Divorce & Family Law Isn't Just Something We Do
It’s The Only Thing We Do

Divorce is a disruptive process. It may mean your children see you or your spouse less often. It can mean you have less time together with your kids and that you have limited patience with them or others because of your situation. It’s always important to put your children first, even if you’re feeling stressed. Remember, their lives are changing, and unless they’re approaching adulthood, they likely have very little say in what happens next. What can you do to make your kids happier during divorce? Here are a few tips that could help. 1. Stay active in your child’s life Sometimes, divorcees need time away. They may move into new houses or try to avoid seeing their spouses. The problem is that, if you have children, you aren’t in the same home as often. You’ll see your kids less, and they could feel abandoned. If you decide to move … Continue reading 3 ways to keep the kids happy during divorce →

Choosing to divorce in Alabama can be a difficult decision. Much like marrying, divorcing is a legally binding process that requires preparation and careful consideration. Once you know that divorce is inevitable in your marriage, however, you’re going to start wondering about the potential outcome of the process. There are many uncertainties involved in divorce, including custody of minor children, child and spousal support (alimony), and division of your marital assets and debts. While every marriage is inherently unique, knowing how the courts approach asset division in Alabama can help you understand the likely outcome of your divorce. Even if you can’t predict exactly what terms the courts will set, barring the existence of a valid prenuptial agreement, you can create an informed guess about the potential outcome of asset division when you understand state laws on the topic. Alabama is an equitable distribution state State law in Alabama requires … Continue reading How Alabama courts handle asset division in a divorce →

Going through divorce is a difficult experience emotionally for both spouses. Additionally, there can be significant financial burdens for those couples who are navigating through divorce proceedings. Fortunately, taking a few proactive measures can help you limit the financial headaches that divorce can cause. 1. Check your joint accounts During your marriage, you and your spouse likely opened joint credit cards together. Now that you are divorcing, it is time to begin separating your finances from your spouse’s. The first thing you should do is to begin to close or freeze any joint credit accounts you have together. If you both share an account, you may be responsible for any irresponsible spending or debt that your partner incurs. It is also a good idea to remove your spouse as an authorized user on any of your personal accounts. If you are worried about your spouse opening up additional lines of … Continue reading 3 moves to help alleviate financial headaches during divorce →

There is typically an increase in the number of new divorce filings early in the year. This may be partly due to people waiting for the holidays to end, while others may simply have simply resolved to make a major change in their lives. In fact, because divorces are so common early in the year, some family law attorneys refer to the first working Monday of the year as “Divorce Day.” If you are thinking about filing for divorce in 2018, you may wonder what steps you should perform before initiating the process. Taking these three actions early in the year can help prepare for the process. 1. Collect Your Financial Data One of the biggest issues that spouses need to resolve is the distribution of assets. Taking inventory of your income, debts, expenses and savings will help streamline the divorce process on your end. This information can also be … Continue reading Planning to file for divorce in 2018? Do these 3 things first →

When the GOP passed its tax bill last December, there was a lot of discussion surrounding the reduction in rates for individuals and businesses. What has received less attention is how some tax deductions would be reduced or eliminated altogether. One implication of these changes impacts people who pay alimony to an ex-spouse. The three types of alimony in Alabama While it is not a feature of every divorce, there may be three different types of alimony (also known as spousal support) awarded to a spouse during divorce proceedings: Rehabilitative: This is a temporary form of alimony awarded to a spouse to help them transition into their new life after divorce. Periodic: This is often a longer-term form of alimony that a judge may award to a spouse who stopped working to care for the couple’s children or home. Alimony in gross: When disputes over the distribution of property arise … Continue reading How the tax overhaul affects alimony payments →

There was some concern as the recently pass tax billed made its way through Congress that the adoption tax credit would be discontinued. Fortunately, for parents who are thinking about adoption, legislators preserved the credit. While we know that the adoption tax credit is still available to for families, there remains a great deal of confusion surrounding it. Below are elements of the tax credit that adoptive parents should be aware of: Overview of the credit: The adoption tax credit is a nonrefundable credit. This means it cannot reduce a taxpayer’s tax burden below zero. However, if there are unused tax credits, they can be carried over to next year. It is important to note that there is a five-year limit for adoptive parents to fully use the credit. Eligibility: People may be able to take advantage of the adoption tax credit when adopting a child who is under the … Continue reading 5 key things to know about the adoption tax credit →

Sharing custody of a child can be an incredible challenge for parents across Alabama, especially if the parents do not get along with each other. Under these circumstances, exchanging custody can be particularly contentious and heated. In some cases, parents can set aside their animosity for the brief time they are in contact with each other. In other cases, this is all but impossible. If you fall into the latter of these groups, then you might want to consider ways of making exchanges less volatile. To alleviate some of the tension and anxiety during custody exchanges, you can: Meet in a public place or neutral location. Schedule custody exchanges to line up with school or daycare pickups and drop-offs. Avoid having any conversations that have the potential to cause an emotional response. Make plans for after the exchange so that you have other things to focus on. Be on time. … Continue reading Tips for taking some heat out of heated custody exchanges →

Once you or your spouse files for divorce, you might want the whole thing to be over as quickly as possible so you can move on to the next chapter of your life. However, this can be more difficult than you expect if you run into complications or issues that delay your divorce. While you may not be able to avoid every obstacle that arises in a divorce, there are some steps you can take to ensure you are not holding up the legal process unnecessarily. You can prioritize peaceful alternative dispute resolutions, like collaboration or mediation. These methods allow two people to work together with the help of a neutral third party to find their own solutions to issues like child custody and spousal support. Litigation is often a lengthier process because everyone is at the mercy of the court’s schedule and procedures. You can get organized. Have your … Continue reading How can I avoid delays in my divorce? →

Social media can be a source of great comfort and support when people are going through difficult situations, including divorce. It can also give people an outlet to vent their anger and frustration. Because of this, many people going through a divorce often turn to social media. However, social media can also do considerable damage to your case if you engage in certain behaviors or post certain types of information. In fact, you could wind up damaging your reputation in the eyes of the court, revealing lies you might have told or even jeopardizing your rights as a parent. Mistakes that can damage your image Harassing your ex through unwanted contact, bullying or making threats Hacking into an ex’s accounts Posting inflammatory, untrue and/or hurtful comments about an ex Mistakes that challenge your honesty Sharing pictures of extravagant purchases that you did not disclose during property division discussions Being active … Continue reading 9 social media mistakes that can hurt you in a divorce →