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Joint Debt and Divorce
Most couples have some form of debt that they have incurred over the years, especially if they have been together for a long period of time. You buy expensive things, put it on the credit card, and worry about it when the bill comes in. This usually only becomes an issue if the couple cannot find the means to pay off the debt when it is due or if the couple decides they are filing for divorce. Continue reading to learn what to do if you are filing for divorce and have incurred a significant amount of debt throughout your marriage.
Dividing Debt when Going Through Divorce
Most married couples sign credit cards and make large purchases together. While this is convenient throughout the marriage, it also makes it much easier to incur debt jointly. “Joint debt” does not necessarily mean that all of the purchases were made together, it just means that they were made on a joint account. This is important to note if you are considering getting a divorce. In the eyes of the bank and court, all purchases made on joint accounts are liable by both parties. Banks do not change their policies based on a couple’s marital status, thus they can and will come after you if your spouse is not paying off the debt and vice versa.
Establishing Paternity: The Why and How
For married couples, "proving paternity" is not much of a process and more of an assumption. For those who are not married, proving paternity can be a difficult legal situation. Some fathers do not want to be tied to their child to avoid parental and financial responsibilities. On the other hand, some mothers do not want their child’s father in their life and will avoid telling the biological father that the child is theirs. Regardless of the situation, proving paternity is important for multiple reasons. Not only should the child know for their own peace of mind, but there are also legal and health benefits. Legally, a child will receive financial support payments as well as social security or veterans’ benefits. A child should also know their father in order to know his medical history. Without this knowledge, it can be easy for a child to contract illnesses that could easily be avoided if they had both parents’ medical history.
How to Handle Summer Vacations After Divorce
Family vacations are a common occurrence in the summertime. Your children have time away from their academics and the beautiful weather typically motivates families to spend time away from their home state. Whether or not you and your family regularly took vacations, your summer will probably look different post-divorce. It is important to reflect on summer plans in light of your divorce with summer vacation beginning in a few weeks. Continue reading to help plan your summer and spend quality time with your children.
What You Need to Consider
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Financial Planning: For most families, money is set aside to pay for family vacations. The planning is done well in advance to avoid budget issues and travel restrictions. Family vacations after divorce will problem happen less frequently due to the supply of funding coming from a single income rather than two. If you would like to take a vacation, it would be advantageous to plan it out well in advance.
Options for Divorced Stay at Home Parents
Stay at home parents are not as common today as they once were. This can be attributed to a higher standard of living with a minimal increase in pay as well as the feminist movement and workplace equality. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18 percent of parents in 2016 spent their time at home instead of being employed. This number has not changed significantly for women; however, stay at home dads have become more common. The percentage of men who are considered “stay at home dads” rose from four to seven percent in a 25-year time period. Having one unemployed parent can be manageable while married, but can become increasingly difficult after divorce. Continue reading to learn about the different options stay at home parents have to stay afloat.
Hire an Experienced Attorney
A good divorce attorney is crucial for parents who rely on their former spouse financially. With their assistance, a parent could potentially remain financially stable living off of the divorce settlement. This includes alimony and child support payments. Alimony is another term for spousal maintenance or more specifically, money being given to the lower-earning spouse. This can be used for those who earn less money in their occupation or those who do not have a job. Alimony is determined from a variety of financial factors but can be greatly increased with an experienced attorney’s help. The amount given in child support payments can also be changed with a lawyer’s help. These payments are meant to help the parent with primary custody to ensure an equal amount of “effort” is provided by both parents.
What to Do if You Are in an Abusive Relationship
Unhealthy and abusive relationships can be easy to spot from the outside but can become difficult to recognize when you find yourself in that situation. They say that love is blinding and this is often the case in relationships like these. A man or woman in a relationship gets used to their partner’s behavior and often gives them excuses in regards to their abusive tendencies. Statistically speaking, one in four women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Physical abuse is not the only form of abuse that takes place in relationships. Emotional and sexual abuse are often more common. Continue reading to learn about what is considered abuse and why victims of abuse stay in unhealthy relationships.
What Is Abuse?
Abuse can come in many forms and does not always have to be an act of violence. Consistently putting down your partner or making them feel less about themselves is a common form of emotional abuse that often gets brushed off. Many incorrectly believe that violence or assault is the only true form of abuse because there is physical evidence to look at. Manipulation is another common abuse tactic. This can be explained as your partner wanting to spend time with you; however, an unhealthy amount of time spent with your significant other is never a good idea for either person. This manipulation can be as simple as dictating who their partner’s friends can be or as complicated as threating suicide if their partner leaves them. Financial control is also an example. This is more common in marriages since your bank accounts are typically merged; however, it is not impossible in a dating relationship as well. A partner who makes all financial decisions without consulting their spouse can use this to their advantage. Having financial gain over another is an easy control tactic that can be used without the partner even recognizing it.
What Is an Annulment and What Are the Benefits?
When a couple realizes their marriage is coming to an end, many spouses decide to separate for a period of time before filing for divorce. This has become a social norm and many couples do not even think about getting their marriage annulled. Not only does an annulment mark the end of a marriage, but it also states that the legal union never existed. Annulments are most commonly sought out for religious reasons. For instance, the Catholic church views divorce in a negative light thus requiring its members to obtain an annulment before they are allowed to remarry in the “eyes of the church”. Annulments may be most common for spiritual individuals; however, some decide an annulment is best based on the benefits it provides each former spouse. Continue reading to learn about the details and benefits of annulments.
Eligibility for an Annulment
A couple must meet the following requirements to qualify for an annulment:
Most Common Reasons for Divorce
There are a variety of different reasons why divorce happens, especially since one couple has a different dynamic than the next. The commonly known statistic for divorce is that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce and many believe that this only applies to young couples. However, the baby boomer generation is seeking out divorce more than people realize. This is known as “gray divorce” and the number has doubled over the last 20 years. Regardless of the husband and wife’s ages, there are a few common denominators that often lead to divorce.
Getting married for the wrong reason. Often times those who decide to get divorced realize that they should not have gotten married in the first place. This can be for a variety of reasons such as social pressure to get married, feeling obligated to tie the knot after having a child together, or getting caught up in the romance. The desire to divorce is often mutual by both parties in these sorts of situations.
Preparing Yourself for Adoption: A Compiled Checklist
Adopting a child is an exciting time for parents. This excitement can lead to unrest from future parents since the adoption process can be quite lengthy. It is impossible to give an accurate timeline for adoptions since there are a variety of types and availability can change at any moment based on biological parents’ choices. Although the wait time can be unpredictable, there are various things that can and should be done before your child arrives at your home.
Learn About the Different Types of Adoption
While this may have already been completed, it is important to research every option available. This can help ensure that you make the best choice for your family and can sometimes shorten your wait time. Adoptions can be completed privately or with the help of an agency. Private adoptions are often done if the couple personally knows the birth parents. Agencies can be helpful for adoptive parents because they can provide you with a variety of resources to aid you with your adoption. Once you have decided whether the adoption will be completed privately or with professional help, you must determine if an international adoption or domestic adoption is best for you. International adoptions can often be quicker but can be more expensive depending on the situation and country. Researching each individual adoption outlet is important before making final decisions.
How Divorce Affects Different Types of Insurance
Getting a divorce affects every aspect of an individual’s life. One has to readjust their living situation, parenting schedule, and finances. Most couples have their finances intertwined, especially in terms of insurance policies. Sometimes this is because only one individual has a job; however, often times couples will use one person’s insurance policy over the other based on the benefits that job provides them with. Although jobs usually provide some sort of insurance policy, this is not always the case. Some couples seek out insurance policies of their own but still remain tied to their spouse. Continue reading to learn how your impending divorce will affect your various insurance plans.
Life Insurance
Filing for divorce can unlink you and your former spouse’s life insurance plan; however, some divorce agreements require ex-spouses to be beneficiaries. This is common if children are involved. By naming your ex-spouse as the beneficiary, you will have a “backup plan” for your children. This is often done by the spouse who is paying alimony. In case of an emergency, the life insurance will become a safety net for your children and continue providing alimony payments if one can no longer pay them.
How to Help Your Special Needs Child Through Your Divorce
Divorce is difficult for all parties involved, especially children. Because of their lack of life experience, children usually do not understand why their parents are deciding to end their relationship. Some even blame themselves for the divorce. Some parents seek out counseling for their child to help them talk through a difficult time. Special needs children often need more help from their parents to understand what is going on in their life. Continue reading for tips on helping your special needs child through your divorce.
Telling Your Child About the Divorce
For many parents, breaking the news about their divorce to their child can be scarier than the divorce itself. It is important to be completely sure that you and your spouse are permanently separating. Being on and off again can be confusing for your child and give them unrealistic expectations for the future. Plan what you will say with your spouse and talk to your child together. Use concise language and reassure your child that your relationship with them will remain the same after the divorce.
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