A credit score is an important part of your financial well-being. So, it’s no wonder that many clients ask me whether divorce will negatively affect their credit score. After all, a solid credit score post-divorce can allow for job mobility and financed purchases, while a poor score can limit your options. The answer to this question isn’t a straightforward “Yes” or “No”. Divorce is complex to begin with, and there are many misconceptions at the intersection of divorce and … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Collaborative Divorce Can Work When Dealing With Addictions In Divorce
Nobody wants to go through a divorce. Collaborative Divorce offers a forward-looking, honest approach that provides privacy to you, your spouse, and family with a team of professionals to get you through the process of dissolving your marriage. 1. Honesty If we’re being honest, divorce is scary. It’s overwhelming. It’s devastating. It’s even scarier, more overwhelming, and potentially more devastating when either you or spouse (or both) is (are) dealing with addiction. When someone is an … [Read more...]
Understanding Your Divorce Options
Many people find themselves in the middle of a divorce without understanding all of their options. Divorce is a transactional event, but the emotional part of the divorce often makes it much more difficult. Below are descriptions of various ways to handle your divorce: Kitchen Table/Flat Fee When the two partners are able to keep the divorce process completely transactional, and both partners are able to come to their own resolution, this option is one to consider … [Read more...]
When Is It Time To Divorce?
The First Steps You Should Take Oftentimes, when clients come to my office seeking a divorce, they have already committed to the idea that they and their partners are going to be splitting up. They already flew through days filled with fights and tears, rode the waves of resentment and traveled down the marriage counseling pathway. At the end of their journey, the two parties acknowledge that this marriage has now come to an end. Many of my clients are very upfront about … [Read more...]
Tips For Handling Stress In A Divorce
It’s obvious that going through a divorce is stressful. In fact, the top five stressful life events include: death of a loved one, divorce, moving,major illness or injury, orjob loss. When you think about it, divorce can include some, if not all of those events. Dr. Karen Finn, www.drfinn.com, divorce and personal life coach and author of On the Road from Heartbreak to Happiness, lists the following helpful tips for managing stress in divorce: Deep … [Read more...]
Refinance and Owelty Liens
In many divorce situations, one of the most important and emotional decisions is which party will keep the marital home. In some cases, both parties agree to sell the home and divide the equity. In other cases, one spouse decides to keep the home and then needs to buy out the other spouse’s equity. In order to do this, the spouse keeping the home will need to refinance. The refinance will not only allow the equity buyout, but it will also remove the exiting spouse’s name from the note and … [Read more...]
Extramarital Affairs: Why is the Collaborative Process Better than Taking it to the Judge?
Much to the surprise of the general public, adultery has very little impact on the outcome of a litigated divorce. There is a common misconception that an extramarital affair will be the smoking gun that changes the course of the divorce in the courtroom. The innocent spouse usually believes that the Judge will be appalled and offended, punishing the unfaithful spouse and rewarding the innocent spouse. In fact, that's not what happens under Texas law. Although infidelity is a … [Read more...]
Putting The Kids First In Your Divorce
Many times in my career as a family lawyer I was appointed by a judge as an amicus or ad litem attorney with the job of representing the best interests of the children whose parents were going through a divorce. As such, I would meet with my young clients to find out how I could best help them, and what I heard time and time again was the complaint: “Please make my parents stop fighting.” What this told me was that the parents were not able to put their own anger and fears aside and focus on … [Read more...]
CoParenting After Separation and Beyond
You and your spouse have decided to separate and set the date for the move. Now what? You’ve seen couples start this process with the best of intentions, only to find themselves derailed and fighting even more fiercely than before the separation. You both resolve not to do that to your kids, but how? Separation Changes Your CoParenting Relationship CoParenting simply means adults who share the parenting responsibilities in raising a child. Parents find working as a team while … [Read more...]
Eight Factors Judges Use When Deciding Who Makes Decisions About The Children After A Divorce
During a litigated divorce, judges must decide who will have the right to make non-emergency decisions about children’s living arrangement, where they will attend school, their medical care, and their religious training. Courts may award sole custody to one parent or give both parents the joint right to make decisions about their children. Having sole custody means one parent need not consult with the other parent when making decisions about the children. On the other hand, … [Read more...]
