Tips For Co-Parenting Teens And Young Adults

teenager

Your teen has asked to spend more time with their other parent. Should you say yes?

As children mature during adolescence and their later teen years, they want their needs and opinions to be taken into account when parenting decisions must be made. For divorced parents, this can mean updating co-parenting philosophies you’ve followed since your kids were small. In order to support your kids’ personal growth, it’s helpful to understand the development stages of adolescence and early adulthood. Read more

Custody Advice For Brangelina — And You

Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie custody dispute

Image copyright DenisMakarenko, Depositphoto.com

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, the impossibly gorgeous and talented movie stars who are the parents of a half dozen children, have been waging high-conflict divorce war for almost six years: Angelina filed in September 2016. But it’s not money that’s prolonging the battle; rather, the ex-couple appear to be embroiled in custody disputes with — so far — no resolution.

So what needs to happen for any high-conflict co-parents to reach an equitable agreement that supports their children’s well-being? Read more

Back to School 2021: What Divorced Parents Need to Know

back to school co-parenting 2021

With the first day of school now just a few weeks away, it’s time to get your school year co-parenting game plan together. This can mean deciding who buys the school supplies and back-to-school clothes, but with the Delta variant still surging, divorced co-parents must also grapple with extra layers of Covid-related prep this fall. Are you and your child’s co-parent pandemic-ready for the 2021 school year? 

Here’s what you need to know.   Read more

Who gets the family dog in divorce?

Will deciding custody of your dog be part of your divorce? As August’s National Dog Month puts pooches in the spotlight, let’s take a look at how the courts determine ownership of dogs and other pets in divorce.  Read more

7 Atomic Habits For Divorce Success

Are you a fan of the book Atomic Habits by James Clear? The number one self-help bestseller describes how the small actions we repeat each day drive the bigger picture of how successful we are at reaching our goals.

In the book, Clear compares the power of habits to the trajectory of an airplane: even a single small shift in direction can send an airplane on a completely different course. Our habits operate in the same way: good habits help to keep us on track, but bad habits can easily steer us in the wrong direction.

If your goals for your divorce include protecting your children, assets and future, and to do so with as little time, stress and cost as possible…what small, regular habits will put you on the path towards reaching these outcomes? What bad habits do you need to drop?

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What To Do After Discovering Your Spouse’s Secret Life

spouse's secret lifeTrying to move on after discovering your spouse led a secret life? That’s the dilemma facing wealthy New York City surgeon who learned that his former beauty pageant wife had been moonlighting as a call girl throughout their marriage — and had amassed almost a million dollars! The surgeon, who was seeking to annul their marriage, settled the case with his ex just before a public hearing scheduled in July, 2021.

The discovery of a spouse’s double life is often the trigger for divorce. While signing divorce papers symbolizes the end of a painful chapter, it is just the beginning of recovery from betrayal trauma. Learning how to build trauma resiliency is essential before a wronged spouse can learn to trust again, and find new love. Read more

Celebrity Divorces Offer Lesson In Alimony Dos & Donts

kelly clarkson alimony awards

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In celebrity divorce news, this has been the summer of supersized alimony awards. Per reports, music mogul Dr. Dre will pay alimony to ex-wife Nicole Young to the tune of $300,000 per month. Singer and talk show host Kelly Clarkson has agreed to pay former spouse Brandon Blackstock $200,000 in support until their divorce is finalized. Music producer Scooter Braun is also in the news for paying out a six-figure monthly alimony sum to ex Yael Cohen after their recent split.

How are substantial alimony awards like these calculated in high net worth divorces? And what can these celebrity splits teach the rest of us about alimony negotiations? Read more

Divorced Parents: Who Gets The Advance Child Tax Credit Payments?

advance tax credit payments

Divorced and separated parents already have extra concerns on their plate. This summer, they can add one more: which parent will receive new Advance Child Tax Credit Payments?  Read more

Divorce: Dealing With The Emotions Of The Entire Family

Divorce can be hard on every member of the family when feelings go unaddressed. Men and women tend to express emotions differently and children may act out their feelings in ways that are hard to understand. Let’s take a look at some of the emotions members of your family are likely to experience during this difficult time — and how best to cope with them. Read more

High-Conflict Divorce: How And When To Stand Your Ground

Divorce from a high-conflict personality is grueling. A hostile ex can create so much chaos that you end up reacting, and unwittingly creating more drama. This pattern can continue for years and drain you financially and emotionally. The following tips can help you know what battles to forfeit, and when to stand your ground. Read more