Recent Blog Posts
Exploring Divorce Mediation with Certified Divorce Mediation Attorneys
According to a recent study by the Pennsylvania State University and chronicled by edivorcestatistics.com, women reveal that growing apart and losing common ground with their spouses remains one of the top five reasons most consider contacting a divorce attorney.
Surprisingly, more couples are turning to divorce mediation as a means to dissolve a lackluster marriage. It is less intrusive than formal divorce proceedings and may ease the pain of filing for divorce. However, debunking some of the myths of mediation, prior to contacting a mediation divorce attorney, may prove helpful in the end. A recent article highlights the misconceptions attached to divorce mediation. And if you are considering divorce and your personal situation does not involve physical or emotional abuse, substance abuse problems, or hidden personal assets, divorce mediation may be the right choice for you.
Retirement Plans Take a Hit in Grey Divorce
A new trend in divorce, referred to as “grey divorce,” is on the rise as the baby boom generation ages. Grey divorce applies to people who are 50 years of age or older who divorce. Besides the usual challenges that people who divorce deal with, grey divorce presents a whole new set of issues for people to face, especially financial ones.
A recent survey of 1,000 people, who have gone through a divorce after the age of 50, was conducted by Investors Group. Of those that participated in the survey, 80 percent said they will now have to delay their retirement. Sixty-two percent of participants noted that the funds they have left in their savings or investment accounts after the divorce will not be enough to live on after they retire. Other statistics revealed in the survey included:
Signs of Parental Alienation Syndrome
Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) occurs when a child is being turned against a parent by the other parent, typically in child custody cases. It was officially recognized as a syndrome by forensic psychiatrist Richard Gardner, who defined it as “a disorder that arises primarily in the context of child custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the child’s campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It is caused by a combination of a programming (brainwashing) parent’s indoctrinations and the child’s own contributions to the vilification of the targeted parent.”
Children Adapting to Parent’s Absence: Another Aspect of Divorce
According to the U.S. National Centers for Health Statistics, almost one in six fathers do not reside with their biological children. Either the result of death or divorce, this statistic provides little comfort for the newly single parent raising his or her children on their own.
If you recently divorced your husband, there are ways to explain and deal with an absent father to avoid taking a toll on your children. When your spouse vacated the home, your children began missing an important member of the family structure. Dealing with this type of situation not only results in extra stress on you as the sole parent but also on the children.
One of the most important steps you may undergo is to take full advantage of all available resources to ensure that the absence of their father does not affect your children’s stability but to further reinforce that this is not their fault under any circumstances.
Sleight of Hand: Reasons Married Couples Remove Wedding Rings
A wedding ring is a symbol of love and life. Placed upon the finger as couples say their vows, a ring is a symbol of marital bond and visual declaration of marital commitment, never to be removed. Yet why are couples admitting to voluntary removing their rings to disguise their marital status? An article published earlier this year notes several interesting facts derived from a study as to why people remove their wedding rings. In the study, two thousand study participants offered their insight into this growing trend.
Although removing a wedding ring can arouse deep suspicions of pending infidelity, one-fifth of the young married participants have come clean and admitted to removing their wedding rings as preparation for a night out on the town. The reasoning – more attention from the opposite sex when enjoying a girl’s or guy’s night out. They also confessed that after an argument, the ring was also intentionally removed to solidify their point and to let their partner wonder if divorce is in their future.
Are Friends Toxic to Marriage? Today’s New Landscape of Infidelity
Dr. Willard F. Harley, Jr. has proclaimed to have saved thousands of marriages over the years by offering advice on marital conflicts and several of the quickest methods for restoring a harmonious path for couples. One area of concern for Harley is that we should carefully choose our friends after the nuptials to decrease the chances of appearing before a judge awaiting a final divorce decree.
Harley mentioned that when discussing the topic of avoiding the extramarital affair it is often wise to forego continuing friendships with members of the opposite sex. Even though many have bulked at Harley’s suggestion, believing it to be somewhat ridiculous and controlling, Harley believes that keeping these types of friendships intact often prove to be the breeding ground for infidelity even among the best of friends.
The Solo Vacation: What to Consider before Leaving Your Spouse
According to the late Ruth A. Peters, PhD, continual contributor to Today Family Time, it is not uncommon, nor selfish, to want to escape and rejuvenate in private. No spouse, no kids, no job, no worries.
Dr. Peters was a firm believer that as one half of a duo, separate vacations should be a welcome addition to each of our lives. She suggested that we should not think of it as an escape but as a new experience. However, there is one ground rule. Never should a quest for a separate vacation be viewed as an interference or a threat to the home-bound partner.
What You Should Share with Your Divorce Lawyer
When going through a divorce, one of the most important things you need to be able to is to trust your divorce lawyer. It is essential for you to trust that he or she will represent your best interests during what is quite often a very complicated and emotional process. And in order for your attorney to best represent you, there are certain pieces of information you should share during your initial attorney consultation.
To begin, there may be embarrassing incidents from your past that you are uncomfortable sharing. However, it is better for your divorce lawyer to hear about these incidents from you, and to thus prepare the best case for you, instead of being taken by surprise within the courtroom.
The Expenses Child Support Does Not Cover
In child custody situations where one parent has primary physical custody, the non-custodial parent is often ordered to pay child support. In Illinois, child support is usually based on the number of children and the net income of the parent who has to pay the support.
The amount of child support for one child is 20 percent of payor’s net income. For two children the rate bumps up to 28 percent. The rate for three children is 32 percent, and for four it is 40 percent. Finally, the rate for five children is 45 percent and six or more children is 50 percent of the payor’s net income.
Steps to Help the Divorce Process Along
Going through a divorce is never easy, even if you are the one who wants out of the marriage. There are steps you can take to help the legal divorce process go smoothly and with less acrimony between you and your soon-to-be former spouse. These steps will also help keep legal costs down.
- Provide the necessary documents and financial records that your attorney requests in a timely manner;
