Belleville and Edwardsville Divorce Law Blog

The number of women paying alimony is rising

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.

Historically, upon dissolution of a marriage, the husband was far more likely to be required to pay child support or alimony. However, times are changing across Missouri and the rest of the United States. Due to shifting roles within a family, courts are beginning to order support paid by the wife to the husband.

According to a recent study, 45 percent of all family law attorneys noticed an increase in women being ordered to pay alimony over the past three years. The study, authored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, showed that 54 percent of the attorneys surveyed also noticed an increase in mothers paying child support.

Income and the chances of divorce

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Friday, May 18, 2018.

There are certain factors that may make Missouri residents more likely to get a divorce. One of these factors includes situations in which women begin earning more than their husbands after having entered the marriage earning less or not working. According to a study conducted by Swedish researchers, couples in this situation have a higher chance of getting divorced.

One of the reasons for the higher likelihood of a divorce when women begin earning more than their husbands is that it can be difficult for some men to step out of traditional gender roles. This is particularly truer for couples that maintained conventional gender roles in the early part of their marriage than for those who have a gender-equal union.

Business valuation key in divorce property division

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Divorce on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.

When Missouri business owners consider divorce, they may be concerned about the effect of the split on their family business. In many cases, the most significant asset that a couple has is the business, and it can add complex concerns to the property division process. In order to deal with the business accurately and fairly in the divorce, it is important to establish a proper valuation for the enterprise and look closely at how business income affects the marriage.

During a high-asset divorce, detailed financial information can be particularly important when dealing with the complex issues of valuing a business. Several approaches can be used to develop a proper valuation of an enterprise, including asset, market and income approaches. In all cases, the first steps toward valuing the business come through the financial statements. It is also important for experts to be able to review financial records, tour facilities and speak to managers. Without clear information, the true value of the business could be obscured.

The pros and cons of bird nesting

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

Missouri residents may have heard of a new trend in parenting after divorce called "bird nesting." The arrangement allows the children to remain in the family home while the parents take turns living there with them. This type of child custody solution has gotten mainstream attention as the premise of the show "Splitting Up Together." It features divorced parents who have chosen to live together with their children.

One of the benefits to such an arrangement is that it doesn't involve a lot of upheaval for a child. It also allows an individual to remain in their home until it makes sense to sell or until a lease agreement expires. Those who have just ended their relationship could choose to live together for a short time as a way to split in an orderly fashion. Typically, this works best when parents can communicate effectively and appropriately with each other and their children.

Tips for handling divorces with children

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Friday, April 6, 2018.

Getting divorced is difficult for most Missouri couples as it is. When parents of young children decide to end their marriage, there are a number of additional issues that might arise. They should be careful with how they handle their divorces and their children so that their kids are more likely to emerge relatively unscathed from the process.

In order to help their children, parents should ask them if they feel like they are to blame for the divorce. Unfortunately, many children tend to place blame on themselves when their parents divorce. Parents should explain to their children that it is not their fault and that both of their parents still love them.

Federline wants more money from Britney

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Friday, March 23, 2018.

Missouri residents with an eye for celebrity gossip may be interested to know Kevin Federline is seeking a bump in child support payments from pop singer Britney Spears. Federline and Spears have two children together, and he currently receives $20,000 a month from the superstar. Sources indicate his legal team put Spears on notice of his request last month in a letter sent to her father, Jamie Spears.

At the time of their divorce, Spears was at a low point in her career and experiencing a career lull along with well-publicized mental health issues. While the singer was dealing with her personal problems, legal custody of the children was awarded to Federline and control of her finances was given to her father. According to public reports, the two have gotten along well in recent years and have fostered a co-parenting arrangement that was thought to be successful. Spears has recently experienced a career resurgence and earned $137 million during a four-year residency at a Las Vegas casino, and Federline claims to be entitled to a portion of her increased income. During a recent meeting between the two legal teams, the former backup dancer and disc jockey refused to explain why $20,000 a month is insufficient to care for the children.

Why a child's relationship with both parents is important

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, March 8, 2018.

When Missouri parents get a divorce, they might wonder how they can address the best interests of their children. Some parents might feel it is best if the child lives with them, but in most cases, it is helpful if each parent tries to facilitate the child's relationship with the other parent.

In some cases, this could mean taking extra steps to maintain a relationship when the other parent has done something to make that relationship more difficult. For example, one custodial parent moved 80 miles away from the noncustodial parent. While the custodial parent had good reasons for doing so, this made it much harder for the child to maintain a relationship with the noncustodial parent. At one point, the custodial parent did not have a car to drive the child to visitation. Fortunately, the noncustodial parent had the resources to make the extra effort to keep seeing the child. The custodial parent eventually moved back to be closer to the noncustodial parent even though this mean leaving behind a home and having to pay rent on an expensive apartment.

How couples communicate could be a predictor for divorce

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in family law on Wednesday, January 24, 2018.

Many Missouri married couples may be interested to learn that the way that couples communicate could be a major predictor for divorce. One expert, for example, was able to identify four negative communication patterns that indicated that couples could soon be headed for divorce. They included contempt, criticism, defensiveness and stonewalling.

Of those, contempt appeared to be the most destructive due to the fact that it indicates that one or both spouses do not respect each other. Treating each other with contempt often includes destructive behaviors such as name-calling, hostile humor, eye-rolling and sneering. If there is no respect in the marriage, the bonds that hold the two people together could erode and cause problems during the actual divorce itself.

Good reasons to sell the marital home

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Property Division on Thursday, January 18, 2018.

One of the most important decisions an Illinois couple that is going through a divorce is whether or not to keep the marital home. While it may be tempting for them to keep it, there may be many reasons not to. In many cases, this asset is tied to guilt, disappointment and anxiety. People may feel guilty about selling the home a child grew up in or upset about having to move regardless of the reason why.

In some cases, keeping the home may not be the smart financial option. An individual who has just gotten a divorce may be solely responsible for paying a mortgage, property taxes and the cost of maintaining the house. This could result in a situation where a person is considered to be house poor. In other words, a person has a home but not enough money to maintain a decent standard of living.

Some first responders blame victims of domestic violence

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Domestic Violence on Tuesday, January 16, 2018.

Many victims of domestic violence in Illinois may not know what to do when physical abuse becomes an emergency except to dial 911 and hope that first responders will be able to help keep them safe. Family law can provide a temporary restraining order or permanent protective order, but not everyone in a dispute over legal issues will abide by them, meaning that police and paramedics may be needed. The attitudes of first responders may disappoint or even horrify those making emergency calls after a custody dispute or other family issues go south.

A recent survey of emergency medical professionals by a team of mental health and social work specialists points to a crisis in "victim blaming" that may undermine the confidence of those who would call upon first responders during an incident of domestic violence. They found that fully a third of emergency medical personnel consider domestic violence to be a normal reaction to everyday frustration and stress, indicating that they might see a request for emergency assistance in such a scenario as excessive.