Transitioning After Divorce

You have concluded your divorce. Now what? During the process you probably didn’t think much about what life might look like on the other side. You will need to take time to care for yourself and to reflect on the life-change you just went through. Give yourself this time to regroup physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Take time to put your situation into perspective. Remember why you made the choice you did and realize you can make new choices now. Form a list of benefits to your new situation. Keeping a journal during this transition can be helpful.

It is important to find activities that you and your children enjoy. Try to build new connections and create new memories with them in this new phase of life. Build a new sense of family. Here is a helpful article to offer more ideas: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/after-the-divorce-dealing-with-personal-and-family.html

Dividing Property and Debt in a Divorce

During divorce there is more to consider than just the legal portion. You must also think about how to divide assets, and debt. It also helps to understand what tax issues you will face.

Many parting couples manage to divvy assets by a “bartering” method. ie You take this and I’ll take that. Another idea is to sell the assets and split the proceeds. A mediator or arbitrator can also be used if a compromise cannot be reached.

In deciding how to handle debt, it’s a good idea to order your joint credit report so you know of all existing debts. Next, use this report to determine which debts are individual and which are joint. It is best to pay off your portion of the debt as soon as possible and allow your spouse to be responsible for his/her part. Agree to share joint debts even though it may seem risky. You never know what the other person will do but you can take responsibility for your part.

For further information you can refer to this article: http://financialplan.about.com/cs/divorceandmoney/a/DivorceIssues.htm

What I Do For You as Your Attorney

As a former prosecutor, I am prepared to fight for your rights in court when necessary and will work with you to resolve your legal issues as effectively and efficiently as possible, so that you can transition to the next stage of your life after divorce.

Maybe you're wondering if you will be eligible for alimony or have to pay it. Maybe you're concerned that you will have limited visitation with your children and that you'll miss special moments in their life. Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed, confused and uncertain about your future and what to do next.

Call me today, no matter what concerns or questions you have regarding your divorce. I will help you resolve your legal issues so that you can move on with new goals and dreams. I believe there is life after divorce, and I want to show you how you can live it to its fullest. 904-241-0012 or visit http://www.jacksonvillebeachlawyer.com/jacksonville-beach-family-law-attorney/

What Does the Recent Veto of Senate Bill 718 Mean for You?

On May 1st, Governor Scott vetoed Senate Bill 718, bringing relief to most family law lawyers and recipients of alimony. The bill as proposed would have made major cuts to the alimony laws and would have limited the Courts ability to make sure that women (usually recipients of alimony) were adequately able to provide for themselves and their children. The fact that the law would have applied retroactively is what was most concerning, putting all women who currently receive permanent alimony at risk.

At this point we can see where the legislature intends to go on the issue of alimony and time sharing, and it is a fair prediction that the laws in Florida will be changing. The biggest impact will be on families, particularly families with young children. Married couples make decisions everyday for one spouse, usually the wife, to stay home with the children rather than go back to work. When this decision is made, it is usually a joint decision based on the current financial situation of the family, and the welfare of the children. What it does for women and men is halt their careers and creates a lapse in their career development that typically cannot be regained or takes years to do so. But most families would agree these decisions are made with the best interest of their children in mind, and the children certainly benefit.

So, moving forward, is Florida's position that the spouse staying home with their children should be punished in a divorce by strictly limiting their ability to collect alimony and child support? Only time will tell during next year's legislative session, but it is clear that stay-at-home moms and dads will no longer have the financial protections the current alimony statutes provide if the Alimony Reform movement succeeds. We’ll keep you posted on these developments here on the blog. Learn more about alimony and it’s possible issues here: http://www.jacksonvillebeachlawyer.com/jacksonville-beach-family-law-attorney/florida-alimony-lawyer.html