Bloomfield Family Law Blog

Tips to successfully co-parent after a divorce

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Child Custody on Monday, December 2, 2019.

Many challenges can arise when co-parenting children after a divorce in Michigan. However, communicating with an ex-spouse is crucial if one wants their kids to grow up to be well-balanced and healthy adults. This means that co-parents may need to sit down and discuss strategies that will encourage their children to cooperate with the parenting plan.

To ensure that the parenting time schedule works well for the children, everyone involved should discuss the details. In many cases, younger children do better with parenting schedules where they do not have to transition between houses frequently. As for older children, they may want a bit more control over their personal schedules. Older kids tend to engage in more school activities and spend more time with their friends. If they do not have this flexibility, they may become resentful toward their parents.

How long-distance parents can maintain bonds after divorce

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Child Custody on Monday, November 11, 2019.

Michigan parents who are divorced may struggle with the child custody and visitation schedule, but there can be additional challenges if the parent is long-distance. However, there are plenty of things parents can do to help maintain the bond even if they see their children infrequently in person. For example, parents can maintain regular communication with postcards, unscheduled phone calls, Instagram and text messages. They should ask questions specifically connected to things happening in the child's life that they have discussed.

Parents can also find out whether the children prefer to visit them or for the parent to go to the child. They should also make an effort to spend most of the visitation time with the child. It is usually best to wait to introduce new partners until the relationship has become more serious.

Tips for managing finances through a divorce

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Divorce on Friday, November 1, 2019.

It seems that the divorce rate in the United States is slightly decreasing when it comes to younger couples, but it is on the rise for couples who are 50 years and older. One factor that contributes to some Michigan divorces is financial problems. There are several steps that individuals can take to reduce the financial fallout that comes from a divorce and to help them keep their emotions in check as their financial future seems uncertain.

In some marriages, one individual is responsible for handling financial tasks. This individual usually is aware of assets that the couple shares, when the bills need to be paid and how to access financial accounts. When a person is going through a divorce, they need to be sure that they have access to this information. They need to be aware of how much of the assets they will be entitled to and know exactly how to access them.

The importance of prenups for business owners

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Divorce on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.

Michigan newlyweds may not have a lot of money or other assets when they first tie the knot. However, this doesn't mean that they won't acquire assets in the future that they would like to account for. For instance, someone who starts a new company may want to claim ownership of it and protect any revenue generated while they're married.

In addition to providing clarity for business owners, prenuptial agreements can help investors feel better about putting their money into a company. Venture capital firms will generally require that there are protections in place to safeguard their investments in the event of a divorce. Even if investors didn't demand such safeguards, those who start companies generally feel a strong connection to their creations. In some cases, those connections are stronger than the ones that they have with their spouses.

Is your spouse hiding money from you?

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Divorce on Friday, October 4, 2019.

Michigan residents like you who decide to get a divorce already have enough on your plate. What you don't need is the additional stress that can come from a spouse attempting to hide assets from you. Today, Lisa Stern, Michigan Family Law Attorney, will talk about what that might look like.

Unfortunately, it isn't uncommon for a spouse to attempt to hide some assets during the process of a divorce. This is because any and all assets that are reported are subject to being divided between them and you. In order to avoid having to give you more than they want, they falsely make it look like they have less to give in the first place.

Is an inheritance divided in a divorce?

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Divorce on Tuesday, September 17, 2019.

Property division during a divorce in Michigan is never an easy task, but it becomes even more difficult if either you or your spouse are the recipient of an inheritance. Generally speaking, the court regards an inheritance as separate property belonging solely to the individual named in the will. As is often the case, however, exceptions can apply. It depends partly on when you inherited the assets, i.e., before or during the marriage, and partly on what you did with your inheritance after receiving it.

According to FindLaw, every state has different laws that govern whether or not your inheritance counts as marital property if you received it before the marriage. If you inherited while married, however, the laws are less ambiguous in stating that your inheritance is generally separate property, and therefore not subject to property division.

Back-to-school tips for successful co-parenting

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Child Support on Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

With so many children in Michigan returning to class for a new school year this September, you might think that parents get something of a break after a hectic summer. However, we at the law office of Lisa Stern know that back-to-school time poses its own challenges, especially if you are trying to co-parent with an ex-spouse. Some of the most significant of these challenges involve costs related to your child's school attendance.

Even if your child attends public school, there are expenses involved. Kids need school supplies, new school clothes and lunches, to name a few. There are also often costs involved if your child participates in extracurricular activities.

How does divorce affect adult children?

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Divorce on Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

When older couples in Michigan think about the impact of divorce on children, it's usually the young children they're considering. But just because your children are adults, that doesn't mean that they can't be impacted negatively by your divorce or the way you handle it.

The Guardian examines some of the unique hardships that adult children may face during their parent's split. A lot of these difficulties actually stem from the fact that they are adults as opposed to young children. One of the biggest emotional taxes that many cite is that both of their parents will vent their frustrations and angers to them, because they are "old enough to handle it". This is a stark difference from how most parents will try to hide the details of their divorce from younger children.

How can I help my preschooler understand a divorce?

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Child Custody on Saturday, August 3, 2019.

If you and your spouse have been struggling to keep your marriage together and finally decided that doing so is no longer possible, you now have to decide how to let others know of your choice and the changes that will be ensuing. For parents of children who are three, four or even five years old, this requires a good understanding of your child's developmental as well as individual personality needs.

As explained by Today's Parent, a preschool-aged child will have a limited ability to completely grasp the magnitude of a divorce. They will not understand, nor do they need to understand, the challenges you are facing at this time. Instead, their focus will be on the practicalities of their day-to-day lives. When you talk with your youngster about your divorce, it will be important for you to reassure them what they will experience every day. This entails who will read them a bedtime story, who will take them to school and pick them up and other similar things.

Gray divorce, women and money

On behalf of Law Offices of Lisa Stern posted in Divorce on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

Any person in Michigan who has ever been divorced knows firsthand the type of financial losses that one can endure through the end of a marriage. However, some information has been showing that the financial hardships associated with divorce may be particularly pronounced for women who have gotten divorced after the age of 50. In fact, this group may even have a higher risk of dipping into poverty than their male counterparts or than younger divorced women.

One of the problems that anyone, regardless of their gender, faces when a divorce happens after 50 is that there are fewer working years left in the person's life. This means there is less time available to earn income that could help recoup some of the losses of the divorce. According to a report by Yahoo Finance, the average person who goes through what is called a gray divorce sees their overall wealth drop by up to 50%.