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5 Healthy Financial Habits to Establish After Your Divorce
From court fees to alimony, divorce can be a costly affair. Financial suffering often follows, especially as divorced spouses transition from two incomes to one. By establishing the following prudent habits early on, you can set yourself up for success without your spouse's financial contributions.
Parenting a Teenager During a Divorce: Best Practices
Parenting teens can be tricky in the best of times. What happens, then, when you combine the emotional volatility of adolescence with the upheaval of divorce? The results are rarely pretty, and yet, if you're like many couples, divorce may be the best path for your family. The good news? Your divorce need not destroy your child's teenage years. Many teens thrive, even as their parents deal with the fallout of dissolution. Ultimately, it all comes down to your parenting approach. Follow these tips to ensure the easiest possible transition:
Tips For Hiring the Best Family Law Attorney
From alimony to adoption, your family lawyer plays a key role in your life and the lives of your loved ones. With such high stakes, you obviously don't want to leave these sensitive legal concerns to just anybody. Why, then, do so many clients take attorney selection so lightly? Minnesota may be home to several excellent attorneys, but not every legal representative will prove an ideal match. The more thoroughly you vet your future lawyer, the better. Keep these essential tips in mind as you choose the best possible representative to handle your case:
Do You Suspect Your Ex of Hiding Money? What to Do
Divorce is largely a financial affair. In an ideal scenario, both spouses would be completely honest and transparent in the interest of expediting the process — but often, financial deception is just as evident in divorce as it was during the ill-fated marriage. Don't let your ex get away with deceptive behavior that could destroy your ability to get a clean shake in the divorce process. With a little help, it may be possible to uncover hidden funds — and alter your divorce arrangements accordingly. Keep the following in mind if your spouse's financial status seems shady:
You've finalized the divorce process and are ready to move on with your life. Unfortunately, if you have kids, the complications are far from over. No matter the nature of your parenting plan, you're likely to run into drama as new romances arise — and as a new mother or father figure enters your child's life. While you'd like to think the best of your spouse's parenting judgment, there's never any guarantee that your ex's new boyfriend or girlfriend is worthy of spending time with your kids.
Whether you love life in Minnesota or are desperate to escape the chill, you might be ready for a new start — and a new state — following your divorce. Unfortunately, moving after divorce isn't as simple as packing up and heading out — especially if you hope to leave the state. Keep the following considerations in mind as you prepare for your big move:
Divorce is hard on any child, but it poses the most significant problems for those with special needs. Often vulnerable to the smallest disruptions, children may suffer huge setbacks if their family splits up. This shouldn't be reason enough to remain in a bad marriage; the chaos of a dysfunctional relationship is arguably far worse for children than the brief difficulties of divorce. Still, it's essential that you proceed with caution — one wrong move could spell years of suffering for your special needs child. Keep the following in mind as you pursue the least disruptive divorce possible:
Military Divorce: By the Numbers
The stress and chaos of military life can throw even the strongest relationships for a loop. Interestingly, however, military couples aren't as destined for divorce as outsiders seem to think. Read on for fascinating statistics about the prevalence of military divorce — and how dramatically it can vary from one situation to the next:
Complicated Family Law Challenges Posed By Companies Like 23andMe and Ancestry.com (Part 2)
Could an at-home DNA test be all it takes to connect you to your heritage? Or could it prompt unforeseen consequences — perhaps shaking the foundation on which your family is built? Both outcomes are possible. In Part 1 of our series on direct-to-consumer genetic testing, we explored a few of the unexpected implications these tests can have for couples and families. Now, we share additional stories of difficult circumstances brought about by DNA test results:
Complicated Family Law Challenges Posed By Companies Like 23andMe and Ancestry.com (Part 1)
At one time, DNA testing kits seemed like little more than a science fiction concept. Today, however, these tests are not just available — they're easily accessible. Fueled, in part, by BOGO deals and other discounts, these tests are blowing up. As of late 2017, over 12 million people admitted to using these direct-to-consumer tests. Ancestry.com announced that over 1.5 million customers sought tests during the 2017 Black Friday weekend alone.
