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Uncontested Divorce

Why Your Child Might Need Their Own Attorney In A Divorce

Helping Your Child Through a Divorce 

Mediation and Collaborative Divorce 

Springtime is the time of year to start fresh. This ritual does not just apply to clearing the clutter, refreshing the inside of your house, and completing home improvement projects. It is also a good time to organize and review your legal affairs. As time goes on, your legal needs may change. The following five spring cleaning steps are meant to embrace the spirit of the season and help you consider whether your documents are aligned with your existing needs and goals. Step 1: Organize Legal Records Spring is an ideal time to organize and securely store your legal documents, including any contracts, deeds, or tax records, and to save your documents digitally to increase security and improve accessibility. Are your documents saved in a fireproof safe or inside of a box down in your basement? It is important to know where your important legal and personal documents are stored to ensure that they are secure and can be quickly and easily accessed, if necessary. Step 2: Review Estate Planning Documents It is wise to review and update as necessary your estate planning documents (i.e. wills, trusts, guardianship, healthcare proxy, powers of attorney) with a legal professional to ensure that they appropriately reflect your current wishes, family composition, or financial situation. Similarly, it is important to consult with a legal professional to assess whether it is necessary to make any adjustments to your plan in light of any changes to relevant laws. If you have been intending on completing your estate planning but have not yet, consult with a professional this spring and cross it off your to-do list! Step 3: Review Insurance Coverage It is important to review and evaluate the scope of coverage for your various insurance policies (i.e. homeowner insurance, umbrella insurance, automobile insurance, flood insurance) to ensure that they provide adequate coverage. Carefully consider any limits or exclusions to your polices and consult with the appropriate professional if you are unsure about the scope of your coverage or are considering adjusting your coverage. Step 4: Consider Tax Planning Consulting with the appropriate tax professionals during the spring allows you to plan for the year ahead. It is important to proactively plan to optimize your financial strategies and minimize tax liabilities as much as possible. Step 5: Evaluate Service Contracts It is also wise for homeowners to review contracts for services (i.e. oil delivery, pest control, home security monitoring, property maintenance) to ensure that their needs are satisfied, and the pricing and terms are still favorable. Author: Christina M. Bezas

Prenuptial Agreement: What are they?

What is a Will, and What Does it Cover?

Co-Parenting During the Holidays: A Guide on How to Make it Work

Tips for Successful Co-Parenting These are some tips that can help you and your former partner successfully co-parent your child: Maintain regular communication: It’s important to maintain regular communication with your child, co-parent, and any other stepparents, grandparents, or other caregivers in the child’s life. It can be helpful to share important news and relevant updates about your child’s development, school, activities, medical issues, and routine with everyone involved. Work out a co-parenting plan: Jointly work out a plan that covers the factors listed above, such as visitation schedule, daily routine, education, finances, medical needs, etc. Create an arrangement that works for both of you: Work out a co-parenting arrangement that works for you and your former partner. If you live nearby, you can have your child spend alternate days or weeks with each of you. Or, if your jobs are on different schedules, the child can spend mornings with one parent and evenings with another. If you live in different cities, the child may have to spend school days with one parent and holidays with another. Discuss changes to the plan: The co-parenting plan may have to evolve based on the child’s needs and parents’ circumstances. Discuss any changes or updates to the plan with all the stakeholders involved. This can help ensure everyone is on the same page. Be flexible: There may be times when things don’t go according to plan, despite the best intentions. Keep some room for flexibility in case the other parent is late or cannot pick up the child, the babysitter doesn’t show up on time, school lets out early, or there’s an unexpected emergency. Cooperating with your former partner when you are able to can help gain their cooperation for times when you need their help. Respect different parenting styles: Understand that everyone has a different parenting style. Unless your former partner’s parenting style is harming your child, respect them and let them bond with the child on their own terms. Exposure to different parenting approaches can help your child learn how to adapt to different situations and relationships. Make room for stepparents: You or your former partner may move on and start seeing other people. When you bring new partners into your child’s life, they may take on the role of stepparents . As long as they care for your child and are respectful of your relationship with your child, try to make room for them in your child’s life, instead of resenting, being hostile towards, or diminishing their presence. Keep interactions cordial: There may be times when you have to meet or interact with your former partner or other people in their life, such as their family members or current partners. For instance, while dropping off or picking up the child, at the child’s birthday parties, or at school events. Try to keep interactions respectful and cordial. Make the most of the time with your child: Make it a point to spend quality time with your child when they’re with you, especially if you have limited time together. Keep other commitments and distractions to a minimum and plan fun activities to do together. Try to create meaningful rituals that are unique to your relationship with your child. Prepare for when your child isn’t with you: It’s natural to experience a sense of loss or loneliness when your child isn’t with you. This feeling may be more pronounced on the weekends or holidays. Try to reframe the sense of loss as a chance to rest and relax instead. Try to schedule activities that you enjoy but may not get to do when your child is around, such as seeing friends, watching movies, planning trips, or doing other things for yourself . Original Author: Sanjana Gupta