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Billionaire and supermodel agree on child support

2012-05-18T17:33:42Z

He's a CEO who makes $4 million a year, and his family's net worth is $13 billion. She's a superstar model who makes $100,000 every time she walks down a runway. They recently agreed to end their child support battle.

The child was the product of a four-month relationship, which the father, French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault, described as one where he spent only a total of seven days with the child's mother, supermodel Linda Evangelista.

Evangelista said in legal papers that she is spending $46,000 a month to raise their child. Expenses include armed bodyguards and a round-the-clock nanny. Her lawyers said that she willingly paid all the expenses herself at first, but now she needs help after her $1.8 million per year income dropped.

]]> Pinault, who is currently married to Academy-Award-nominated actress Salma Hayek, is head of a conglomerate of high-fashion firms. He legally recognized his child in 2007 but thought that the amount of money Evanglista originally asked for was unreasonable. The conflict eventually went to court.

Now the child's parents are about to settle, after reportedly negotiating for a full weekend extending into Monday morning. Whatever they have decided on -- whether it is more or less than Sean "Diddy" Combs' $19,000 per month child support payments or Revlon Chairman Ronald Perelman's $12,000 per month -- the child whose father wears a $100,000 watch and whose mother still makes $100,000 for walking a runway is unlikely to lack any of the basic material necessities of life.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about divorce, child custody, child support or post-divorce issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

Yahoo! News, "Model, billionaire settle NYC child support fight," Jennifer Peltz, May 7, 2012

Protecting yourself against the hiding of assets

2012-05-16T14:03:34Z

If you and your spouse are looking to divorce, your first thought is probably to pick up the phone to dial an experienced attorney. However, what if your soon-to-be former spouse tells you that you don't need to involve lawyers and that the two of you can handle matters on your own?

Interestingly, experts advise spouses in this position to proceed cautiously. The reason? Often times, husbands or wives will seek to handle a divorce as quickly as possible and with minimal involvement from third parties if they are hiding assets.

Why would a spouse typically want to hide assets? Simply put, they are likely seeking to avoid paying more child support and/or spousal maintenance.

Fortunately, experts indicate that there are a few basic warning signs that while not comprehensive may nevertheless help alert a spouse to the potential hiding of assets.

]]> Some of these warning signs include:

If your spouse is self-employed, handles the family and/or is adamantly opposed to retaining attorneys
If the income reported by your spouse doesn't seem to match up with the type of lifestyle they are living
If your spouse owns his or her own business, and has multiple tax entities that seem redundant
If your spouse owns his or her own business, and some of the expenses associated with this business appear suspect

Experts indicate that uneasy spouses faced with these situations would likely benefit from sharing their concerns with a qualified divorce attorney. Here, the attorney can outline some options -- i.e., hiring a forensic accountant -- along with their respective pros and cons. Above all else, experts say, this step can help grant much-needed peace of mind.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about dissolution of marriage, property division or other divorce-related issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal or financial advice.

Source:

The Huffington Post, "Signs that your soon-to-be-ex may be a secret cash stasher," Susan Pease Gadoua, May 16, 2012

Should divorced parents put child care matters into writing?

2012-05-11T14:41:29Z

Divorce is always a complicated matter. When children are involved, it's even more so. Divorced parents have to deal with everything from child support to determining who pays for each year's set of new school clothes.

CNBC recently covered the complications that children can bring to a divorce in a special report. Experts quoted in the story indicated that the best way to defuse even the most complex child-centered issues is for divorced parents to put everything regarding their sons and daughters in writing. That way, surprises -- and arguments -- can be avoided.

For instance, divorced parents should try to agree in writing to such matters as curfew and time spent on the Internet/playing video games so that their children receive consistent messages whether they're staying at mom's or dad's house.

]]> "If you've got a 3-year old, when they're 16 they've got driver's ed, auto insurance, or the prom ... or let's go a bit farther, college applications are like $250 a pop, and who's going to pay for the child traveling to go see those colleges?" said Lili Vasileff, president of the National Association of Divorce Financial Planners. "It's up to the parents to discuss how to address those costs. Leaving it open results in a lot of misunderstanding, miscommunication and acrimony."

It's important to note, however, that some issues are more complex and will merit a more substantial dialogue. The CNBC story points to the case of children with attention deficit disorder. Some people argue that medication is the right approach to treating this disorder. Others disagree and say that such children shouldn't rely on medication to control their disability.

Raising children, of course, can prove challenging for all parents, whether divorced or married. The key in all families is for mom and dad to be consistent when it comes to raising their children. And the best way for divorced parents to do this is by putting everything they can think of that relates to how their children should be raised in writing.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about divorce, child custody, child support or post-divorce issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

CNBC, "How to provide for the kids post-divorce," Elizabeth Alterman, May 7, 2012

Exploring alternatives to traditional divorce

2012-05-07T21:06:39Z

In a recent post, we discussed how more and more divorcing couples are electing to end their marriages via "collaborative divorce." To recap, collaborative divorce relies upon communication and negotiation, instead of litigation.

Specifically, couples first sign a contract pledging to resolve all of their issues outside of the courtroom. Each spouse is then assigned their own attorney and mental health professional to act as their coach during the process. (A neutral financial advisor is also part of the team, as is a child specialist if there are children in the family.) The collaborative divorce team then proceeds to work together to resolve issues in a constructive manner.

In light of the relative ease of collaborative divorce, it's only natural to wonder if there are any other alternatives to traditional divorce litigation that promise the same level of harmony and efficacy.

As it turns out, another viable divorce alternative for many people is divorce mediation.

]]> In divorce mediation, the former spouses -- both of whom may be represented by an attorney -- meet in a neutral location to resolve important divorce issues, including child support, spousal maintenance, child custody and property division.

The mediation session is run by a neutral third party mediator who works to facilitate both a constructive dialogue and mutual cooperation.

The primary advantage of divorce mediation is that it enables couples to speed up the divorce process and save money, as well as preserve amicable relationships.

It is important to reiterate that collaborative divorce and divorce mediation may not be the best option for every couple. The simple truth is that many couples are often unable to agree on any issues and would likely be better served by resolving their important divorce-related issues in a courtroom.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about traditional dissolution of marriage, divorce mediation or collaborative divorce, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

Forbes, "The Four Divorce Alternatives," Jeff Landers, April 24, 2012

Reducing money worries during your divorce

2012-05-04T13:21:45Z

If you're going through a divorce or thinking about leaving your spouse, money is no doubt one of your primary concerns. Divorce often brings the anxiety of not knowing how much money you'll have to live on or to retire with. If you have children, you may also be worried about their future.

While some of the uncertainty associated with a divorce can't be helped, experts suggest that there are five steps you can take to help maximize your feeling of financial security as you're going through your divorce.

First, experts advise not going deeper into debt. The reason? Acquiring more debt will stretch your monthly income even further and could send your credit score plummeting. They recommend that you avoid taking on any additional debt unless it's an absolute emergency and keeping your credit cards well below their maximum limits.

]]> Second, experts advise that you learn to choose your battles, and try to keep your emotions out of the divorce. If you're feeling frustrated and you need to talk to someone, they recommend speaking with your friends, not your divorce lawyer.

Third, experts recommend that you can afford housing on your own income. If you can't afford to stay in your home, your attorney needs to know that as soon as possible. It doesn't mean you'll lose your home; it just means you need to explore all your options.

Fourth, experts urge people to pick the divorce attorney that is best for them. This may involve individual research or asking around among your divorced friends. If you're a shy person, perhaps an aggressive lawyer is a better option. If you and your spouse can talk some things out, perhaps hiring someone who's skilled at divorce mediation might be an option.

Fifth, experts recommend that you take time to understand all of your financial options. Specifically, don't make any moves until you fully understand the details of each choice you will have to make. Consider hiring a financial advisor if you want money advice beyond what your divorce lawyer can provide.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about dissolution of marriage, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal or financial advice.

Source:

The Huffington Post, "Top 5 ways to ensure financial security during your divorce," Brendan Lyle, April 23, 2012

Dividing retirement accounts at the end of a marriage

2012-05-01T14:34:06Z

For most people, divorce comes as either a shocking surprise or a product of mutual understanding. Regardless of whatever category you fall under, you likely have major concerns as they relate to property division. Specifically, you may be wondering who gets the house, the cars, the vacation properties and -- of particular concern if you're older -- the retirement accounts.

First, it important to remember that Texas is a community property state. This means that generally any property obtained during the marriage is split 50/50 in terms of ownership interest between spouses. During property division, the assets are valued and divided between the soon-to-be exes.

Second, if you or your former spouse have several retirement accounts -- 401(k)s, profit-sharing, pension plans, IRAs -- a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) will more than likely be necessary.

]]> For those unfamiliar with a QDRO, it grants a former spouse the right to receive either a set number of payments from a certain retirement account or a set percentage of the balance of a certain retirement account. It is typically included in the language of final divorce papers and must include the following information:

The retirement plans that are to be divided
The names and current mailing addresses of the plan participant and the former spouse
The amounts/percentages to be paid out
The QDRO timeframe

Typically, the spouse entitled to the set number of payments or a percentage of the balance rolls it over into an individual retirement account (IRA) tax-free.

It is worth noting that the lack of a proper QDRO can create major tax consequences for the recipient spouse. Consequently, divorcing spouses should strongly consider consulting with a legal or financial professional to learn more about how a QDRO works and the steps that need to be taken.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal or financial advice.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

Source:

Reuters, "What is a QDRO? How divorce affects retirement," Andrew Chow, April 19, 2012

San Antonio adoption clinic shuts down leaving families in limbo

2012-04-29T19:58:27Z

Adoption Associates of San Antonio, Texas, shut its doors last week leaving many families in limbo as to the status of their adoptions. Very little information has become available about the reasons for the sudden closure. Some families in the process of adopting a child through Adoption Associates have contacted Adoption Covenant, an agency out of the Lubbock area. Some of these families have said the only information they have received is an email stating the company is no longer in business.

An outpouring of support for these families from other agencies around the state is helping to get the families back on track with their adoptions. A spokesperson for Adoption Covenant said it is rather shocking the agency just shut down without a transition period to work with other agencies to take over their active adoption cases. It makes it very frustrating for the families involved in the adoption process to not have any answers as to what is going on with their adoptions.

]]> Adoption can be a lengthy, complex and expensive endeavor and to just be left hanging without any answers is leaving many prospective parents desperate for information, and terrified they may have to start all over. Some families simply cannot afford to start over and pay the necessary fees involved. There is a lot of fear and panic with many families left wondering what happened to their money.

Becoming a parent through adoption can be one of the most joyous events in life. To help ensure an adoption goes smoothly it can be beneficial to consult with an adoption attorney who will work directly with you and on your behalf at every step in the process. Many of the families involved with Adoption Associates paid thousands of dollars in adoption fees up front. Lesson learned here is it might be better to pay adoption fees in incremental amounts to avoid being left in limbo by the sudden closure of an adoption agency.

Source: KSAT.com, "San Antonio adoption agency shuts down," April 10, 2012

More divorce trouble for Deion Sanders as wife arrested in Texas

2012-04-28T20:06:29Z

In what appears to be one of the most acrimonious divorces in all of professional sports, Deion Sanders has been cited for a misdemeanor simple assault, which does not warrant an arrest, according to police. Pilar Sanders, Deion's estranged wife, on the other hand was arrested earlier this week in the same incident and was held overnight in jail on charges of misdemeanor assault. Police take allegations of domestic violence very seriously.

The latest events in this months-long and very public divorce battle makes an already strange case that much more bizarre. Pilar Sanders previously has filed a lawsuit against the Hall of Fame NFL player seeking more than $200 million in damages claiming Deion and one of his children from a previous relationship were making slanderous and libelous statements about her. That suit is scheduled to be heard in September.

]]> Ms. Sanders is also asking a judge to award her money and throw out the couple's prenuptial agreement because, she claims, she signed the document under duress. Prior to this latest incident the couple had been sharing their palatial Prosper, Texas, home with apparently separate living quarters. However, this week a judge issued an emergency protective order against Ms. Sanders and banned her form the residence for 60-days. The judge reportedly forbids her from harassing or threatening Deion or any of his family members.

Deion has been posting play by plays of these rather private matters between the couple to various social media websites, including sending out a photo of his kids filling out police reports. By doing this it appears he is taking the family's issues to the court of public opinion. And Pilar's behavior doesn't appear to be much better than Deion's what with her arrest.

Most divorce cases are not nearly this nasty, or played out in such a public way. Many couples are able to reach an amicable divorce settlement by consulting with a divorce attorney experienced in the use of mediation and collaborative law techniques. Since Pilar and Deion Sanders have three children together, a judge will most likely have a tough time deciding on child custody issues and which parent will act in the best interest of the children.

Source: Source One "Deion Sanders' Wife Pilar Arrested, Released For Domestic Dispute," Ruth Manuel-Logan, April 24, 2012

Source: The Boston Herald, "Deion Sanders cited for spat with estranged wife," April 24, 2012

Novel approach to divorce stresses collaboration, not confrontation

2012-04-27T13:28:41Z

A growing number of divorcing couples are now opting for a new approach to ending their marriage called "collaborative divorce." Instead of going to court, the couples work with teams of professionals, using communication and negotiation, instead of litigation, to navigate the divorce process.

The couples start by signing a contract agreeing to use the collaborative process, meaning both sides pledge to work on resolving all of their issues outside of the courtroom. Each spouse is assigned their own attorney and mental health professional to act as their coach during the process. A neutral financial advisor is also part of the team, as is a child specialist if there are children in the family.

The collaborative divorce team then proceeds to work together to resolve issues in a constructive manner -- through communication and cooperation.

]]> "It de-escalates the situation and helps [divorcing couples] to deconstruct the issues," said Susan Noble, mental health professional. "We work with clients to enable them to deal with divorce by operating out of their best selves, rather than out of their anger or resentment."

The collaborative divorce process emphasizes maintaining good relationships between parents and especially their children. Experts say it is not for everyone, but for some couples it is a better option than drawn out litigation that can take a financial and emotional toll.

The idea of collaborative divorce was born in the 1990s from a Minnesota attorney who believed that divorces where the attorneys worked together from the beginning benefited everyone involved much more than divorces that started out with litigation. Now, a growing number of professionals are being trained in the process.

"The collaborative process is a gift we can give to couples," said CPA and financial specialist Germaine Vorhoff, a participant in and proponent of the process.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about traditional dissolution of marriage, divorce mediation or collaborative divorce, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

The New Orleans Times Picayune, "Collaboration a new alternative to divorce court," Renee Peck, April 23, 2012

Lawsuit accuses ex-wife of hiding listening device on her 9-year-old

2012-04-25T18:53:08Z

When parents are involved in a contentious divorce or bitter child custody dispute, they may say things in the heat of the moment that are motivated by anger and/or sadness. Unfortunately, they may also engage in activity that is not only motivated by similar emotions but also against the law.

To illustrate, consider a recent case involving a Texas mother who stands accused of planting a hidden recording device on her young son in order to record the conversations of her ex-husband with whom she is involved in a child custody dispute.

]]> According to reports, Brian M. of Pasadena, California -- along with six family members -- have filed a federal lawsuit in Houston, alleging that his ex-wife Allison M. "secretly intercepted communications."

Specifically, Brian M. alleges that Allison M., a private investigator, sewed a recorder into her 9-year-old son's pants to secretly record his conversations with family members. He also accuses Allison M. of downloading the secret recordings onto her personal computer and providing others with copies of the recordings.

The lawsuit -- which is seeking up to $10,000 for each of the seven plaintiffs plus other damages -- alleges violations of federal and state wiretapping laws, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Brian M.'s attorney, who handled a similar case involving a recorder secretly implanted by a former spouse in a teddy bear, indicated that the dates of the purported recordings are not yet know.

"We expect the facts that we will develop will tell us the dates, times and places of the recordings," he said. "The recording device was sewn into the child's jeans. You are finding smaller and smaller devices being used. This one looks like a thumb drive and has a port that will plug into a computer. It looks just like a USB drive."

Stay tuned for updates from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about child custody, visitation or parental rights, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice. Names have been withheld to protect the identity of the parties.

Source:

The Houston Chronicle, "Pasadena man's lawsuit claims ex-wife planted recorder on son," Mike Tolson, April 18, 2012

Court says sperm donor does not have to pay child support

2012-04-20T14:32:57Z

In a very interesting family law story, a California appeals court recently ruled that a Texas sperm donor does not have to pay child support for the children he helped a woman conceive via in vitro fertilization. The case raises interesting questions about whether it makes a difference, as far as the payment of child support is concerned, if the sperm donor and recipient knew each other, or the procedure was conducted anonymously.

According to reports, the sperm donor, Ronnie C., is a bodybuilder and record-holding eight-time winner of the Mr. Olympia title. He had an on-and-off sexual relationship with the woman who would later sue him for child support -- identified in court documents as Jo D. -- starting in 1991. She moved from Texas to California in 2001, and the two remained friends.

In 2006, Jo D. told Ronnie C. that she was planning to seek artificial insemination via a sperm bank, and he offered to donate his sperm to her through the bank. She eventually gave birth to triplets in 2007.

]]> Five days after the triplets were born, Ronnie C. signed documents at the hospital that declared he was the father. However, he later said he thought he was only confirming that he was the sperm donor, not the father.

In 2008, Jo D. sued Ronnie C. for child support, and the court ordered him to pay, saying that the documents he signed declaring himself the father obligated him to pay child support.

In March 2012, a California appeals court overturned that ruling, finding that "the donor of semen provided to a licensed physician and surgeon or to a licensed sperm bank for use in artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization of a woman other than the donor's wife is treated in law as if he were not the natural father of a child."

Ronnie C. was understandably pleased with the ruling, as he must no longer pay thousands in child support.

"The appeals court essentially recognized the statute in California that allows women to receive sperm from a medical facility ... and not to have to worry about the specter of the donor coming back and filing a paternity action," said his attorney.

According to experts, Texas law is similar, meaning that sperm donors are generally responsible for child support if they intend to be the parent of any children conceived by an unmarried woman through artificial insemination or IVF.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about child support or post-divorce issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice. Names have been withheld to protect the identity of the parties.

Sources:

The Star-Telegram, "Appeals court rules Arlington sperm donor doesn't owe child support," Elizabeth Campbell, April 9, 2012

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, "California court says Texas sperm donor owes no child support" April 12, 2012

Be certain to add car insurance to your post-divorce to-do list

2012-04-17T14:19:10Z

When your divorce is finalized, you may breathe a sigh of relief and feel like you can relax for the first time in months or perhaps longer. However, before you begin settling into your new post-divorce surroundings, it's important to make sure that you address any and all outstanding issues involving your former spouse, no matter how minor you may think them to be.

For example, one extremely important -- yet routinely overlooked -- post-divorce issue is car insurance. Here, both state laws and policy terms typically dictate that you must inform your insurer of your divorce being finalized within 30 days.

This is because your old auto insurance policies likely covered the one martial household -- meaning the place where you, your former spouse and your car(s) resided. However, since your divorce, both you and your car have likely relocated to a new household, such that a new policy -- incorporating new ratings factors -- will need to be written.

]]> Failure to report the divorce/changed location of cars within the 30 day timeframe can have significant consequences, including the outright cancellation of your policy. As such, any claims submitted after the unreported divorce and its associated changes could be denied outright.

Furthermore, you likely received some type of auto insurance discount for being married (anywhere from 5 to 15 percent), as well as a multi-policy discount (roughly 10 percent) and/or multi-car discounts (as much as 25 percent). However, now that you are divorced, some of these discounts will disappear, so be prepared to pay somewhat higher rates.

Accordingly, take care to notify your car insurance company of your divorce and get a quote for a new policy. Experts indicate that if you are somewhat uncertain as to your coverage needs in the post-divorce world, there are a variety of coverage calculators available online.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about dissolution of marriage, property division, spousal maintenance or other divorce-related issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

Fox Business, "Divorcing? Break the news to your car insurer too" April 3, 2012

Divorcing spouses hit the jackpot with smartphone data

2012-04-13T14:47:43Z

Smartphone technology may be the best thing that ever happened to lawyers looking for evidence in a divorce case. From the call log to the address book, from archived texts to dating apps, a smartphone tells its owner's life story in data.

In general, divorce lawyers are permitted access to so-called electronic evidence and can obtain it rather easily. For example, text messages and emails sent from one spouse's smartphone to the other spouse are considered fair game if they are relevant to the case. The same can be said of electronic communications to and from children and friends.

Similarly, information from computers and telephone accounts shared by the former spouse can also used as evidence. For example, a divorce lawyer could theoretically subpoena records from the couple's service carrier to review information stored in a data cloud.

]]> It is worth noting that while some individuals may be tempted to try to purge information from their devices, attorneys can request a court order protecting the desired electronic evidence. Failure to abide by this order can result in the judge imposing harsh penalties.

Most states have no-fault divorce laws, so a spouse doesn't need to collect evidence of a secret love affair before filing for divorce. Instead, spouses are using information gleaned from smartphones as evidence in disputes about alimony and/or child custody.

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and foursquare are particularly valuable sources of information. Facebook status updates, photos and friends can all provide clues about how a person spends their time when they claim to be looking for a job. Their foursquare venues track where they are. Their tweets, posts on a message board, comments on news events may provide detailed information about their suitability as a parent.

Individuals who are contemplating divorce should remember that they have no guaranteed expectation of privacy when it comes to their mobile devices and divorce.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about dissolution of marriage, property division, spousal maintenance or other divorce-related issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

The Detroit Free Press, "Smartphones provide easy evidence for divorce lawyers," Mark Morris, March 20, 2012

Fault-finding divorce lives on across the pond

2012-04-10T13:57:32Z

Here in Texas, and across the United States, no-fault divorce is the norm. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a no-fault divorce is basically one in which the spouse seeking to end the marriage does not have to demonstrate specific grounds (i.e., adultery, cruelty, abandonment, etc.). Furthermore, a no-fault divorce can be obtained despite the objections of a spouse. In other words, if your spouse wants out of the marriage, they are free to do so.

Interestingly, this is not the case in England, where couples seeking a divorce must cite one of five categories for a divorce. These categories range from abandonment and adultery to something referred to as "unreasonable behavior."

As it turns out, roughly half of all divorce cases in England are filed under this rather nebulous category, where one spouse essentially has to accuse the other of behaving in such an unreasonable manner that the marriage can no longer be considered bearable.

]]> The problem with this scenario is that there are very few divorce trials in England, so that the spouses themselves must explain who is at fault and why (i.e., articulate the unreasonable behavior). These reasons -- which ultimately have no impact on custody or financial arrangements between the couple -- are listed on court documents and must be approved by a judge.

However, in an attempt to get the divorce approved relatively quickly, many people make outrageous claims and/or use the court documents to punish/humiliate their spouse.

"[People] put their heads together and say, 'Surely we can come up with something that the court will agree on,'" said one London-based divorce attorney. "That's when you get the sort of trivial nonsense like 'He was late home from work' and 'He wasn't supportive in the kitchen.'"

Indeed, some of the more extreme examples of unreasonable behavior cited in divorce documents include:

A woman claimed she hadn't spoken with her husband in 15 years and communicated only by Post-it notes
A woman claimed her husband required her to dress as a Klingon from Star Trek and speak to him in the fictitious alien language
A man claimed his wife threw away his cold cuts and meddled with the television reception

Not surprisingly, divorce attorneys and judges in England have long lobbied for the adoption of a no-fault divorce law in order streamline the divorce process. However, lawmakers continue to remain opposed to such a measure.

For now, it appears as if things are unlikely to change.

Stay tuned for more from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about dissolution of marriage, property division, spousal maintenance or other divorce-related issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

The New York Times, "Tuna again? In fault-finding England, it's a cause for divorce," Sarah Lyall, April 7, 2012

Study your financial health when going through a divorce

2012-04-06T12:59:42Z

There is no doubt that the process of securing a divorce can be extremely painful. However, the process can be even more painful if it ends up compromising your long-term financial health.

Fortunately, there are things that divorcing couples can do to make sure that the end of a marriage doesn't leave them in dire financial straits.

A Miami Herald column recently took a look at a few steps that couples can take to protect themselves financially during a divorce. The column, written by wealth advisor Andrew Menachem, recommends that couples first take time to review their current financial situation very carefully.

]]> According to Menachem, this is not necessarily an easy task. It requires a husband or wife to gather comprehensive information on their income, debts, assets and monthly expenses.

While this kind of extra work is rarely welcomed during a prolonged divorce proceeding, it is extremely important. Divorcing spouses who have a clear picture of their finances are better equipped to ensure that they will not suffer financially once the divorce is finalized.

Menachem also recommends that divorcing spouses take the time to separate their assets and debts into two columns. One column will be for those that they want to keep. The second column will list those assets and debts that they want to assign to their soon-to-be former spouse.

He also advises that divorcing spouses apply for new credit cards and open new checking accounts in their own names.

Menachem asserts that those divorcing spouses who take these steps will ultimately have stronger financial confidence moving forward. For example, they will be better able to judge whether they will be able to stay in their homes following the divorce, and make more informed decisions regarding child support and alimony payments.

Stay tuned for updates from our Ft. Worth family law blog ...

To learn more about dissolution of marriage, property division, spousal maintenance or other divorce-related issues, contact an experienced and skilled legal professional.

This post is for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal or financial advice.

Source:

The Miami Herald, "Facing the financial facts of getting a divorce" March 10, 2012