If you were considering divorce in 2020, you may be like many other women now: up to your neck in dealing with COVID-19 (CoronaVirus) in your personal life, and in your work life. You also may be sheltering-in-place with a partner you’d rather not see day-in and day-out. Know that you are not alone! Here are some steps you can take during the stay-at-home mandates that will lay the … [Read more...]
A closer look at Early Intervention Mediation
Traditional divorce, as most people know it, is inherently adversarial in nature. In a typical "war-of-the-roses" scenario, spouses each hire an attorney and then they battle it out until some sort of agreement is reached. This type of divorce can go on for many months or even years. Consultants of all kinds may be called in by both sides for “expert” opinions, reviews, depositions and … [Read more...]
Inside a non-litigation divorce process
In the past, divorce processes have been primarily adversarial in nature. In a typical divorce scenario, spouses each hire an attorney, and then a variety of expert consultants who advise them on finances and custody plans. This type of divorce can go on for many months or even years, driving up fees and increasing a couple's stress levels, anxiety and animosity. Children can get caught in the … [Read more...]
Don’t forget these marital assets in your divorce
Often, many of the women I work with on their divorce finances know very little, sometimes nothing, about their marital assets (or liabilities for that matter). This is gradually changing, but surprisingly, still exists. Maybe the husband has simply kept the information largely to himself, or the wife doesn't feel she understands finances like she should, so leaves it up to her spouse, or she … [Read more...]
The special needs child and divorce
While all children need the continued support and care of parents, children with special needs require unique consideration during and after a divorce. The financial support allotted to a child post-divorce is usually determined according to the family code of each state. Such support for a special needs child can be adjusted based on the unique needs of the child in question. Adjustments … [Read more...]
Divorce and Company Bonuses
An often overlooked community property asset to be equitably divided in a Texas divorce settlement is any company or employer bonus given to one or both of the spouses involved in a divorce. Sometimes attorneys fail to address the community nature of bonuses. Or, they forget to ask if either spouse typically receives, or is expected to receive, an annual or other type of bonus as part of his or … [Read more...]
Four ways to get divorced, Part 3 — Collaborative Divorce in Texas
Couples facing divorce may want to explore a relatively new option for legally ending marriage in Texas called Collaborative Divorce. This very distinct model emphasizes cooperation over confrontation, and problem-solving over grievance-airing. It was developed as a way to reduce conflict and the emotional anguish of a traditional divorce process, especially when children are involved. In the … [Read more...]
Looking for clues of bad behavior during divorce (part two)
In part one of our blog post with this headline, we discussed a variety of red flags to look for during the divorce process that may indicate a spouse is behaving badly. We also offered tips to better protect yourself against such behavior, as well as how to educate yourself about the divorce process and what to expect. In this blog post, we will take our examination of bad behavior during … [Read more...]
Your divorce may require the assistance of a financial expert
Given the complexities of today’s financial landscape, it may be in your best interest to consider securing specific expertise to help you sort out and evaluate the financial aspects of your divorce. One important thing to remember is that most family law attorneys, even when experienced in divorce, are not trained to address financially complicated divorce issues. As a key participant in … [Read more...]