New Adoption Rules Go into Effect in January

new jersey adoption rulesStarting in January, adults born in New Jersey and adopted as children will be able to obtain an uncertified, long-form copy of their original birth certificate from the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry (the State Registrar). Their adoptive parents; legal guardians or other legal representatives; adult direct descendants, siblings and spouses; and state and federal agencies with official reasons, can also gain access to certificates. What does this mean for you if you are adopted, or an adoptive parent? Read more

Thanksgiving With the Step-Kids

thanksgiving-step-childrenExcited…but also a little apprehensive about spending your first Thanksgiving with your new blended family? Holiday meals can be awkward for any family, but they can also be warm, welcoming and funny! In the age of blended families, remarriages and step-kids, no two Thanksgiving celebrations look the same. How can you manage a relaxed Thanksgiving with your new step-children? Read more

Holiday Co-Parenting: Spending Thanksgiving Without Your Kids

thanksgiving parenting time It’s your first Thanksgiving since your separation, and according to your parenting time and holiday agreement, your kids will be spending the day with their other parent. When holiday traditions change, it can lead to anxiety, sadness, stress, and loneliness. Need help coping? Here are some tips to help you get through the day…  Read more

5 Strategies For Co-Parenting Success On Thanksgiving

co-parenting over Thanksgiving For many separated parents, Thanksgiving, and the entire holiday season, can spell stress, anxiety and frustration. Emotions can run high, for everyone…but it simply does not have to be this way! Whether you have the children with you for Turkey Day or if this is your spouse’s year, here are five tips to help you achieve holiday co-parenting success. Read more

The Gift Of Facetime: Virtual Parenting Time Over The Holidays

holiday parenting time

Not scheduled to see your kids in person over Thanksgiving or the December holidays? Skype, Facetime, and other forms of internet “e-visitation” may give you a second chance to enjoy holiday parenting time together!  Read more

Blog Series: Your Checklist For Filing Your Taxes After Divorce

Tax implications

Ending a marriage is difficult enough. But if you’re recently separated or divorced, you have the added burden of figuring out a new and potentially more complicated tax situation. How will your divorce affect how you file your income taxes…and what’s the impact on what you will owe or receive back from the IRS? Our 3-part series, “Filing Your Taxes After Divorce,” delivers the answers you need to understand and feel more confident about possible tax changes coming your way. Read more

Child Custody: 3 Things To Think About If Your Ex Plans To Move Out Of State

moving and custody

So many people across the US are moving these days. Some move for new job opportunities or to continue their education at an out-of-state university. Others move because of a new romantic relationship. Some people may simply not be able to afford the cost of living, especially here in New Jersey and all along the East Coast. What happens when your child’s other parent moves out of New Jersey? Will this affect child custody? What about your current parenting time and holiday arrangement? Here are three key ways to prepare for what can be a major shift for you and your children. Read more

President Donald J. Trump: What Does This Mean for Gay Marriage & LGBTQ Adoption?

lgbtq marriage and parenting rightsWith Donald Trump’s surprise win in yesterday’s presidential election now sinking in, many in the LGBTQ community are asking: what does a Trump presidency mean for our rights? Given the fierce battle that has been waged in recent years to bring marriage equality to the United States, let’s take a look at the possibilities for what a Trump presidency could mean for key marriage and family issues for the gay community. Read more

5 Things I Would Tell My Former Self About Co-Parenting

co-parenting

You and you ex are in constant turmoil over the kids as you adjust to life as co-parents. Is it always going to be this tense? The good news: probably not. Divorce takes time to heal from, for you and your kids, but chances are, it will get better. Need proof? Here’s a sample letter that you might be able to write to yourself in a few years explaining how you, your ex, and your kids re-established balance and harmony in your lives… Read more

Are Couples Still Consciously Uncoupling?

conscious uncoupling

Image copyright maxics, Depositphoto.com

It was a few years ago that the majority of us first heard the term “conscious uncoupling” in relation to the separation and eventual divorce of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. They had vowed to utilize this method to end their relationship and move forward, in a more peaceful and healthy manner. Are people still utilizing this method today? Has it proven successful? And for the yet uninitiated, what exactly is conscious uncoupling? Read more