Divorce is a life event that can have a significant effect on your financial situation. Beyond the emotional stress of going through a divorce, there are many other issues to settle: what to do with the house, the cars, and sometimes even the pets. And, not the least of your concerns, there are financial issues to deal with, such as the potential impact on your taxes and investments.
Although no one solution applies to everyone, there are a few fundamentals you need to understand if you ever find yourself in this situation. Like all tax laws, the rules governing divorce are complicated, and you should always consult your attorney and tax advisor about your specific situation. But we can provide you here with a brief overview of some of the issues that can arise.
For one thing, your tax situation will change as a result of a divorce...
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For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Parents' divorce Is Hard On Kids — No Matter How Old
Question: My wife and I have talked about divorce for years. Now that our kids are 13 and 14, we really do not agree on parenting and we are thinking about making the break, but we wonder if we shouldn't wait until the younger is 18 and off to college.
Answer: Battling parents often ask us what we think about waiting "for the kids' sake," and we will tell you what kids have told us: Most kids, no matter their age, vote against their parents' breakup. The exception: when one parent has been subjected to violence, addiction or mental illness. Older kids understand infidelity as a reason, but younger kids have no concept of infidelity, so discussing it with them as a reason for the breakup just confuses an already confused child.
Don't bet waiting will make it easier on your kids. Eighteen is only a number arbitrarily assigned to adulthood – many kids really struggle with the changes associated with taking the next step after graduating from high school. Many have told us stories of desperation the first time they returned home from college for the holidays after Mom and Dad separated. Nothing was the same...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Answer: Battling parents often ask us what we think about waiting "for the kids' sake," and we will tell you what kids have told us: Most kids, no matter their age, vote against their parents' breakup. The exception: when one parent has been subjected to violence, addiction or mental illness. Older kids understand infidelity as a reason, but younger kids have no concept of infidelity, so discussing it with them as a reason for the breakup just confuses an already confused child.
Don't bet waiting will make it easier on your kids. Eighteen is only a number arbitrarily assigned to adulthood – many kids really struggle with the changes associated with taking the next step after graduating from high school. Many have told us stories of desperation the first time they returned home from college for the holidays after Mom and Dad separated. Nothing was the same...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, December 22, 2008
Divorce Enquiries Rise Amid Economic Crisis
Divorce lawyers and financial advisers are seeing a 50 per cent increase in the number of enquiries amid the economic crisis.
Numbers have risen significantly as couples seek to reach an agreement before fears of a prolonged recession become a reality, they said.
Spouses with money are keen to sort out a deal while the value of their assets is low and those without concerned about missing out if their partners assets drop further in value.
It comes after Madonna - who reportedly has an estimated fortune of £275 million - separated from her husband Guy Richie this week, triggering what could be the biggest divorce payout by a female celebrity.
Traditionally, the busiest month for couples to get divorced is January when they realize after a fraught Christmas that they cannot continue their relationship any longer...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Numbers have risen significantly as couples seek to reach an agreement before fears of a prolonged recession become a reality, they said.
Spouses with money are keen to sort out a deal while the value of their assets is low and those without concerned about missing out if their partners assets drop further in value.
It comes after Madonna - who reportedly has an estimated fortune of £275 million - separated from her husband Guy Richie this week, triggering what could be the biggest divorce payout by a female celebrity.
Traditionally, the busiest month for couples to get divorced is January when they realize after a fraught Christmas that they cannot continue their relationship any longer...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
More Moms Paying Child Support Say Top Divorce Attorneys
CHICAGO, Oct 01, 2008 - Latest National Survey also Reveals Increase in Payment Amounts:
More women are paying child support these days, according to the latest survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). In all, 55% of the respondents have cited an increase in the number of mothers who have been assigned to make child support payments over the past five years. Additionally, 42% of the divorce attorneys have seen the size of overall payment amounts rise during the same period of time.
"The changes in our society are almost always reflected in divorce courts and the legal system. The issues involved with child custody payments are certainly not an exception," says James Hennenhoefer, president of the AAML. "If one spouse is better suited to provide financial care, it is in the best interests of the court and all parties involved to put the needs of the child first.
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
More women are paying child support these days, according to the latest survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). In all, 55% of the respondents have cited an increase in the number of mothers who have been assigned to make child support payments over the past five years. Additionally, 42% of the divorce attorneys have seen the size of overall payment amounts rise during the same period of time.
"The changes in our society are almost always reflected in divorce courts and the legal system. The issues involved with child custody payments are certainly not an exception," says James Hennenhoefer, president of the AAML. "If one spouse is better suited to provide financial care, it is in the best interests of the court and all parties involved to put the needs of the child first.
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
When Parents Divorce and You're An Adult
Dear Christine,
I just found out my parents are getting a divorce which has totally caught me off guard as I thought they'd be married forever. Although I am a married adult with my own grown-up life, this is still really affecting me. I am sad for both of them and I want to step in and try to help them reconcile. On the other hand, I am a bit angry too because they are giving up on a 35 year commitment. I am torn and feel ten years old again. How do I handle this? - Adult Child of Divorce, 29, Atlanta
Dear Adult Child of Divorce,
Your parents getting divorced at any age is going to be difficult, so do not expect to be unfazed by this just because you are an adult. It's natural to have feelings of sadness, confusion, and anger. Your desire to help them stay together is also very normal and is probably two-fold. First, you hate to see their marriage end because it represents the foundation on which your life was built.
Second, by focusing on what you can do to get them to stay together, you can ease and/or avoid your unsettling feelings about them splitting apart. But here's the truth: you really do not know the intricacies of your parents' marriage and this separation may be the best possible thing for both of them...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
I just found out my parents are getting a divorce which has totally caught me off guard as I thought they'd be married forever. Although I am a married adult with my own grown-up life, this is still really affecting me. I am sad for both of them and I want to step in and try to help them reconcile. On the other hand, I am a bit angry too because they are giving up on a 35 year commitment. I am torn and feel ten years old again. How do I handle this? - Adult Child of Divorce, 29, Atlanta
Dear Adult Child of Divorce,
Your parents getting divorced at any age is going to be difficult, so do not expect to be unfazed by this just because you are an adult. It's natural to have feelings of sadness, confusion, and anger. Your desire to help them stay together is also very normal and is probably two-fold. First, you hate to see their marriage end because it represents the foundation on which your life was built.
Second, by focusing on what you can do to get them to stay together, you can ease and/or avoid your unsettling feelings about them splitting apart. But here's the truth: you really do not know the intricacies of your parents' marriage and this separation may be the best possible thing for both of them...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
When Friends Divorce
My longtime friend and her husband of three years, now also a friend, are divorcing. He called us to say he moved near our new home and would love to see us. I think I have to stay true to my old friend; plus, she told me tales of misery. My husband wonders if he's exempt. What are the ground rules for divorced friends?
If you and your long-term friend are close, then your loyalty to her is a no-brainer. But if this is a friendship that has worn thin, and you like her husband a bit more, you should keep a distance from her ex until she's moved on. Unless, of course, her misery includes complaints of abuse. In that case, cut him out of your life.
As for your husband? Although he may not think it's fair, he needs to play by your rules because you brought this friendship into your world and that gives you the right to end it if there are indications the ex is bad news. Accusations of abuse, cheating or criminal acts are huge "guilty-until-proven-innocent" flags; tell your husband about them and explain that you don't want to have the ex in your lives until you know more...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
If you and your long-term friend are close, then your loyalty to her is a no-brainer. But if this is a friendship that has worn thin, and you like her husband a bit more, you should keep a distance from her ex until she's moved on. Unless, of course, her misery includes complaints of abuse. In that case, cut him out of your life.
As for your husband? Although he may not think it's fair, he needs to play by your rules because you brought this friendship into your world and that gives you the right to end it if there are indications the ex is bad news. Accusations of abuse, cheating or criminal acts are huge "guilty-until-proven-innocent" flags; tell your husband about them and explain that you don't want to have the ex in your lives until you know more...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Protecting Your Credit During Divorce
RICHLAND, WA - When a marriage ends in divorce, the lives of those involved are changed forever. During this time of upheaval, one thing that shouldn't have to change is the credit status you've worked so hard to achieve.Unfortunately, for many, the experience is the exact opposite. Unfulfilled promises to pay bills, the maxing out of credit cards, and a total breakdown in communication frequently lead to the annihilation of at least one spouse's credit.
Depending upon how finances are structured, it can sometimes have a negative impact on both parties.The good news is it doesn't have to be this way.
By taking a proactive approach and creating a specific plan to maintain one's credit status, anyone can ensure that "starting over" doesn't have to mean rebuilding credit...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Depending upon how finances are structured, it can sometimes have a negative impact on both parties.The good news is it doesn't have to be this way.
By taking a proactive approach and creating a specific plan to maintain one's credit status, anyone can ensure that "starting over" doesn't have to mean rebuilding credit...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Refinancing Is A Must When You Divorce
Know Your Options When It Comes to Your Property:
Divorce is rarely easy and often means a lot of difficult decisions. "One of the most important decisions is what to do about your home when considering divorce and whether one should sell, refinance, or buy their partner out," says Fred Solomon of Solomon Financial Mortgage. "We make it our business to help you answer these questions and make good housing decisions. Proper counsel and market information can help you avoid costly mistakes and keep this transition a smooth one. There are many questions surrounding what to do about your home," adds Solomon.
Three Basic Options:
1. Sell the home and split the proceeds.-Ask us to analyze your home’s market value, then estimate—after selling expenses—how much the home sale will net...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Divorce is rarely easy and often means a lot of difficult decisions. "One of the most important decisions is what to do about your home when considering divorce and whether one should sell, refinance, or buy their partner out," says Fred Solomon of Solomon Financial Mortgage. "We make it our business to help you answer these questions and make good housing decisions. Proper counsel and market information can help you avoid costly mistakes and keep this transition a smooth one. There are many questions surrounding what to do about your home," adds Solomon.
Three Basic Options:
1. Sell the home and split the proceeds.-Ask us to analyze your home’s market value, then estimate—after selling expenses—how much the home sale will net...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, October 30, 2008
HOW A DIVORCE AFFECTS YOUR MORTGAGE
I once heard something that has stuck with me for many years, that being Love is grand, but divorce is at least one hundred grand. I have also heard a client, jokingly say, that if that was all it would have cost him he would have been divorced years ago. So a serious as divorce is it is best to laugh at it.
On a serious note divorce can be a one of the most troubling events to happen in ones life. Who gets what, who pays who what, and it is all your fault. Sleepless nights and the thought of ending a relationship can be quite unnerving.
As a mortgage broker I look at divorce as an end to a business relationship, and it should be handled as such. If you own a home and have a mortgage on the home it is necessary to get the divorce decree to detail who is responsible for the payment. If you have credit cards that are joint in name you need these listed in the divorce decree to document who is responsible for the debt. If you own vehicles these need to be listed in the divorce decree to show ownership also...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
On a serious note divorce can be a one of the most troubling events to happen in ones life. Who gets what, who pays who what, and it is all your fault. Sleepless nights and the thought of ending a relationship can be quite unnerving.
As a mortgage broker I look at divorce as an end to a business relationship, and it should be handled as such. If you own a home and have a mortgage on the home it is necessary to get the divorce decree to detail who is responsible for the payment. If you have credit cards that are joint in name you need these listed in the divorce decree to document who is responsible for the debt. If you own vehicles these need to be listed in the divorce decree to show ownership also...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Divorces Can Be Tough Adjustment For Families, Children
There are many symptoms that children will present after having gone through a significant life change such as divorce -- there will be anger, sadness, crying, possible eating or sleep disturbances and changes in social behavior at home and school.
But experts say those symptoms can be eased tremendously if parents work out a good divorce.
Tori Chapman, 9, is as typical as they come and it's hard to tell that four years ago her world was flipped upside down when her parents divorced.
"They said that we've been having some trouble having a relationship and they were going to get a divorce," said Chapman.
"She said no, no,no, no and then we cried a little. We told her we loved her and it doesn't have anything to do with her. It was nothing she did. She said, "Do I have to move?" We said no, and she said, okay, can I go outside and play?" said Tori's mom, Linda Budnar.
Her parents consulted a child psychologist before breaking the news to her...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
But experts say those symptoms can be eased tremendously if parents work out a good divorce.
Tori Chapman, 9, is as typical as they come and it's hard to tell that four years ago her world was flipped upside down when her parents divorced.
"They said that we've been having some trouble having a relationship and they were going to get a divorce," said Chapman.
"She said no, no,no, no and then we cried a little. We told her we loved her and it doesn't have anything to do with her. It was nothing she did. She said, "Do I have to move?" We said no, and she said, okay, can I go outside and play?" said Tori's mom, Linda Budnar.
Her parents consulted a child psychologist before breaking the news to her...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Care For Yourself Through Divorce
Ten years ago, Dr. Lori Flaherty-Dent found herself facing one of life's toughest challenges: divorce
While it happens often, Flaherty-Dent said few are prepared for the emotional and financial blows that divorce can heap upon a person. That's why she found help and solace in a program at Visalia Unified Methodist Church. It helped her recover emotionally, and gave her practical tools to deal with fiscal ramifications of the divorce.
"It just changed my life," Flaherty-Dent said.
Now she's married to Chris Dent, who also endured a divorce. Unlike his wife, he had no program to help him, and said it took him much longer to recover on his own...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
While it happens often, Flaherty-Dent said few are prepared for the emotional and financial blows that divorce can heap upon a person. That's why she found help and solace in a program at Visalia Unified Methodist Church. It helped her recover emotionally, and gave her practical tools to deal with fiscal ramifications of the divorce.
"It just changed my life," Flaherty-Dent said.
Now she's married to Chris Dent, who also endured a divorce. Unlike his wife, he had no program to help him, and said it took him much longer to recover on his own...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Easing the Stresses of Divorce
It's a sad reality, but each year thousands of marriages end in divorce, and in many of these the separation isn't amicable.
Ex-wives may get jealous of their ex-husband's new girlfriend. Ex-husbands may hold out on paying child support.
The situation can play out in countless ways until the two people can no longer even be in the same room without screaming at each other.
As tragic as this situation sounds, it is even worse when children are involved, since they are ill-equipped to understand or handle the two people they love most in life, hating each other.
People have to learn to put children first, to shield them from the conflict of a divorce or separation...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Ex-wives may get jealous of their ex-husband's new girlfriend. Ex-husbands may hold out on paying child support.
The situation can play out in countless ways until the two people can no longer even be in the same room without screaming at each other.
As tragic as this situation sounds, it is even worse when children are involved, since they are ill-equipped to understand or handle the two people they love most in life, hating each other.
People have to learn to put children first, to shield them from the conflict of a divorce or separation...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, October 27, 2008
Children Need Sensitivity After Divorce
Divorce is emotionally trying for children of any age. The normal stresses of growing up can be compounded by a family breakup or by the presence of stepparents.
Sensitivity to a child's emotional needs is an especially important trait for a divorced parent or stepparent. Even the most amicable divorce tugs at the foundations of parent/child relationships. With loving care those relationships can become stronger.
The suggestions below touch on a few of many ways family members can support a child during and after divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Sensitivity to a child's emotional needs is an especially important trait for a divorced parent or stepparent. Even the most amicable divorce tugs at the foundations of parent/child relationships. With loving care those relationships can become stronger.
The suggestions below touch on a few of many ways family members can support a child during and after divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Mom Bears Brunt of Daughter's Anger Over Parents' Divorce
DEAR ABBY: My husband cheated on me, so I decided to end the marriage. I didn't tell anyone the true reason behind the divorce because I wanted to keep it private.
My 14-year-old daughter is extremely angry with me and blames me for the divorce. Her father can do no wrong in her eyes. I have custody, and our house has become a war zone.
So far, I have revealed no details to her except that we both love her and our marriage simply did not work out. I am tempted to tell her the truth, hoping we can call a truce and try to get our relationship back on track. Is this a bad idea? -- WANTS TO DISCLOSE
DEAR WANTS: I understand the temptation to unload, but yield to it only if there is no other way. If you and your husband are on speaking terms -- and for your daughter's sake, I hope you are -- schedule some time for the three of you to get together and talk about the divorce. At that time, HE should reinforce to her that the divorce was mutual, and you should not be blamed for it...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
My 14-year-old daughter is extremely angry with me and blames me for the divorce. Her father can do no wrong in her eyes. I have custody, and our house has become a war zone.
So far, I have revealed no details to her except that we both love her and our marriage simply did not work out. I am tempted to tell her the truth, hoping we can call a truce and try to get our relationship back on track. Is this a bad idea? -- WANTS TO DISCLOSE
DEAR WANTS: I understand the temptation to unload, but yield to it only if there is no other way. If you and your husband are on speaking terms -- and for your daughter's sake, I hope you are -- schedule some time for the three of you to get together and talk about the divorce. At that time, HE should reinforce to her that the divorce was mutual, and you should not be blamed for it...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Women not alone after a divorce, author says
In a country where weddings are a billion-dollar business but more than half of marriages fail, author Leslie Lehr said she believes that it's important to have hope and learn how to recover quickly when the dream of matrimony dies.
"One of the great fears of divorce is that you will be alone forever — and that's just not true," Lehr said. "I want people to know they are not alone."
Such is the message of her new book, "Wife Goes On," the story of four women in Los Angeles who have nothing in common but divorce and who find that it's more than enough for them to become friends — and help each other live happily ever after.
The book was inspired by the joy that Lehr felt when she got her life back after her own divorce and realized that she wasn't lonely at all — thanks to the power of friendship...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
"One of the great fears of divorce is that you will be alone forever — and that's just not true," Lehr said. "I want people to know they are not alone."
Such is the message of her new book, "Wife Goes On," the story of four women in Los Angeles who have nothing in common but divorce and who find that it's more than enough for them to become friends — and help each other live happily ever after.
The book was inspired by the joy that Lehr felt when she got her life back after her own divorce and realized that she wasn't lonely at all — thanks to the power of friendship...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, October 13, 2008
Kids & Divorce
George Stahnke, "We were called into the living room of the house and mom was on one side and dad was over on the other… my sister and I were on the floor… and they told us that they were going to get divorced, and asked us so, who would you like to live with?"
That’s the kind of memory that leaves a life-long scar. It happened decades ago, but George still remembers it like it was yesterday.
George says, "I was just shocked, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing."
Some experts say that kids are resilient, that they’ll adjust. And they can. But long-term research shows that divorce continues to negatively impact kids many years after the fact...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
That’s the kind of memory that leaves a life-long scar. It happened decades ago, but George still remembers it like it was yesterday.
George says, "I was just shocked, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing."
Some experts say that kids are resilient, that they’ll adjust. And they can. But long-term research shows that divorce continues to negatively impact kids many years after the fact...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, October 6, 2008
Divorce Tips
Maybe you have been thinking about it for some time. Maybe it is a sudden revelation. Perhaps your spouse has made the decision for you. Whatever the situation, it sends a shudder up and down your spine! Divorce is one of life's most upsetting events. Those who leave have different emotions from those who get left, but the degree of turmoil is about the same.
It is easy to get overwhelmed, but working through an action plan and taking it step by step will help you get through this painful time.
Firstly, create a cash plan for the separation period. A divorce typically costs more and takes longer than you expect. Money that previously used to support one household must now be stretched to support two! On top of regular transportation, food and accommodation costs, you now have an additional drain on your financial resources in the form of court fees and legal fees. It is therefore important to accumulate some cash reserves during this period. If possible, put some money aside from your regular paycheck, into a bank account or money market account in your own name...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
It is easy to get overwhelmed, but working through an action plan and taking it step by step will help you get through this painful time.
Firstly, create a cash plan for the separation period. A divorce typically costs more and takes longer than you expect. Money that previously used to support one household must now be stretched to support two! On top of regular transportation, food and accommodation costs, you now have an additional drain on your financial resources in the form of court fees and legal fees. It is therefore important to accumulate some cash reserves during this period. If possible, put some money aside from your regular paycheck, into a bank account or money market account in your own name...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Children Must Know They Can Love Both Parents In A Divorce
When you bring a child into the world, you wish for them to live in a world of love not hate, the last thing on your mind would be to shatter your own dreams and bring your child up in a deceitful world, but many parents who are divorced are doing just that.
This is what a lot of parents do when they make the child think that loving their other parent is a crime against the first parent.
If you look at the divorce order, it can say that a custodial parent has to give the other parent access on certain days. The court order cannot stop that parent making the child feel that going to their other parent is abandonment. The court cannot stop a parent looking deflated or even angry if the child says that the time spent at the other parent was enjoyable...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
This is what a lot of parents do when they make the child think that loving their other parent is a crime against the first parent.
If you look at the divorce order, it can say that a custodial parent has to give the other parent access on certain days. The court order cannot stop that parent making the child feel that going to their other parent is abandonment. The court cannot stop a parent looking deflated or even angry if the child says that the time spent at the other parent was enjoyable...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Should I Get A Divorce - 5 Questions To Ask Yourself
On the other hand, sometimes the problems in a marriage are so great that divorce may be the only viable option. For those situations, divorce truly is the best choice for all involved, despite the pain it will cause.If you or your spouse is considering a divorce and yet you feel there still may be hope in saving your marriage, try asking yourself these 5 questions before you make a decision.
1. Do you still love your spouse? This is perhaps the most important starting point in terms of asking yourself a series of honest questions about your relationship. If you believe professional furniture cleaning the answer is that you do not really love your spouse any more, you should probably get on the phone with your divorce lawyer right away: there is no point in moving forward if your love for that person has completely died, or if you do not respect them anymore in some fundamental way.
2. Is there anything you need to get off your chest? Are you harboring any information about things you have done or things you need to tell your spouse...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
1. Do you still love your spouse? This is perhaps the most important starting point in terms of asking yourself a series of honest questions about your relationship. If you believe professional furniture cleaning the answer is that you do not really love your spouse any more, you should probably get on the phone with your divorce lawyer right away: there is no point in moving forward if your love for that person has completely died, or if you do not respect them anymore in some fundamental way.
2. Is there anything you need to get off your chest? Are you harboring any information about things you have done or things you need to tell your spouse...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Ask divorce lawyer about co-ownership of property
Question: I have been married for 25 years and have three children. My name is not on the deed to our $600,000 home. If I divorce my husband, am I entitled to half of the assets even though the house isn't in my name? We live in Massachusetts. I am sick over this and don't have money for a lawyer.
Answer: You may be entitled to half the value of the house, but it will depend on the circumstances.
First, I'm curious to know why your name isn't on the deed after all this time. But even if your name isn't on the deed, if the house is a marital asset (bought after you were married), and particularly if you have contributed sweat equity, if not money, to the purchase and maintenance of the property, then you may have a good case to make for equal ownership whether or not you are listed on the property...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Answer: You may be entitled to half the value of the house, but it will depend on the circumstances.
First, I'm curious to know why your name isn't on the deed after all this time. But even if your name isn't on the deed, if the house is a marital asset (bought after you were married), and particularly if you have contributed sweat equity, if not money, to the purchase and maintenance of the property, then you may have a good case to make for equal ownership whether or not you are listed on the property...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tough Real Estate Market Makes Divorce Tougher
Divorce is rarely an easy process. But falling home values and sluggish real-estate sales are combining to make it particularly difficult right now.Couples aren’t fighting over who gets to keep the house. They’re scrambling to get away from the burden of it.
It’s too soon to see the trend in official statistics; the most recent marriage and divorce numbers compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics date back to 2005 – just when real-estate markets started to turn down from their boom years..
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
It’s too soon to see the trend in official statistics; the most recent marriage and divorce numbers compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics date back to 2005 – just when real-estate markets started to turn down from their boom years..
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Children Must Know They Can Love Both Parents In A Divorce
When you bring a child into the world, you wish for them to live in a world of love not hate, the last thing on your mind would be to shatter your own dreams and bring your child up in a deceitful world, but many parents who are divorced are doing just that.
This is what a lot of parents do when they make the child think that loving their other parent is a crime against the first parent.
If you look at the divorce order, it can say that a custodial parent has to give the other parent access on certain days. The court order cannot stop that parent making the child feel that going to their other parent is abandonment. The court cannot stop a parent looking deflated or even angry if the child says that the time spent at the other parent was enjoyable...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
This is what a lot of parents do when they make the child think that loving their other parent is a crime against the first parent.
If you look at the divorce order, it can say that a custodial parent has to give the other parent access on certain days. The court order cannot stop that parent making the child feel that going to their other parent is abandonment. The court cannot stop a parent looking deflated or even angry if the child says that the time spent at the other parent was enjoyable...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Program designed to help parents, their children deal with separation
A child’s attitude in a divorce is shaped by how the parents handle it, experts say.
WARREN — A new educational program supported by the Trumbull County Family Court is designed to help parents and their children cope with the many difficulties of separation.
"If you can’t cooperate, you miss some of the nice things in your child’s life," said Mary Olesh, executive director of Solace Center in Warren. " They [parents] don’t have to like each other..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
WARREN — A new educational program supported by the Trumbull County Family Court is designed to help parents and their children cope with the many difficulties of separation.
"If you can’t cooperate, you miss some of the nice things in your child’s life," said Mary Olesh, executive director of Solace Center in Warren. " They [parents] don’t have to like each other..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, September 5, 2008
International News: Britian's divorce rate soared 150% this summer, figures revealed
The credit crunch on top of the depressing return from long-awaited family holidays were blamed by experts.
Traditionally January witnesses the biggest number of break-ups as couples fall out over Christmas.
But July’s divorce rate was 40 per cent higher than January – and an alarming 150 per cent hike on 2007...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Traditionally January witnesses the biggest number of break-ups as couples fall out over Christmas.
But July’s divorce rate was 40 per cent higher than January – and an alarming 150 per cent hike on 2007...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Telling Your Divorce Story
As a recent divorcee, I am searching for the best, most polite way to address inquiries regarding my marriage and/or former spouse. Only close friends and immediate family are privy, and it seems rather brusque simply to say, "Oh, we're divorced," and then change the subject. It wasn't a messy or scandalous divorce, simply a parting of ways. Is there an appropriate way to address this that avoids awkward moments?
People need stories to make sense of unexpected events in their social world. If they don't get them, they're disconcerted and distressed - and they'll make up a story of their own to explain what's happened, which presumably is the last thing you want. So take charge and decide what story you want to get out there. When your name comes up in casual conversation and someone says, "Hey, I hear A.A. and B.B. got a divorce. What happened?" what would you like the other person to say? (The friend is not going to say, "I think it's none of our business and we shouldn't discuss A.A.'s personal life" - people aren't built that way.) That's the story that you should be telling people...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
People need stories to make sense of unexpected events in their social world. If they don't get them, they're disconcerted and distressed - and they'll make up a story of their own to explain what's happened, which presumably is the last thing you want. So take charge and decide what story you want to get out there. When your name comes up in casual conversation and someone says, "Hey, I hear A.A. and B.B. got a divorce. What happened?" what would you like the other person to say? (The friend is not going to say, "I think it's none of our business and we shouldn't discuss A.A.'s personal life" - people aren't built that way.) That's the story that you should be telling people...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Children and Divorce Facts For Families
Talking to children about divorce is difficult.
Here are some tips to help the parents and children:
Don’t keep it a secret or wait until the last minute.
Tell your child together with a spouse.
Keep things simple and straightforward.
Tell them the divorce is not their fault.
Acknowledge that this will be sad and upsetting for everyone...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Here are some tips to help the parents and children:
Don’t keep it a secret or wait until the last minute.
Tell your child together with a spouse.
Keep things simple and straightforward.
Tell them the divorce is not their fault.
Acknowledge that this will be sad and upsetting for everyone...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Does Divorce Scar Kids For Life?
"In part two of our two-part series, Should You Stay Together for the Kids?, we find out how kids really feel about divorce--40% of them strongly suspect that an affair was the reason! Plus, our expert reveals how a parents' divorce will affect a child's future relationships. Then, see our exclusive video of seven kids--from 6 to 19--who tell us what's really happening with them when parents split.
Yesterday, we told you about how parents feel about divorce...now it's the kids' turn. They say: "Don't stay together for our sake."
63% of adults who were children of divorce said their parents should have gotten divorced...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle ay (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Yesterday, we told you about how parents feel about divorce...now it's the kids' turn. They say: "Don't stay together for our sake."
63% of adults who were children of divorce said their parents should have gotten divorced...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle ay (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
What To Do Before The Divorce
There’s no reason for couples to fight like wildcats over property bought during their marriage. If you’re in this mess, try to convince your spouse to talk it over like politically correct adults.
Issue number one to be discussed is the custody of the children. Both of you must understand that the children need both of you in their lives. Work it out between you with the children’s well-being in mind.
The second issue is the home. Equally divide the value of the house, subtract the outstanding balance of the mortgage and calculate the remaining equity and split it between the two of you 50-50...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Issue number one to be discussed is the custody of the children. Both of you must understand that the children need both of you in their lives. Work it out between you with the children’s well-being in mind.
The second issue is the home. Equally divide the value of the house, subtract the outstanding balance of the mortgage and calculate the remaining equity and split it between the two of you 50-50...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
What's A Divorce Got To Do With Your Mortgage Refinance?
When Love is Gone
When love leaves, the travails of married couples begin. Everything about their partner is gross, unappealing, and irritating. Life becomes a struggle to keep up with the pretense that things are okay. When you’re the aggrieved partner, you silently wish that things will suddenly take a better turn, especially with an unpaid mortgage. Refinance plans have to take a backseat for a while, so, no go.
Not all divorces end well, but for those who want more money from their house faster, they’ll settle fast and work around their mortgage.
Refinance is usually another exit of a relationship and to get the spouse out of the house fast...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
When love leaves, the travails of married couples begin. Everything about their partner is gross, unappealing, and irritating. Life becomes a struggle to keep up with the pretense that things are okay. When you’re the aggrieved partner, you silently wish that things will suddenly take a better turn, especially with an unpaid mortgage. Refinance plans have to take a backseat for a while, so, no go.
Not all divorces end well, but for those who want more money from their house faster, they’ll settle fast and work around their mortgage.
Refinance is usually another exit of a relationship and to get the spouse out of the house fast...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Successful Co-Parenting After Divorce
After 13 years of marriage, Leslie Scheuler and Shannon Whitaker realized their relationship had ended. They separated for a few years and eventually divorced.At the time of their separation, their son, Nicholas, was 4 years old. They decided they wanted to share custody and parenting.
Their concern:
"We didn't want him to feel abandoned by either parent, and we knew how hard it was going to be that we weren't all living together," Leslie said.Shannon agreed that the loss of time with his son was his No. 1 concern. "You worry about how it's going to affect your child," he said.
How they make it work:
Nicholas alternates between his parents' households every two to three nights and spends alternate weekends with each of them. It works partly because...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Their concern:
"We didn't want him to feel abandoned by either parent, and we knew how hard it was going to be that we weren't all living together," Leslie said.Shannon agreed that the loss of time with his son was his No. 1 concern. "You worry about how it's going to affect your child," he said.
How they make it work:
Nicholas alternates between his parents' households every two to three nights and spends alternate weekends with each of them. It works partly because...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, August 28, 2008
What's A Divorce Got To Do With Your Mortgage Refinance?
When Love is Gone
When love leaves, the travails of married couples begin. Everything about their partner is gross, unappealing, and irritating. Life becomes a struggle to keep up with the pretense that things are okay. When you’re the aggrieved partner, you silently wish that things will suddenly take a better turn, especially with an unpaid mortgage.
Refinance plans have to take a backseat for a while, so, no go. Not all divorces end well, but for those who want more money from their house faster, they’ll settle fast and work around their mortgage. Refinance is usually another exit of a relationship and to get the spouse out of the house fast...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
When love leaves, the travails of married couples begin. Everything about their partner is gross, unappealing, and irritating. Life becomes a struggle to keep up with the pretense that things are okay. When you’re the aggrieved partner, you silently wish that things will suddenly take a better turn, especially with an unpaid mortgage.
Refinance plans have to take a backseat for a while, so, no go. Not all divorces end well, but for those who want more money from their house faster, they’ll settle fast and work around their mortgage. Refinance is usually another exit of a relationship and to get the spouse out of the house fast...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The Divorce Generation: Finding Redemption
It is a common, oft-repeated statistic: One in two American marriages will end in divorce—even within the Church. It hangs over our nation like a dark cloud. But what is truly sobering is that an entire generation of Americans has grown up in a culture where statistically, divorce is every bit as normal as marriage itself.
Writing in a recent Newsweek article titled, "The Divorce Generation Grows Up," David Jefferson tells the stories of the Grant High School class of 1982. "In our parents’ generation, marriage was still the most powerful social force," he writes. "In ours, it was divorce. My 44-year-old classmates and I have watched divorce morph from something shocking, even shameful, into a routine fact of American life..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Writing in a recent Newsweek article titled, "The Divorce Generation Grows Up," David Jefferson tells the stories of the Grant High School class of 1982. "In our parents’ generation, marriage was still the most powerful social force," he writes. "In ours, it was divorce. My 44-year-old classmates and I have watched divorce morph from something shocking, even shameful, into a routine fact of American life..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Women Not Alone After Divorce, Author Says
Friends can help the recovery, Lehr writes
In a country where weddings are a billion-dollar business but more than half of marriages fail, author Leslie Lehr said she believes that it's important to have hope and learn how to recover quickly when the dream of matrimony dies.
"One of the great fears of divorce is that you will be alone forever — and that's just not true," Lehr said. "I want people to know they are not alone."
Such is the message of her new book, "Wife Goes On," the story of four women in Los Angeles who have nothing in common but divorce and who find that it's more than enough for them to become friends — and help each other live happily ever after...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
In a country where weddings are a billion-dollar business but more than half of marriages fail, author Leslie Lehr said she believes that it's important to have hope and learn how to recover quickly when the dream of matrimony dies.
"One of the great fears of divorce is that you will be alone forever — and that's just not true," Lehr said. "I want people to know they are not alone."
Such is the message of her new book, "Wife Goes On," the story of four women in Los Angeles who have nothing in common but divorce and who find that it's more than enough for them to become friends — and help each other live happily ever after...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Top 5 Reasons People Head For Divorce
Divorce is a devastating ordeal for most people. This is why people choose to do so:
1. Infidelity: It could be argued that infidelity within marriages is a reaction by a spouse to the real breakdown of the marriage, and is not itself the cause. Either way, it is cited as the cause of most divorces. Surveys have shown that adultery occurs in over half of failed marriages. Spouses may be unfaithful consistently during an affair, intermittently, or just once in a one night stand. Common explanations for unfaithfulness include resentment or anger (with the other spouse) and sexual boredom.
2. Communication breakdown: Commonly, couples become unable to communicate in a normal, meaningful fashion...
To read the remaining reasons for divorce, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
1. Infidelity: It could be argued that infidelity within marriages is a reaction by a spouse to the real breakdown of the marriage, and is not itself the cause. Either way, it is cited as the cause of most divorces. Surveys have shown that adultery occurs in over half of failed marriages. Spouses may be unfaithful consistently during an affair, intermittently, or just once in a one night stand. Common explanations for unfaithfulness include resentment or anger (with the other spouse) and sexual boredom.
2. Communication breakdown: Commonly, couples become unable to communicate in a normal, meaningful fashion...
To read the remaining reasons for divorce, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Everything One Needs To Know About...Divorce
The Internet age — and working at a newspaper — enables literally thousands of pages of information to come across my desk and into my virtual inbox. For a reading junkie, it's heaven; for someone trying to decide what would work in a publication serving Chester County, it's a balancing act.
While a work spam filter apparently blocks much of the nonsense that still squeezes through to personal e-mail, there are nonetheless messages under the general heading of "press release" that pile up faster than you can imagine. You never know what will be waiting for you...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
While a work spam filter apparently blocks much of the nonsense that still squeezes through to personal e-mail, there are nonetheless messages under the general heading of "press release" that pile up faster than you can imagine. You never know what will be waiting for you...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, August 18, 2008
Surviving Divorce
PRENUPTIAL agreements, how to make a separation legal, sorting finances, step-parents' rights and options for ex-pats are all issues discussed in a pocket book on surviving divorce.
The second edition of Surviving Family Conflict and Divorce has been launched with the help of local family law specialist Alison Hill.
Mrs Hill, who works for publisher Woolley & Co from her home in Redditch, said: "Divorce is never a pleasant experience and we have found that many couples considering separation are distressed further by simply not knowing what is involved. Picking out some of the main issues on separation and putting them in a discreet book that people can keep to hand is an idea that really seems to have taken off..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The second edition of Surviving Family Conflict and Divorce has been launched with the help of local family law specialist Alison Hill.
Mrs Hill, who works for publisher Woolley & Co from her home in Redditch, said: "Divorce is never a pleasant experience and we have found that many couples considering separation are distressed further by simply not knowing what is involved. Picking out some of the main issues on separation and putting them in a discreet book that people can keep to hand is an idea that really seems to have taken off..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Parent To Parent: Divorce
Many say divorce affects children the most. 7's Matt Lorch looks at ways to help them through it in tonight's Parent to Parent.
David Polen was just three years old when his parents divorced.David Polen, 26 "I don't really have much memory of my parents being married or being together."
Each year, about a million children in this country will see their parents split. Divorce can be traumatic for children, but experts say what matters most is how the parents behave...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
David Polen was just three years old when his parents divorced.David Polen, 26 "I don't really have much memory of my parents being married or being together."
Each year, about a million children in this country will see their parents split. Divorce can be traumatic for children, but experts say what matters most is how the parents behave...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Health Benefits Inspire Rush To Marry, or Divorce
LAKE CHARLES, La. — It was only last February that Brandy Brady met Ricky Huggins at a Mardi Gras ball here. By April, they had decided to marry.
Ms. Brady says she loves Mr. Huggins, but she worries they are moving too fast. She questions how well they really know each other, and wants to better understand his mood swings.
But Ms. Brady, 38, also finds much to admire in Mr. Huggins, who is three years older. He strikes her as trustworthy and caring. He has a stable job as a plumber and a two-bedroom house. And perhaps above all, said Ms. Brady, who received a kidney transplant last year, "He’s got great insurance."
More than romance, the couple readily acknowledge, it is Mr. Huggins’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield HMO policy that is driving their rush to the altar...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Ms. Brady says she loves Mr. Huggins, but she worries they are moving too fast. She questions how well they really know each other, and wants to better understand his mood swings.
But Ms. Brady, 38, also finds much to admire in Mr. Huggins, who is three years older. He strikes her as trustworthy and caring. He has a stable job as a plumber and a two-bedroom house. And perhaps above all, said Ms. Brady, who received a kidney transplant last year, "He’s got great insurance."
More than romance, the couple readily acknowledge, it is Mr. Huggins’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield HMO policy that is driving their rush to the altar...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
First Same-Sex Divorce In California
Just three days after Theresa Ramirez and Adelita Guajardo of Fresno County got hitched they were filing for divorce. California was the first state to fully recognise same sex marriages. This will also be the first same-sex divorce the state has deal with.
The couple got married on the 27th June 2008 and filed the divorce papers on June 30th 208, it’s not said why the sudden change of heart for the couple or what grounds they are divorcing, but the court told ABC news that they will treat the lesbian couple exactly the same as any other couple who comes before the court, even though this is the first same-sex divorce in Fresno County.
The couple will divorce like any other couple seeking the same under California law...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The couple got married on the 27th June 2008 and filed the divorce papers on June 30th 208, it’s not said why the sudden change of heart for the couple or what grounds they are divorcing, but the court told ABC news that they will treat the lesbian couple exactly the same as any other couple who comes before the court, even though this is the first same-sex divorce in Fresno County.
The couple will divorce like any other couple seeking the same under California law...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Can Divorce Be Good?
They lit candles...
One for each member of their immediate family and then one for each member of their extended family...
The point of this exercise?
That even though their parents had just announced they were separating, they were still family...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
One for each member of their immediate family and then one for each member of their extended family...
The point of this exercise?
That even though their parents had just announced they were separating, they were still family...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Do I Need to go to Court to Get a divorce? Not Necessarily with New Divorce Service
People who do not want their dirty laundry aired in a court of law open to the public have a new option available to them in New York other than mediation regarding their New York Divorce and how to utilize New York City divorce lawyers.
Collaborative Law is a dispute resolution system that permits the parties in a New York divorce custody equitable distribution or family court matter to settle out of court in a respectful, private and mutually agreeable manner. Other cities are following suite. Consult with your divorce lawyer right away about this new development in the law...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Collaborative Law is a dispute resolution system that permits the parties in a New York divorce custody equitable distribution or family court matter to settle out of court in a respectful, private and mutually agreeable manner. Other cities are following suite. Consult with your divorce lawyer right away about this new development in the law...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, July 25, 2008
Can Divorce Be A Good Thing?
Divorce affects about one million children each year in the United States. An old saying is that parents should stay together for the kids, even if the parents are not happy.
Sixty-one percent of Oklahomans think that parents who don’t get along should divorce. Thirty percent think that couples who are not in love anymore should divorce.
Research has found when parents hurt each other through abuse or frequent arguing, a divorce can be better for the kids. But most marriages that end in divorce are not these high-conflict marriages...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Office of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Sixty-one percent of Oklahomans think that parents who don’t get along should divorce. Thirty percent think that couples who are not in love anymore should divorce.
Research has found when parents hurt each other through abuse or frequent arguing, a divorce can be better for the kids. But most marriages that end in divorce are not these high-conflict marriages...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Office of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Are Celebrities Redefining Marriage?
Once upon a time, a celebrity couple that admitted to an "open marriage" might never work in Hollywood again.
And back in the quaint old days of yore, a married baseball star might ruin his image if he were "caught" in a strip club.
And that's to say nothing of a female celebrity who marries a man who everyone knows thinks is gay.
But those ideas are so 1990s. These days, some of the biggest A-list stars seem to be redefining the whole institution of marriage. Or are they simply opening up a window to what marriage really looks like in America?
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
And back in the quaint old days of yore, a married baseball star might ruin his image if he were "caught" in a strip club.
And that's to say nothing of a female celebrity who marries a man who everyone knows thinks is gay.
But those ideas are so 1990s. These days, some of the biggest A-list stars seem to be redefining the whole institution of marriage. Or are they simply opening up a window to what marriage really looks like in America?
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Divorce On The Rise As Couples Feel The Pinch
AN increase in the numbers of married couples seeking a divorce has become the latest trend attributed to the current credit crunch.
But the sluggish housing market means some couples have to share the same house after their divorce has gone through the courts, because their jointly owned homes are proving difficult to sell.
Others are stuck in meagre bedsits, until the housing market picks up, amid wrangling over who racked up the debts.
Traditionally, divorces tail off in the run-up to the summer holidays but last week one Cardiff law firm saw divorce cases more than double in a week...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
But the sluggish housing market means some couples have to share the same house after their divorce has gone through the courts, because their jointly owned homes are proving difficult to sell.
Others are stuck in meagre bedsits, until the housing market picks up, amid wrangling over who racked up the debts.
Traditionally, divorces tail off in the run-up to the summer holidays but last week one Cardiff law firm saw divorce cases more than double in a week...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Divorce Should Not Be Loyalty Test For Children
Mary, 6, loved her mother and father. She wasn't supposed to, though.
According to her mother, her father had "abandoned" Mary. He was probably a "drunk" and "couldn't really love her, considering the way he acted."
Mary's father, who she saw only on weekends, talked about what an "awful" person her mother had turned out to be, how she was spending the money intended for Mary on herself, and how he was sure she'd try to keep him from seeing Mary if she could. He'd understand, he often said, if Mary didn't really love her mother.
Not too surprisingly, Mary's parents are in the midst of a divorce. Though they are both certainly suffering as they struggle with the end of their marriage, Mary is suffering as much, if not more...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
According to her mother, her father had "abandoned" Mary. He was probably a "drunk" and "couldn't really love her, considering the way he acted."
Mary's father, who she saw only on weekends, talked about what an "awful" person her mother had turned out to be, how she was spending the money intended for Mary on herself, and how he was sure she'd try to keep him from seeing Mary if she could. He'd understand, he often said, if Mary didn't really love her mother.
Not too surprisingly, Mary's parents are in the midst of a divorce. Though they are both certainly suffering as they struggle with the end of their marriage, Mary is suffering as much, if not more...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, July 11, 2008
Surviving A Split; Lend A Hand To Those Going Through A Divorce
Now that July, the traditional month for wedding bliss, has passed, let's talk about divorce.
Divorce rates have leveled off since 1980, yet marital breakups are hardly uncommon. Who doesn't know someone who's been through or is in the midst of a divorce?
For friends and loved ones, the breakup of a marriage presents some tricky, sticky situations. But experts say you can be supportive — and not put your foot in your mouth.
Challenged by what to say? The Chronicle queried some experts for tips on helping someone you care about through a tough time. Some of their suggestions...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Divorce rates have leveled off since 1980, yet marital breakups are hardly uncommon. Who doesn't know someone who's been through or is in the midst of a divorce?
For friends and loved ones, the breakup of a marriage presents some tricky, sticky situations. But experts say you can be supportive — and not put your foot in your mouth.
Challenged by what to say? The Chronicle queried some experts for tips on helping someone you care about through a tough time. Some of their suggestions...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, July 10, 2008
5 Simple Steps: Children and Divorce
You and your wife have tried to salvage your marriage but you realize it's time to divorce. The step is difficult enough for adults. F
or children, the thought of seeing their mom and dad split up can be even more frightening and confusing.
Their sense of stability can be shaken, their allegiances tested, their psyches scarred. How can you tell your children about a pending divorce in a healthy way?
Try these five steps...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
or children, the thought of seeing their mom and dad split up can be even more frightening and confusing.
Their sense of stability can be shaken, their allegiances tested, their psyches scarred. How can you tell your children about a pending divorce in a healthy way?
Try these five steps...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Thursday, July 3, 2008
CHANGING ATTITUDES: Divorce Parties Celebrate New Beginnings
The flip side of America's $120 billion wedding industry is no longer a desolate spot at the bottom of a Haagen-Dazs pint. No, the land of divorce is a hopping place, one that comes with party favors, advice manuals, vast online support and one liberating mix tape.
The new wave of divorce strategies encourages divorcees and soon-to-be divorcees to throw off the old-fashioned guilt, shake away the isolation blues, ditch the vengeance and psycho-drive-by fantasies, and ride the transition.
Friday night, a network of local self-help authors and divorce experts hosted their second divorce party at Christopher's Nightclub in Fort Lauderdale...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The new wave of divorce strategies encourages divorcees and soon-to-be divorcees to throw off the old-fashioned guilt, shake away the isolation blues, ditch the vengeance and psycho-drive-by fantasies, and ride the transition.
Friday night, a network of local self-help authors and divorce experts hosted their second divorce party at Christopher's Nightclub in Fort Lauderdale...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
New 'Positive and Supportive' book says Divorce Doesn't Have to Wreak Long Term Havoc
Divorce and Separation – The Essential Guide Separated parents are reported to have a lot to answer for – from ‘yob culture’ and binge drinking to dire predictions about a child’s future inability to hold down a relationship.
Although the UK divorce rate is falling, so-called "broken homes" are said to be at fault for many of the pressing concerns of today’s society. No wonder loving parents who face a split with their partner feel bewildered and scared about what is to become of their children – not to mention the trauma that split will bring.
Due out in July, Linda Jones’ positive and supportive book, Divorce and Separation - The Essential Guide, shows that it is not divorce that wreaks long term havoc on a family’s life, but the way it is handled...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Although the UK divorce rate is falling, so-called "broken homes" are said to be at fault for many of the pressing concerns of today’s society. No wonder loving parents who face a split with their partner feel bewildered and scared about what is to become of their children – not to mention the trauma that split will bring.
Due out in July, Linda Jones’ positive and supportive book, Divorce and Separation - The Essential Guide, shows that it is not divorce that wreaks long term havoc on a family’s life, but the way it is handled...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, June 27, 2008
The Financial Consequences of Divorce: Tips To Save Some Money Along The Way
A divorce can be rough financially as well as emotionally. Stephanie AuWerter, Editor of SmartMoney.com, has some tips for lessening the blow. Because divorce is such an emotional process, it can be difficult to focus on practical matters, like your finances. Don't go into a divorce without doing a little prep work.
"Lawyers are not cheap," says AuWerter. "Any work that you can do on your own dime, rather than your lawyer's dime, is going to save you some money."
The easiest thing you can do is get your financial paperwork in order before you see your lawyer...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
"Lawyers are not cheap," says AuWerter. "Any work that you can do on your own dime, rather than your lawyer's dime, is going to save you some money."
The easiest thing you can do is get your financial paperwork in order before you see your lawyer...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Create A System To Keep Files In Order For Divorce
Question: During our 21 years of marriage, I took care of our three children while my husband took care of the finances. When he left me this year, I had trouble organizing my records for my divorce case. Is there a secret to this?
Answer: Successful results in matrimonial cases are directly related to gathering and properly organizing information and records. I suggest that your first order of business should be to establish a system that makes sense to you. Once created, your system can be modified as your needs change. Keep all records and files in one central location so that if you must find something, you'll know where to look...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Answer: Successful results in matrimonial cases are directly related to gathering and properly organizing information and records. I suggest that your first order of business should be to establish a system that makes sense to you. Once created, your system can be modified as your needs change. Keep all records and files in one central location so that if you must find something, you'll know where to look...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Financial Survival for Divorced Women
Keep divorce from crushing your standard of living
According to recent statistics, divorce rates in the United States have dipped in recent years after peaking in the 1970s, but the rates of failed marriages still remain fairly high. Divorce isn’t just an emotional breakup; it involves serious financial issues that can have long-term consequences on a woman’s economic stability.
A woman’s standard of living plunges by at least 30% after a divorce, according to recent studies, so it’s important for divorcées to get a grip on their finances both during and after a divorce if she wants to survive the process intact...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
According to recent statistics, divorce rates in the United States have dipped in recent years after peaking in the 1970s, but the rates of failed marriages still remain fairly high. Divorce isn’t just an emotional breakup; it involves serious financial issues that can have long-term consequences on a woman’s economic stability.
A woman’s standard of living plunges by at least 30% after a divorce, according to recent studies, so it’s important for divorcées to get a grip on their finances both during and after a divorce if she wants to survive the process intact...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Who Gets Custody of the Dog Is Complicated, "hotly contested"
When couples split up these days, a matter every bit as intense as who keeps the house or plasma TV is increasingly being slammed onto the table for discussion: Who gets the pets?
Joint custody, sole custody with visitation, no ongoing relationship at all or splitting the pets between partners are all up for consideration, as are who pays expenses for the animal (no matter who has custody) and what happens if the custodial caregiver becomes incapacitated or links up with someone who hates dogs...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Joint custody, sole custody with visitation, no ongoing relationship at all or splitting the pets between partners are all up for consideration, as are who pays expenses for the animal (no matter who has custody) and what happens if the custodial caregiver becomes incapacitated or links up with someone who hates dogs...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Dealing With Divorce in the New Millennium
By the time you get to a certain point in your life, you’ll have to endure loss. It might be losing a parent, a job or your hair. Sometimes it’s the loss of a spouse. In any of these cases, knowing you’re not alone can help to ease the pain.
Seattle writer Theo Pauline Nestor writes about the ups and downs of modern-day divorce in her new memoir, "How to Sleep Alone in a King-Size Bed."
The title encapsulates what a friend of mine is going through now, so I read Nestor’s book with a mix of emotions. I was eager for insights that could help me help my friend, but I didn’t want to be a voyeur.
I needn’t have. Nestor is candid, but tender, too. In telling her side of the story, she respects that there are other perspectives. She keeps whining to a minimum, and her well-honed sense of the absurd helps to leaven the tale...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Seattle writer Theo Pauline Nestor writes about the ups and downs of modern-day divorce in her new memoir, "How to Sleep Alone in a King-Size Bed."
The title encapsulates what a friend of mine is going through now, so I read Nestor’s book with a mix of emotions. I was eager for insights that could help me help my friend, but I didn’t want to be a voyeur.
I needn’t have. Nestor is candid, but tender, too. In telling her side of the story, she respects that there are other perspectives. She keeps whining to a minimum, and her well-honed sense of the absurd helps to leaven the tale...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Honey, I Want A Divorce! How To Have The Talk
There are some conversations that are hard by their very nature. Telling your spouse you want a divorce is certainly at the top of the list.
Since marriage is one of life's central relationships, seeking a divorce feels like a tremendous failure. And it is tough to initiate something you know will have great emotional, practical and financial fallout for yourself (and your children, if you have them)...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Since marriage is one of life's central relationships, seeking a divorce feels like a tremendous failure. And it is tough to initiate something you know will have great emotional, practical and financial fallout for yourself (and your children, if you have them)...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, May 19, 2008
Child's Divorce Also Hard On Parents; Here Are Some Tips
Question: I'm devastated over the divorce of an adult son. Am I wrong to be so torn apart? After all, I'm 77 years old.
Answer: By no means are you "wrong" to be anguished. Instead, you are one more sideline sufferer, the newest member of a growing legion because roughly half of all American marriages end in failure. According to census figures, about 1 million couples call it quits every year. When they do, that means 4 million parents find tranquil lives thrown into turmoil
And, pardon the clich?, "But once a parent, always a parent." Or, better still: "Little kids, little problems. Big kids, BIG problems...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Answer: By no means are you "wrong" to be anguished. Instead, you are one more sideline sufferer, the newest member of a growing legion because roughly half of all American marriages end in failure. According to census figures, about 1 million couples call it quits every year. When they do, that means 4 million parents find tranquil lives thrown into turmoil
And, pardon the clich?, "But once a parent, always a parent." Or, better still: "Little kids, little problems. Big kids, BIG problems...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Divorce Rates Dropping With Real Estate
During the Great Depression, the divorce rate dropped sharply. Couples couldn't afford to pay the legal fees to split up. These days, the real estate market could be keeping couples together.
For most people, a house is the most valuable asset they own. Today, some divorce lawyers and therapists say trying to sell a house is starting to make things even more complicated than they already are.
For many homeowners, a sluggish real estate market just means a delay in making a move. But for a married couple no longer getting along, it is much more than an inconvenience.
Divorce lawyers and therapists report that the shift in real estate is making breaking up harder to do...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
For most people, a house is the most valuable asset they own. Today, some divorce lawyers and therapists say trying to sell a house is starting to make things even more complicated than they already are.
For many homeowners, a sluggish real estate market just means a delay in making a move. But for a married couple no longer getting along, it is much more than an inconvenience.
Divorce lawyers and therapists report that the shift in real estate is making breaking up harder to do...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
After Divorce, Stable Families Help Minimize Long-Term Harm To Children
A new study found that children who lived in unstable family situations after their parents divorced fared much worse as adults on a variety of measures compared to children who had stable post-divorce family situations.
"For many children with divorced parents, particularly young ones, the divorce does not mark the end of family structure changes – it marks the beginning," said Yongmin Sun, co-author of the study and associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus.
A stable family situation after divorce does not erase the negative effects of a divorce, but children in this situation fare much better than do those who experience chronic instability...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
"For many children with divorced parents, particularly young ones, the divorce does not mark the end of family structure changes – it marks the beginning," said Yongmin Sun, co-author of the study and associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus.
A stable family situation after divorce does not erase the negative effects of a divorce, but children in this situation fare much better than do those who experience chronic instability...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Divorce Settlement Considerations
As you consider your divorce settlement, you may be tempted to sign it just to get things over and done with. This is a bad mistake. Even if everything looks fair and equitable, you may not really be getting a good deal.
Below is an article that outlines some major areas to consider in your divorce settlement:
Divorce and Your Finances: The 7 Most Costly Mistakes
Each year there are nearly 1 million divorces in the United States, or about 50% of all marriages (2002 United States Census Bureau statistics). The real tragedy, however, is the financial devastation that occurs to many individuals after their divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Below is an article that outlines some major areas to consider in your divorce settlement:
Divorce and Your Finances: The 7 Most Costly Mistakes
Each year there are nearly 1 million divorces in the United States, or about 50% of all marriages (2002 United States Census Bureau statistics). The real tragedy, however, is the financial devastation that occurs to many individuals after their divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Top Five Things To Consider When Hiring A Divorce Attorney
Hiring a divorce attorney to handle your divorce is a very important decision. The following are a few important guidelines to follow when hiring a divorce attorney:
1. Attorney's Experience
Any divorce attorney you consider should have substantial experience in handling divorce cases in your area. An experienced divorce attorney will know what to expect of the judges in your jurisdiction and should be able to use this knowledge to your advantage. Additionally, the attorney should practice primarily in the field of divorce law.
2. Client Testimonials
The best way to decide which divorce attorney to use is to find out what former clients have to say about the attorney...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
1. Attorney's Experience
Any divorce attorney you consider should have substantial experience in handling divorce cases in your area. An experienced divorce attorney will know what to expect of the judges in your jurisdiction and should be able to use this knowledge to your advantage. Additionally, the attorney should practice primarily in the field of divorce law.
2. Client Testimonials
The best way to decide which divorce attorney to use is to find out what former clients have to say about the attorney...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Child Support and College Support
Do you, as a divorced parent, have a legal duty to pay for your child's college education? The answer is yes, no, or maybe depending upon the state in which you are divorced.
You could be ordered to pay for all or a portion of your child's college education if your divorce state has a law giving a court the power to award college support, also called post-secondary or post-minority support. College support may be in addition to child support, a part of child support, or a separate payment after regular child support ends. It can be used to pay for an education at a college, university, vocational school, or other type of post-secondary educational institution.
A court having the power to order college support may consider several factors when ordering you to pay for your child's college education...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
You could be ordered to pay for all or a portion of your child's college education if your divorce state has a law giving a court the power to award college support, also called post-secondary or post-minority support. College support may be in addition to child support, a part of child support, or a separate payment after regular child support ends. It can be used to pay for an education at a college, university, vocational school, or other type of post-secondary educational institution.
A court having the power to order college support may consider several factors when ordering you to pay for your child's college education...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Interstate Divorce: Getting A Divorce Across State Lines
Susan from California asked, "Can I file for divorce in California if my husband lives in New York? Or, do I have to file in New York?" The answer is that there's no easy and straightforward answer. Maybe yes, maybe no and maybe in both. It just depends upon the facts of Susan's situation, the laws of California and the laws of New York. It revolves around the questions of which state has jurisdiction to enter an enforceable order that handles each legal issue involved in the divorce and which state has proper venue if both states could have jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction is the power and authority that a court or a judge has to hear and determine a particular type of case and issue. Personal (in personam) jurisdiction and subject matter (in rem) jurisdiction are the two types that most frequently come up in an interstate divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Jurisdiction is the power and authority that a court or a judge has to hear and determine a particular type of case and issue. Personal (in personam) jurisdiction and subject matter (in rem) jurisdiction are the two types that most frequently come up in an interstate divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Adult Children of Divorce
Adult kids of divorce (known as AKODs or ACODs) may be equally or more harmed by the loss of family stability and by parents' poor boundaries than are younger children.
It is commonly accepted that divorce has a developmental impact, and often a serious one, on teenagers and young children. The effect of their parents’ divorce on children who are already considered adults, though, is often dismissed. Adult children of divorce, or ACODs (AKODs, another common acronym, stands for "adult kids of divorce"), are often expected to be an "adult" and support their parents through the pain of separation and divorce. They may also be drawn into their parents’ arguments in ways that younger children might not be...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
It is commonly accepted that divorce has a developmental impact, and often a serious one, on teenagers and young children. The effect of their parents’ divorce on children who are already considered adults, though, is often dismissed. Adult children of divorce, or ACODs (AKODs, another common acronym, stands for "adult kids of divorce"), are often expected to be an "adult" and support their parents through the pain of separation and divorce. They may also be drawn into their parents’ arguments in ways that younger children might not be...
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For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tips For Raising Your Child Alone
Tips on how to raise your child alone, including finding role models, building strong bonds, and finding time for simple parenting time.
No one ever said that raising a child alone would be easy, but sometimes every single parent needs help. Here are some tips for single parents to help ease the stress of going it alone.
You’re Not the Only One
It is easy to feel alone when you are a raising a child by yourself, but according to Parenting Without Partners, more than 12 million families in the United States are single parent families because of a death, divorce or seperation. Families with only one parent are becoming the "norm," and resources are becoming more available for single parents...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
No one ever said that raising a child alone would be easy, but sometimes every single parent needs help. Here are some tips for single parents to help ease the stress of going it alone.
You’re Not the Only One
It is easy to feel alone when you are a raising a child by yourself, but according to Parenting Without Partners, more than 12 million families in the United States are single parent families because of a death, divorce or seperation. Families with only one parent are becoming the "norm," and resources are becoming more available for single parents...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
More Equitable Divorce Solutions: Alternative to Divorce Disputes
Marriages break up, your family doesn't have to. There is an alternative to traditional divorce solutions that will work better for everyone, especially the kids.
There is an Alternative to Divorce Disputes
Sometimes your divorce really is more a matter of growing apart, than anything else. While there may be underlying issues that one or the other partner has (or both); mature, intelligent people are usually able to overcome these in the better interests of their children. The old method was to fight about who gets what, and who has control and custody of the children. Now, several couples have found ways to make things for better for both them and the kids. This is a collaborative divorce model that allows families to stay together, while still allowing the parents to have their own lives, separate from each other. Can it get better than that?
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information of the collaborative law divorce process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
There is an Alternative to Divorce Disputes
Sometimes your divorce really is more a matter of growing apart, than anything else. While there may be underlying issues that one or the other partner has (or both); mature, intelligent people are usually able to overcome these in the better interests of their children. The old method was to fight about who gets what, and who has control and custody of the children. Now, several couples have found ways to make things for better for both them and the kids. This is a collaborative divorce model that allows families to stay together, while still allowing the parents to have their own lives, separate from each other. Can it get better than that?
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information of the collaborative law divorce process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Emotional Stages of Divorce
Similar to grief, the emotions faced in a divorce are complex and won't go away easily, but being more self-aware could help you cope better.
Divorce could also be coined “Relationship Death” as the emotions experienced are fairly similar to grieving over the loss of someone dear. The path to letting go of your marriage and finding acceptance is a difficult one, but being aware of what you are going through will help you navigate this challenging life transition. The negative feelings may not go away but harboring hope and staying positive is truly the path to recovery...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information of California divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Divorce could also be coined “Relationship Death” as the emotions experienced are fairly similar to grieving over the loss of someone dear. The path to letting go of your marriage and finding acceptance is a difficult one, but being aware of what you are going through will help you navigate this challenging life transition. The negative feelings may not go away but harboring hope and staying positive is truly the path to recovery...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information of California divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Move-Away Dilemma
For better or worse, Americans are divorcing and moving in greater numbers than ever. U.S. Government statistics tell us that 28% of all minor children live with one parent, and that every year more than 14,000,000 Americans relocated their residences to another county. So, it is not hard to understand why this issue keeps popping up in divorce courts in virtually every state.
The California State Supreme Court's recent decision in Marriage of Lamusga is the latest in a series of California appellate decisions that have dealt with this situation over the last fifty years.
The consequences of a court's ruling in a move-away case can have a profound impact on both parents and their children...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The California State Supreme Court's recent decision in Marriage of Lamusga is the latest in a series of California appellate decisions that have dealt with this situation over the last fifty years.
The consequences of a court's ruling in a move-away case can have a profound impact on both parents and their children...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Maintaining Your Credit Status After Divorce
Divorce can be one of the most devastating events in one’s life. But beyond the heartache, there is another pitfall that can bring on huge headaches and threaten your reputation as a financially responsible adult. Your credit standing and identity confidentiality can be serious components of a divorce case.
Many people assume that divorce is primarily about division of property. However, when two individuals dissolve a marriage, there are usually shared debts and often mortgages and other loans in common which need to be carefully handled...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Many people assume that divorce is primarily about division of property. However, when two individuals dissolve a marriage, there are usually shared debts and often mortgages and other loans in common which need to be carefully handled...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Should I Keep Record of Support Payments?
YES. It is very important to keep a notebook with the following columns: Date Due, Amount, Date Paid, Arrearages, Check Number. No payment should either be made or taken in cash, since there will always be a disagreement later or about whether a payment was made. Such disagreements create unnecessary court hearings. Judges generally will give no credit for payments claimed to have been made in cash.
It is usually cheaper to be accurate about all payments made or received, than to attempt to gain an advantage...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
It is usually cheaper to be accurate about all payments made or received, than to attempt to gain an advantage...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
10 Misconceptions About Divorce
Mediation is often the sensible alternative to litigation, particularly when people are divorcing. When you think about divorce, you immediately think of lawyers, courts, judges, and litigation, not to mention expense and aggravation.
People are not as familiar with mediation and often have erroneous notions about what the process of divorce mediation is all about.
The following are some of the common misconceptions about divorce mediation:
1. My spouse and I cannot be civil to one another; we argue all of the time. I thought that for mediation to work the couple must be on amicable terms.
This is not true. Mediators are trained to deal with volatile situations. Take a look at labor negotiations or negotiations in the middle east. Alternative: Divorce Mediation uses a clinical psychologist and family law attorney team when mediating a divorce. Their combined skills in dealing with difficult situations can reduce the acrimony and even help couples to learn the skills necessary for successful negotiations...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding divorce mediation, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
People are not as familiar with mediation and often have erroneous notions about what the process of divorce mediation is all about.
The following are some of the common misconceptions about divorce mediation:
1. My spouse and I cannot be civil to one another; we argue all of the time. I thought that for mediation to work the couple must be on amicable terms.
This is not true. Mediators are trained to deal with volatile situations. Take a look at labor negotiations or negotiations in the middle east. Alternative: Divorce Mediation uses a clinical psychologist and family law attorney team when mediating a divorce. Their combined skills in dealing with difficult situations can reduce the acrimony and even help couples to learn the skills necessary for successful negotiations...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding divorce mediation, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wife Takes Divorce Drama Online, vents scorn via YouTube
Story Highlights:
In a video, Tricia Walsh-Smith makes embarrassing claims about her husband
Her target is Philip Smith, president of the largest theater owner on Broadway
Attorney for Walsh-Smith: "This is a victim who is holding her head up"
Other divorce attorneys: Such disparagement could wind up hurting Walsh-Smith
NEW YORK (AP) -- We're the YouTube Generation, living in the YouTube Era, in a YouTube World. And now we apparently have a YouTube Divorce.
Tricia Walsh-Smith and her husband, Philip Smith, are shown at a Broadway musical after-party in 2002.
Some prominent New York divorce lawyers couldn't think of another case where a spouse -- in this instance, the wife of a major Broadway theater operator -- had taken to YouTube to spill the secrets of a marriage in an apparent effort to gain leverage and humiliate the other side.
"This is absolutely a new step, and I think it's scary," said Bonnie Rabin, a divorce lawyer who has handled high-profile cases. "People used to worry about getting on Page Six [the gossip page of the New York Post]. But this? It brings the concept of humiliation to a whole new level..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
In a video, Tricia Walsh-Smith makes embarrassing claims about her husband
Her target is Philip Smith, president of the largest theater owner on Broadway
Attorney for Walsh-Smith: "This is a victim who is holding her head up"
Other divorce attorneys: Such disparagement could wind up hurting Walsh-Smith
NEW YORK (AP) -- We're the YouTube Generation, living in the YouTube Era, in a YouTube World. And now we apparently have a YouTube Divorce.
Tricia Walsh-Smith and her husband, Philip Smith, are shown at a Broadway musical after-party in 2002.
Some prominent New York divorce lawyers couldn't think of another case where a spouse -- in this instance, the wife of a major Broadway theater operator -- had taken to YouTube to spill the secrets of a marriage in an apparent effort to gain leverage and humiliate the other side.
"This is absolutely a new step, and I think it's scary," said Bonnie Rabin, a divorce lawyer who has handled high-profile cases. "People used to worry about getting on Page Six [the gossip page of the New York Post]. But this? It brings the concept of humiliation to a whole new level..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, April 7, 2008
Ruling Debunks Custody Diagnosis
CHILD custody determinations in scores of Family Court decisions could be challenged following a ruling debunking parental alienation syndrome, a controversial diagnosis of the effects on a child when one parent denigrates the other.
The Psychologists Board of Queensland last month disciplined prominent Brisbane clinical psychologist William Wrigley, saying he had acted unprofessionally in giving evidence about parental alienation syndrome to the court.
An investigation found that Dr Wrigley's evidence three years ago, which had led to a mother losing custody of her two children, constituted "professional conduct that demonstrates incompetence or a lack of adequate knowledge, skill, judgment or care"...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The Psychologists Board of Queensland last month disciplined prominent Brisbane clinical psychologist William Wrigley, saying he had acted unprofessionally in giving evidence about parental alienation syndrome to the court.
An investigation found that Dr Wrigley's evidence three years ago, which had led to a mother losing custody of her two children, constituted "professional conduct that demonstrates incompetence or a lack of adequate knowledge, skill, judgment or care"...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
A best-selling Journey Back From Divorce
Author Elizabeth Gilbert often asked people she met in her travels if she could include them in the book she planned to write.
"Don't worry, nobody ever reads my books," she would tell them, shrugging off their concerns. "Except maybe my parents and a few friends."
That was before Eat, Pray, Love.
Gilbert's hugely successful memoir, chronicling her year abroad following a painful divorce, is published in 30 languages. More than 1 million copies of the paperback are in print...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
"Don't worry, nobody ever reads my books," she would tell them, shrugging off their concerns. "Except maybe my parents and a few friends."
That was before Eat, Pray, Love.
Gilbert's hugely successful memoir, chronicling her year abroad following a painful divorce, is published in 30 languages. More than 1 million copies of the paperback are in print...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Five Ways To Save Tax Money During Divorce
Taxes are probably the last thing on the mind of someone going through a divorce. But maybe they shouldn't be. Here are some money-saving tax tips to consider if you're getting divorced.
The first thing is to "reach agreements with each other. It’s very important to talk with your spouse and straighten out money issues. It’s very easy to lose money if the separating couple isn't communicating...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
The first thing is to "reach agreements with each other. It’s very important to talk with your spouse and straighten out money issues. It’s very easy to lose money if the separating couple isn't communicating...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, April 4, 2008
Is A Divorce Keeping You From Your Children?
For parents burdened by a divorce or a heavy workload, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay in touch with their children and each other. Visitation rights might decree that a parent only gets to see a child every other weekend, or perhaps the parent returns home from the office so late each night that their kids are already asleep.
Additionally, children themselves are becoming busier and busier - extra academic studies after school, practice with the sports team - which further reduces the contact between parent and child. Whatever the reasons, a communication chasm is appearing between many parents and their children...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on child custody after divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Additionally, children themselves are becoming busier and busier - extra academic studies after school, practice with the sports team - which further reduces the contact between parent and child. Whatever the reasons, a communication chasm is appearing between many parents and their children...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on child custody after divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Fight or Flight? How Men React To Divorce
I think it's important to understand the natural inclinations we have when we react to divorce. Each of us has a different response to things based on our previous experiences.
Fight or Flight - Which is Better?
As science has proven, our bodies and minds have two responses to stressors. It's called the "flight or fight" response. Either we react by fighting back against whatever is causing us stress or we run away. Divorce, and all that is wrapped up into it, is definitely stressful. It's stressful on us and it's stressful on our family and especially our children...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Fight or Flight - Which is Better?
As science has proven, our bodies and minds have two responses to stressors. It's called the "flight or fight" response. Either we react by fighting back against whatever is causing us stress or we run away. Divorce, and all that is wrapped up into it, is definitely stressful. It's stressful on us and it's stressful on our family and especially our children...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, March 31, 2008
Divorce Parties Help Achieve Post-Marital Bliss
For years, divorce has been seen as the end of a relationship, but increasingly more and more people are seeing it as the beginning of a new life.
The new outlook on divorce is giving rise to a trend that's spreading from country to country, continent to continent. Divorce parties have become all the rage in the U.S. and the U.K., and now they're taking off here in Canada.
Maria Caldarozzi, an event planner in Halifax, says she has already planned several divorce parties this year.
"It's a celebration of independence," she says.
"It's a celebration of your education -- of where you were -- and now a whole new road you're going down. You just learn to share it with your friends and family. You just want to have a great time and start life over again..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding the California dissolution process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
The new outlook on divorce is giving rise to a trend that's spreading from country to country, continent to continent. Divorce parties have become all the rage in the U.S. and the U.K., and now they're taking off here in Canada.
Maria Caldarozzi, an event planner in Halifax, says she has already planned several divorce parties this year.
"It's a celebration of independence," she says.
"It's a celebration of your education -- of where you were -- and now a whole new road you're going down. You just learn to share it with your friends and family. You just want to have a great time and start life over again..."
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding the California dissolution process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/
Friday, March 28, 2008
International: Divorce Drives Up Real Estate Sales in Australia
DIVORCE will drive real estate sales - regardless of interest rate rises.
Break-ups among married and de facto couples account for up to 15 per cent of all residential sales, L.J. Hooker WA manager Luke Walker said.
A Sydney agent recently claimed the figure was closer to 40 per cent, with every second client selling because of divorce.
Professionals WA Real Estate chief executive officer David Hobbs said that while he thought this figure was overstated, he agreed divorce triggered a big percentage of sales.
"Two properties in my street are being sold due to divorce. It is fairly prevalent at this stage,'' he said...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
Break-ups among married and de facto couples account for up to 15 per cent of all residential sales, L.J. Hooker WA manager Luke Walker said.
A Sydney agent recently claimed the figure was closer to 40 per cent, with every second client selling because of divorce.
Professionals WA Real Estate chief executive officer David Hobbs said that while he thought this figure was overstated, he agreed divorce triggered a big percentage of sales.
"Two properties in my street are being sold due to divorce. It is fairly prevalent at this stage,'' he said...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
Innocent Victims of a Litigious Divorce: The Children
"The war of the Roses" depicted every couple's worst nightmare. Two people who were once in love are engaged in a major battle where both sides lose. Divorce is second only to death as the most stressful of life's experiences. And litigated divorce increases the emotional stress many times over due to the hostility generated and the high financial cost. This is the tragedy of an acrimonious divorce. Each side hires a lawyer as their hired gun.
There is an alternative to the bitter, acrimonious litigated divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information about alternatives to divorce litigation, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
There is an alternative to the bitter, acrimonious litigated divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information about alternatives to divorce litigation, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Overcoming Divorce Trauma
Foolproof Strategies for Maintaining Your Child's Equilibrium:
As is typical in practically every divorce, your children are usually the last know. Even when a marriage is fraught with discord, children generally hold onto the wish that their parents will somehow manage to stay together, or, like The Parent Trap, they can engineer a modicum of a truce. But in the real world, acrimonious marriages generally end in equally contentious divorces. When that happens, a constellation of emotions surface, feelings of abandonment rage, psychological dysregulation, and immense anger are but a few of the overwhelming feelings children experience...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
As is typical in practically every divorce, your children are usually the last know. Even when a marriage is fraught with discord, children generally hold onto the wish that their parents will somehow manage to stay together, or, like The Parent Trap, they can engineer a modicum of a truce. But in the real world, acrimonious marriages generally end in equally contentious divorces. When that happens, a constellation of emotions surface, feelings of abandonment rage, psychological dysregulation, and immense anger are but a few of the overwhelming feelings children experience...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, March 21, 2008
Dividing Pension and Retirement Benefits
Under the Family Code of California, community property is divided between the spouses 50/50. Retirement benefits are a form of employment compensation, like earnings. Thus, regardless of when the benefits are vested or matured, for pensions based on time of service as opposed to a point system fn-1, the benefits are community property, to the extent earned during marriage, up to date of separation.
For example, if the Participant [spouse earning the pension] earns benefits under the plan for 240 months, and is married prior to separation during 160 of those months, 2/3 of the benefits are community property. The other spouse therefore has a right to 50% of that 2/3 = 1/3 of the pension benefits.
When these rights are established through an appropriate order [see below], the other spouse is recognized by the pensions as an Alternate Payee.
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
For example, if the Participant [spouse earning the pension] earns benefits under the plan for 240 months, and is married prior to separation during 160 of those months, 2/3 of the benefits are community property. The other spouse therefore has a right to 50% of that 2/3 = 1/3 of the pension benefits.
When these rights are established through an appropriate order [see below], the other spouse is recognized by the pensions as an Alternate Payee.
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
California Divorce Basics
Residency Requirements and Grounds for DivorceYou must be a resident of California for six months and a county resident for three months to file for a divorce, called a "dissolution."
Either spouse can get a divorce simply by stating in the divorce papers that "irreconcilable differences" have caused a breakdown in the marriage. If both spouses are in agreement that there should be a divorce, they can agree in writing (called a "stipulation") that the marriage can be ended...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on California divorce proceedings, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Either spouse can get a divorce simply by stating in the divorce papers that "irreconcilable differences" have caused a breakdown in the marriage. If both spouses are in agreement that there should be a divorce, they can agree in writing (called a "stipulation") that the marriage can be ended...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on California divorce proceedings, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, March 17, 2008
Evaluating Spousal Support
Unlike child support, only vague guidelines are established in California for evaluating the amount of spousal support. Unfortunately, broad latitude is given by judges with varying attitudes. Different results appear in cases with similar factual situations. Generally speaking, spousal support is based on the reasonable needs of the wife as they relate to the husband's ability to pay, in order to maintain the Marital Standard of Living, established during the marriage. Major factors commonly employed to determine the appropriate amount of support are as follows...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on spousal support, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on spousal support, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Negotiation Tip: Patience and Persistance Are Your Hidden Strengths
Patience and persistence are two of the most effective weapons in your negotiation arsenal. Winning negotiators know that by staying calm, determined, and focused they gain advantage that translates into favorable deals.
During the negotiation process you test your counterpartÃs expectations and goals as well as your own. Agreement is reached only after each party is ready to move from the wishful into the realm of the possible. Change takes place over time in small, constant, incremental movements. You cannot rush the process. The right number at the wrong time is the wrong number...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
During the negotiation process you test your counterpartÃs expectations and goals as well as your own. Agreement is reached only after each party is ready to move from the wishful into the realm of the possible. Change takes place over time in small, constant, incremental movements. You cannot rush the process. The right number at the wrong time is the wrong number...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Thursday, March 13, 2008
International: Divorce Stopping Home Ownership In Australia
Relationship woes rather than housing affordability is keeping younger Australians from home ownership, a new study has found.
Flinders University academics have found higher percentages of younger Australians are embarking upon home ownership than ever before.
Professor Andrew Beer surveyed 2,600 people to find the average age for first entry to home purchase had fallen over the last 30 years.
"(It's) because of the liberalisation of home lending, rising incomes and increasing aspirations," Prof Beer said...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For information on California divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Flinders University academics have found higher percentages of younger Australians are embarking upon home ownership than ever before.
Professor Andrew Beer surveyed 2,600 people to find the average age for first entry to home purchase had fallen over the last 30 years.
"(It's) because of the liberalisation of home lending, rising incomes and increasing aspirations," Prof Beer said...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For information on California divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Kids Learn To Bear Divorce
It's no secret that divorce is hard on kids.
Wendy Lokken, co-author of ""You and Me Make Three"", knows the heartache families experience when they go separate ways.
""I am a child of divorce and I am divorced with children,"" Lokken said.
That's why Lokken, a Naples resident, joined authors Gwendy Mangiamele, Edna Cucksey Stephens and illustrator Heather Drescher to write a book for kids about divorce. They'll sign copies of the book this month at three Naples book stores.
Offered along with the book is a teddy bear named B.B. the Bear who offers comfort and a safe place to talk about feelings.
""I was raised in North Dakota and divorce was just something we never talked about,"" Lokken said...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wendy Lokken, co-author of ""You and Me Make Three"", knows the heartache families experience when they go separate ways.
""I am a child of divorce and I am divorced with children,"" Lokken said.
That's why Lokken, a Naples resident, joined authors Gwendy Mangiamele, Edna Cucksey Stephens and illustrator Heather Drescher to write a book for kids about divorce. They'll sign copies of the book this month at three Naples book stores.
Offered along with the book is a teddy bear named B.B. the Bear who offers comfort and a safe place to talk about feelings.
""I was raised in North Dakota and divorce was just something we never talked about,"" Lokken said...
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For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Teen Tries To Help Others Cope With Divorce
ATLANTA - Bill Sears endured a childhood trauma that has been, and will be, faced by millions. He survived the death of his parents' marriage. He had to pick sides, counsel his parents and learn how to interpret his feelings. Pretty heavy stuff for a little kid.
Now, nine years later, Bill is as close to an expert on these kinds of things as a 16-year-old can be. And he's willing to help anyone -- parent or kid -- he can.
A voracious reader and researcher, Bill studied divorce law to learn what rights children have. Just as important, he listened -- to friends at first, then to friends of friends, and now to just about anyone.
"I saw what I had gone through, and I didn't think it was right. No kid should go through this," Bill said. "It took a brutal emotional toll on me. I was 7 or 8 and they split. It was a metaphorical tug of war and I just want to say: Are you aware, parents?
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Now, nine years later, Bill is as close to an expert on these kinds of things as a 16-year-old can be. And he's willing to help anyone -- parent or kid -- he can.
A voracious reader and researcher, Bill studied divorce law to learn what rights children have. Just as important, he listened -- to friends at first, then to friends of friends, and now to just about anyone.
"I saw what I had gone through, and I didn't think it was right. No kid should go through this," Bill said. "It took a brutal emotional toll on me. I was 7 or 8 and they split. It was a metaphorical tug of war and I just want to say: Are you aware, parents?
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
What Is Mediation And How Can It Help During Your Divorce?
Advantages of using a mediator:
Provide creative solutions to problems that parties may have considered impossible to resolve. Extensive knowledge of distribution of property and debts.
Sensitivity about child custody, support issues and spousal support
Private confidential office setting to handle matters that are painful and personal rather than public court
Less cost than having opposing attorneys battle it out
Helps avoid destructive battles which have negative impacts on children and other family members...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on divorce mediation, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Provide creative solutions to problems that parties may have considered impossible to resolve. Extensive knowledge of distribution of property and debts.
Sensitivity about child custody, support issues and spousal support
Private confidential office setting to handle matters that are painful and personal rather than public court
Less cost than having opposing attorneys battle it out
Helps avoid destructive battles which have negative impacts on children and other family members...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on divorce mediation, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
If Infidelity A Reason For Divorce?
Many women across America are faced with unfaithful husbands during the course of a marriage and weigh the pros and cons of divorce.
Dr. Bonnie Eaker Weil, author of Adultery: The Forgivable Sin, says her study reveals that only 35 percent of marriages can thrive after infidelity and that more than half of all marriages have had one person commit adultery...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Dr. Bonnie Eaker Weil, author of Adultery: The Forgivable Sin, says her study reveals that only 35 percent of marriages can thrive after infidelity and that more than half of all marriages have had one person commit adultery...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
"Contested" and "Uncontested" Divorce
A case is contested if the parties cannot agree and every one of the issues involved in their particular situation. Common areas of disagreement include, but are not limited to, the following: grounds, custody, visitation, division of assets, child support, maintenance (alimony), payment of family debts, contribution toward educational expenses (college or parochial), payment of health insurance for the dependent spouse, income tax structuring, etc...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
10 Questions To Ask Your Divorce Attorney
With a few clicks of the mouse and a web search query for the keywords "questions to ask a divorce attorney", you will find thousands of results listed. Divorce is a well addressed topic, and suggested questions for divorce lawyers are numerous. In other words, there are hundreds of questions that one could possibly ask - from general to case specific. Assuming fees and general attorney experience questions have been answered, there are ten basic questions that your family law attorney should be able to address...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding the dissolution process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding the dissolution process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, March 10, 2008
Custody and Visitation
"Custody" is an emotionally laden term. To parties in a divorce, it often takes on the unintended meanings. Many parents believe that if they are not awarded custody, that they have somehow been determined to be an inferior parent. That is not the case. Custody determinations are necessary to provide stability for children in the way they are raised. It also helps to provide a home base and security which are important considerations for children of all ages, and even more so for the very young. Custody determinations in Minnesota are based on what is in the "best interests" of the children.
There are two types of custody, "legal" and "physical" custody...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding child custody and visitation issues during divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
There are two types of custody, "legal" and "physical" custody...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding child custody and visitation issues during divorce, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Planning For Divorce
Nobody marries with the expectation of failure. Married couples never contemplate that the person they once loved could later seem to be a stranger and perhaps even an enemy. Yet, statistics paint an ugly picture. Approximately 4 out of 10 marriages today end in divorce. In divorce proceedings, women lose financially, their standard of living may drop as much as thirty percent in the first year following a divorce...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, March 3, 2008
Divorce: The First Steps
So it's official - you are getting a divorce. Wait, don't head straight for the couch with bonbons and a box of tissues. Now is not the time to fall apart; it's a time to step up to the plate and take control of your situation, effectively managing your divorce and transforming yourself through this transition...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information on the marital dissolution process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, February 29, 2008
Alternative to Court: Collaborative Law
Collaborative law is a new form of alternative dispute resolution that is being used to resolve family-law cases. It is, quite simply, a collaboration between both of the parties in a divorce case, their attorneys, and whatever other professionals they may need to settle their differences without going to court. In order to participate in a collaborative-law setting, both parties and both of their attorneys must agree not to fight in court. If either party does go to court, then the collaborative process ends, both of the parties' attorneys must resign, and each party has to find a new lawyer and start all over again...
To read the remainder of this article,click here
For more information on the collaborative law process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article,click here
For more information on the collaborative law process, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, February 25, 2008
Choosing A Divorce Mediator
Finding and selecting a mediator can be easier if you follow some simple steps. In the best of circumstances, divorce is an uncomfortable process. Take the time to assure you have a mediator whom you like, respect and believe to be qualified to help both of you negotiate that equitable settlement...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, please contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcell at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, please contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcell at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
Why Collaborative Law?
The most profound development in the legal profession since the Pound Conference convened in the early 70's and pointed the way to alternative methods of dispute resolution (ADR), is the rapidly growing field collaborative law or collaborative negotiation. So new is this development, that it there is no agreed-upon nomenclature to describe it. As we will discuss it in this article, collaborative law refers to an approach to dispute resolution in which the parties are represented by counsel of their own choosing, however the attorneys are chosen because they belong to an identified group or association and have made a commitment to represent their clients in reaching a settlement without resorting to any form of litigation or any adjudicatory procedure...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding collaborative law, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information regarding collaborative law, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
Monday, February 18, 2008
What Is Discovery?
"Discovery" is what makes real-life practice of law different from television dramas. Nothing in the law happens suddenly, and very little happens by surprise. Your lawyer has the right to ask your spouse about everything related to the case. That means just about everything in the area of finances and issues related to custody of your children. Included in discovery are subpoenas, interrogatories, requests for production of documents, and depositions...
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
To read the remainder of this article, click here
For more information, contact the Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at www.familylawmarin.com
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