the other is capable of earning more than they claim. These disputes frequently turn on vocational evidence — what work the spouse can realistically obtain, and how soon.
Building — or testing — the earning-capacity case
Because the ‘shortest reasonable period’ and the diligence requirement turn on what the receiving spouse can earn, the evidence about earning capacity often decides a Liberty Hill maintenance case. For a spouse seeking support, we document the reality: years out of the workforce, skills that have gone stale, the cost and length of retraining, and childcare that limits availability — sometimes with a vocational expert who can explain the realistic path and timeline back to self-sufficiency. For a paying spouse, we test an inflated claim of helplessness, showing prior earnings, transferable skills, and available local jobs. Either way, courts respond to concrete, credible plans rather than assertions. Presenting that picture well is what sets a maintenance award — its amount and its duration — at a level that fits the receiving spouse’s genuine path forward.
Working with us from Liberty Hill
Our office is about 35 miles southeast in downtown Austin via US-183. We handle most Liberty Hill spousal support matters by phone, video, and e-signature. Our Austin spousal support attorneys page explains who qualifies for court-ordered maintenance in Texas and for how long.
At SMB Law, PC you work directly with attorney Shane M. Boasberg, who has represented Texans for more than two decades and has been licensed by the State of Texas since 2003. We explain things in plain English, give you a plan instead of more stress, and keep you informed from your first confidential consultation through final resolution.
Why clients choose SMB Law, PC
- Direct attorney access — you talk to Shane, licensed since 2003, not a call center.
- Honest advice — if a fight is not worth the cost, we say so.
- Transparent fees explained before you commit.
What working with us looks like
- Confidential consultation to understand your goals and the law that applies.
- Strategy and records tailored to your situation.
- Negotiation or court — we settle when we can and litigate when we must.
- Resolution implemented correctly so you can move on.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to look for work to get spousal support?
Generally yes. Texas presumes maintenance is not warranted unless you have made a diligent effort to earn enough or gain the skills to meet your minimum reasonable needs.
What is rehabilitative maintenance?
Support meant to last only as long as reasonably needed for a spouse to become self-supporting through work, training, or education.
How does the court decide earning capacity?
Courts weigh work history, education, skills, and the local job market, often with vocational evidence, to judge what a spouse can realistically earn and how soon.
Where is a Liberty Hill spousal support case decided?
As part of the divorce filed with the Williamson County District Clerk at the Justice Center in Georgetown.