IN ALL FLORIDA court proceedings involving children, the courts have a legal obligation to make decisions regarding the children based on the “best interests of the child.” This is a legal standard established by the Florida legislature and case law. Florida Statute 61.13 addresses the factors the court may take into consideration when determining the best […]
Preparing for Your Divorce: Financial Documents You’ll Need to Gather
IF YOU ARE considering divorce, you’ll need to start thinking about the documents you will need to gather to be in compliance with Florida’s “mandatory disclosure” requirement. In Florida, the courts requires each party to a divorce to fully disclose his or her financial information to the another. Many people are confused by this and ask: […]
Divorce and Money: The Not-So-Grand Truth
YEARS AGO I saw a bumper sticker that said: “Love is grand. Divorce is $20 grand.” This saying always springs to mind when I hear couples headed for divorce because of financial troubles. Sadly, divorce not only does not solve money troubles, it usually makes them worse. A settlement agreement is between the parties to the […]
Second Time Around: Challenges of Second Marriages and How to Overcome Them
STATISTICS INDICATE 41 percent of first marriages end in divorce. That statistic increases significantly in second marriages to a whopping 60 percent! Why? Here are three oft-cited reasons, and possible solutions to help you if you are considering a re-marriage after your divorce. Issue: Blending Families. Many couples marrying for the second time have children from […]
Military Divorces in Florida
DIVORCE CAN BE a challenging process. For members of the military and their spouses, it is even more so as there are not only state laws to consider, but federal laws and military codes of conduct as well. Some of the issues facing divorcing military couples: JURISDICTION AND RESIDENCY Under Florida law, a least one spouse […]
Marital and Non-Marital Property
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] IN FLORIDA DIVORCE CASES, the court is required to make an equitable distribution of marital property. Florida is not a “community property state.” In community property states, like California, the courts are required to distribute marital property equally. In equitable distribution states, like Florida, marital […]
Wills and Trusts After Divorce
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] IN TODAY’S COMPLEX SOCIETY, estate planning can be more complicated than ever. Many families are “blending,” as couples divorce, remarry and share custody of children from different relationships. Each time a change occurs in a primary relationship, whether marriage, death, birth of a child, and […]
Divorce After 50
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] BETWEEN 1990 and 2010, the divorce rate doubled among adults 50 and older, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green University. About one in four divorces occur between middle-aged to senior couples. For those in […]
Unemployed Spouse and Income
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] FOR YEARS, your spouse worked and made a good income—enough to support the family. Now you are divorcing, he or she has decided to quit his or her job. Or perhaps your spouse got laid off and can’t find comparable work. Maybe your spouse […]
Life After Divorce: 3 Tips
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” text_font_size=”14″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] NOT EVERYONE who visits an attorney to discuss divorce is ready to pull the trigger. Sometimes, one spouse may have just discovered the other spouse has had an affair, and in a highly emotionally charged state, he or she makes an appointment with an attorney […]