Every divorcing parent should make it their top priority to keep their children from getting caught in the middle of the conflict of their divorce. The following tips and thoughts are from James Roberts, RSW, a licensed social worker in Missouri and Kansas and family therapist in Kansas. Mr. Roberts practices with Madison Avenue Psychological […]
Obtaining a divorce judgment closes one chapter of a person's life, and it also opens another. It is important to be prepared for that new chapter. One of the essential matters I counsel my clients about, early in the divorce process, is the absolute necessity of updating an estate plan to reflect the change […]
401k, beneficiary designation, divorce, divorce attorney, divorce judgment, estate plan, estate planning attorney, living trust, pension, retirement benefits, retirement savings, willThe decision to seek a divorce is informed by many different factors. A major one is often concern about the economic fall-out of a divorce. After all, divorce can frequently mean supporting two households on the same income as previously supported the intact family. In the current economic downturn, economic concerns are front and […]
bad economy, couples, divorce, divorce attorney, divorce settlement, economic downturn, economy, ex-spouse, financial crisis, marital assets, marital debts, marriage, marriage relationship, shaky marriage, troubled marriageI am always dismayed when clients come into my practice without having had the benefit of careful divorce planning. Understandably, it is common to ignore the danger signs in a marital relationship. Nobody likes to think that their marriage may be in danger of dissolving. Facing reality and planning ahead, however, can avoid unnecessary stress […]
divorce, divorce planning, divorce settlement, estate planning, inheritance, marital assets, marital debt, marital home, marriage, MIchigan law, retirement accounts, separation, spouseYou’ve worked hard your entire adult life and have diligently saved money for retirement. It’s a good nest egg and a good start to a great retirement. Along comes a divorce. My retirement is safe from division because I worked and earned that money, right? That money’s mine, right? Wrong! In Michigan, your retirement […]
401k, court, division of retirement assets, divorce, employer, equity, ex-spouse, marital home, plan administrator, QDRO, Qualified Domestic Relations Order, retirement, retirement accounts, workDivorce is hard on children. It can be particularly hard on them at holiday time, as described by the authors in the article below, which presents excellent advice on how to ensure that, in spite of separation and divorce, children can still be children and have fun on the holidays. Children, Divorce and the HolidaysHow […]
children, custody, divorce, divorce family, families, holiday parenting, holiday visitation, separated, separated family, visitation schedulesOne of the most rewarding cases I ever worked on involved a couple who went to great extremes to set aside their differences for the sake of their four children. The marriage had broken down after numerous acts of infidelity by both parties. Needless to say, there was disappointment, anger and resentment. Nevertheless, the […]
children, co-parenting, custody, divorce, divorce judgment, divorce practice, ex-spouse, lawyers, marriage, spousesOne of the greatest concerns clients express to me is how they will afford health care after divorce. This is becoming a more critical issue in Michigan as the economy plummets and unemployment skyrockets. The State of Michigan is attempting to offer some help. The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has launched a […]
divorce, economy, family, low cost health care, Michigan, Michigan Department of Community Health, unemploymentParents often wish to enter into agreements for child support that deviate from the Michigan Child Support Formula (MCSF), which implements the legislative equation for calculating child support. An example would be parents who want to negotiate a lump sum payment for the life of the child's minority, rather than monthly payments. Typically, a custodial […]
change of circumstances, child support, child support agreement, Court of Appeals, Michigan Child Support Formula, payerI am often asked about attorney fee awards by potential clients. Secondary wage earners (i.e., the other spouse makes more money) or non-wage earners (e.g., stay-at-home parents) are understandably concerned about the ability to pay attorney fees in their divorce cases. Michigan law does permit awards of attorney fees. That is, a court can order […]
attorney fees, custody, divorce cases, legal fees