Shared Parental Custody Challenges in Florida for Unmarried Parents

  When parents are not married and have children together, they can face a unique set of challenges when it comes to shared parental custody. In Florida, the court considers the best interest of the child when determining custody arrangements, but the process can still be complicated for unmarried parents....

5 TIPS DIVORCED PARENTS NEED TO REMEMBER FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL

Back to school comes sooner than we expect. Buying clothes,  new backpacks, supplies, and for soon-to-be or already divorced parents, a whole new set of challenges to be faced. But with planning and good communication, the only ones who have to fear the 1st day of school will be the...

PLANNING FOR SUMMER VACATIONS IN A PARENTING TIME-SHARING PLAN

 School’s almost over which means the joys and angst of summer are in the air. The joys of no homework  (for both kids and parents). Angst for divorced or separated parents, as both parents and their families, want to spend as much time as possible with their children.  And without...

REVERSE MORTGAGES AND GREY DIVORCE

You've seen the commercials for Reverse Mortgages. If you're over 62 and have equity in your home, you tuck it away in case you need it down the road. But if you're considering a divorce, a reverse mortgage can become a useful tool. It could allow one spouse to remain...

DIVORCE OVER 50? 8 COMMOM MISTAKES TO AVOID IN A GREY DIVORCE

The divorce rate for Floridians over 50 has doubled in the last 20 years.  Couples can divorce later in life for the same reasons younger couples split up. But when you're over 50, these reasons are framed by aging and the realization that you have more years behind you than...

THE 5 TYPES OF PERMANENT ALIMONY IN FLORIDA

ALIMONY: Definition according to Dictionary.com: "an allowance paid to a person by that person's spouse or former spouse for maintenance, granted by a court upon a legal separation or a divorce or while action is pending."  Florida provides five types of alimony:  Temporary, Bridge-the-Gap, Rehabilitative, Durational or Permanent. TEMPORARY ALIMONY:...

ESTABLISHING PATERNITY UNDER FLORIDA LAW

HOW IS PATERNITY DETERMINED IN  FLORIDA? If a mother is married, the mother's husband at birth is the legal father of the child. If the mother is unmarried when the child is born, but later marries the child's father, the husband becomes the legal father. But if the child is...

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FAMILY PET IN A DIVORCE?

    UPDATE 1/18/22: Starting January 2022, Spain will legally recognize all animals as “sentient beings” with emotions rather than “property”, making sure that, in legal fights, the wellbeing of pets is considered above all else.  Read more here         1/10/22: For many families, a pet is...

10 DIVORCE MISTAKES TO AVOID

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE. Divorce is hard on everyone involved. Spouses or partners often experience feelings of anger, guilt, sadness, and loneliness. Although these emotions are common and are to be expected, they may lead to mistakes that can have potentially long-lasting effects on their...

CHILD SUPPORT IN FLORIDA – WHAT, WHEN AND HOW MUCH

Every parent has a fundamental obligation to support his or her minor or legally dependent child. BUT WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHAT, WHEN AND HOW MUCH? Florida has created a process that simplifies the process of determining child support so that parents can avoid the need for litigation. This system...