A guardian is appointed by the court to represent the best interest of the ward.There are two types of guardianships. The first is for a minor who will be receiving monies of $15,000.00 or more from a lawsuit settlement, wrongful death beneficiary, insurance policy award, or inheritance. Florid...
Divorce can be a painful, confusing, and nerve-wracking experience that has a massive impact on your finances. As you move from a single household to two separate homes, income will not stretch as far. Studies show that people need to increase their income by approximately 30% to maintain their ...
Co-parenting is often the most difficult thing facing the newly divorced. Single mom and dads face numerous challenges including emotional issues, chaotic schedules, new partners, and shared custody agreements. Experts recommend the following 8 steps towards better post-divorce co-parenting. ...
More and more millenials are changing marriage, signing prenups, and ultimately staying together longer than past generations. Want to know why? Many millenials are subjects of divorce and with their experience growing up with divorced parents, they don't want to make the same mistakes. So, the...
A divorce exceeds emotional turmoil, it can also leave lasting effects on your financial state. If you're in the process of getting divorced, you'll have to go through the potentially grueling process of splitting up the assets you and your soon-to-be former spouse have acquired. Taxes and your m...
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), 96% of American workers are covered under Social Security. If you're one of the many who are eligible to collect Social Security benefits in retirement, it's important to understand how the system works. If you've been married, spousal benef...
In the last 30 years, courts have increasingly encouraged and supported mutual agreements of shared parental custody. Dads who wanted to share custody of their children almost never received this verdict in the past. Courts sided almost always with the mothers, awarding them full custody. But now...
Many parents will split their inheritance 50/50, but what happens if one of the heirs passes away? Who does the IRA money go to? If your children are alive when you die and you designated 50/50 outright beneficiaries, they will each get half the funds. They can do as they please including...
We commonly throw the word “estate” around for the top tier wealthy class, however, estate planning isn't reserved just for the rich. Everyone, regardless of family dynamics or financial status can benefit from having an estate plan – a collection of documents that specify how you want your asset...
Establishing paternity is more than just paying a monthly check for child support. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're making the effort to establish paternity: Every child has the right to know and be known by his or her father When you establish paternit...
Unfortunately, when the wedding bells ring we're not walking down the aisle thinking it will end in a divorce attorney's office. However, between 40-50% of married partners in the United States do end up divorcing. Ending a marriage is never easy, but there are certain steps you can take to minim...
No one ever truly knows when it's our time to move on. We may think we're destined to live to our 90's, but life doesn't always turn out as we expected. Having an estate plan in place can eliminate any unexpected circumstances life throws at you. Not sure where to start? Ask yourself these 5 que...
When couples with children get a divorce, no matter what the circumstances of the breakup are, one fact remains: You will still be parenting together. To eliminate a stressful environment for your children it's important to learn how to work effectively with one another in your parenting roles. ...
Divorce can be a long and difficult process. You'll need to make decisions about a number of financial issues, including debt that you took on jointly with your spouse. Unfortunately, when going through a divorce, loans are rarely split up the way we expect them to be. Take these steps to protect...
No one likes to talk about it. It's a touchy subject, but one day, you're going to die. You probably know where you want your money and other physical possessions to go, but you have a lot of digital assets to pass on too. You need to plan for the future of those accounts right now. Here's what...
Congratulations, new parent. How's parenthood treating you so far? Estate planning may be far down your list of priorities as you're in the midst of taking care of a newborn and that's OK. We're here to help you consider key aspects about estate planning including: Drawing up a will that n...
For years, January has been unofficially designated as Divorce Month. Although studies have shown most divorces actually happen in August or March, the courts will see a spike in divorce filings right after the new year. Many legal professionals believe this trend boils down to one idea: People...
No one gets married expecting to get divorced. So when a couple decides the marriage is over, no matter how amicable they are, it's emotional and stressful. If they are parents, one of the biggest concerns is often “How is this going to affect my child?” Try to remember the ‘7 C's of Resilience ...
Going to court to fight for child custody is an emotional time. And many single parents make mistakes simply because they're uncertain about what to do, and they're easily swayed by friends and family members who mean well, but who have little or no experience with the courts. Here are the five...
Being wealthy is not a requirement for creating an estate plan. Neither is being old, retired, having a family or owning a lot of assets. If you are a Millennial, and you haven't started estate planning, here's how and why you need to get started. Why Millenials Should Begin Estate Planning No...
A divorce is likely when one or both partners in a marriage feels hopeless.That's according to both couples therapists and scientific research. People who feel hopeless about their relationship have come to terms with the fact that nothing can be done to save it. According to the experts, the c...
You divorced several years ago and agreed to monthly child support payments. But now you're remarrying, and things have changed. Not only do you now need to support your new spouse's kids, you may even be considering adoption. Or, you may simply want to start a new family and need a better sense ...
Ironically, the discussion between the equality of assets is the only time both parties in a divorce will agree. The divorce process is never fun. On top of the emotional toll, financial missteps during the process can leave you in far worse shape than you intended. Unfortunately, the more inter...
Estate planning is the process of designating who will receive your assets and handle your responsibilities after your death or incapacitation. The goal is to make sure your beneficiaries receive these things in the most cost-effective way possible. Follow the 7-step checklist to make sure your ...
Communicating with an ex is difficult, especially when kids are involved. In order to be a responsible parent you have to find ways to co-parent effectively, peacefully, and to the best of your ability. Luckily, we're in the 21st century and technology has made it easier for separated co-parents ...
