Right from the moment spouses decide to get a divorce, life can become a stressful whirlwind. Families have to negotiate agreements and details that will affect the next chapter of their lives as they reach their divorce settlement agreement.
Regardless of how long it takes individuals to reach a divorce settlement agreement, finalizing the divorce can be a relief for the family. However, finalizing the divorce is not yet the final step on the checklist of getting a divorce.
Telling children about the divorce is often the hardest part for parents.
All children will react differently to the news of their parents’ divorce, but it is all too common for children to feel guilty – as if they are the reason their parents are divorcing.
When individuals pursue a divorce, there are many terms they might not be familiar with, including “equitable distribution” or “collaborative divorce.” Another common term spouses hear is the “established standard of living.”
Why is this term important, and how does it impact a divorce?
Getting a divorce does not necessarily mean having to go to court. Fortunately, there are now several options that spouses have to resolve their divorce outside of court, such as a collaborative divorce. Collaborative divorce is a process whereby the parties agree in writing not to litigate their case in a court of law, but rather agree to resolve the marital issues through an open process often involving multiple sessions and meetings between the spouses, their attorneys, and other agreed upon neutrals such as a financial expert, divorce coach, and others helpful to the process of resolution and collaboration.
When spouses agree to end their marriage, a collaborative divorce can be a helpful option to reduce the stress and cost of the divorce process, and provide a path forward in which spouses can strive to co-parent respectfully and effectively. In determining whether a collaborative divorce is right for the situation, individuals should consider several things before they move forward with a collaborative divorce
When two people walk down the aisle, they don’t anticipate going from “I do” to “I don’t.” Still, divorce happens and absent a pre-nuptial agreement (and sometimes, despite one), asset division can and does often become contentious.
Very often, during the course of a marriage, one partner receives a gift of money, cars, jewelry, etc. from a parent or other relative. Too, parents pass and leave money to their children. Are these gifts and inheritance divided in a divorce?
It is easy to accumulate a lot of property and assets together during a marriage, as spouses purchase a place to live, and all of the things they need to fill that place and make it feel like home.
In the event of a divorce, it can be a difficult matter to decide who keeps what. However, even if spouses do not intend to divorce, many reports find that more newly married couples are attempting to avoid the complexities of property division preemptively by keeping their assets separate from the start.
One of the primary challenges that Virginia parents face is helping their children get used to the idea of dividing time between Mom and Dad - and living in two households. It is difficult for children to feel at home in two places at first, while they grow accustomed to life post-divorce.
How can parents help their children adjust to these changes?
When the Supreme Court ruled state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional in 2015, many same-sex couples celebrated by officially getting married. All over the country, couples filled their local city halls to say their vows and to earn the rights that come with legal marriage. Yet, now five years later, some of those couples are divorced and it has become clear that same-sex couples face unique challenges in divorce.
Regardless of whether the divorce was amicable or not, co-parenting after a divorce can be a complicated matter.
Dealing with the emotions a divorce can bring, such as grief, anger and even guilt, can influence how parents approach co-parenting. Unfortunately, this can lead many parents down the road of competitive co-parenting.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed how the world works – as well as how families work.
Some divorced parents are sheltering in place together to avoid custody transfers. On the other hand, several studies and news sources report that the number of divorce cases could increase if existing problems are exacerbated by sheltering in place.
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Maddox & Gerock, P.C.
8111 Gatehouse Road
Suite 410
Falls Church,
VA
22042
Phone:
703-239-7006
Phone:
703-883-8035
Fax:
703-356-6120
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