Belleville and Edwardsville Divorce Law Blog

According to research, children of divorced parents are more likely themselves to get divorced, with daughters of divorced parents having a 60 percent higher chance and sons 35 percent more likely. There are other factors that also make a divorce more likely. People in second marriages and marriages of only a few years have a higher risk than those in first marriages or those who have been married for a long time. However, longevity is no guarantee of a lasting marriage, and couples 50 and older in Missouri and throughout the country are more likely to divorce than the past.

Since 1990, the divorce rate has tripled for people 65 and over and doubled for those 50 and older. Despite theories that this could be linked to major life changes such as children moving out or retirement, studies show there is no correlation with these events. Instead, it has been found that older adults divorce when their marriages are no longer fulfilling to them.

Britney Spears is widely recognized as a pop star by music fans throughout Missouri and the rest of America. Her recent headlining show in Las Vegas has only added to her fortunes. Court documents arising from her current child support dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline show that her assets total over $56.5 million. Because Spears' income has increased since they originally negotiated a child support agreement, Federline has petitioned the court to increase her support payments.

The former spouses have two sons, ages 12 and 11. Spears already pays their father $20,000 per month, and the parents share custody. According to court filings, Federline needs more money because expenses for the boys have increased now that they are older. He also said that the boys have a substantially different lifestyle when they are with him compared to their mother's household. Federline's income only amounts to about $3,000 a month. His lawyer requested an increase to $60,000 every month.

Getting a prenuptial agreement may be more important for Missouri millennials who are getting married than in previous generations. Couples in general have been getting prenups at a higher rate than in the past, but according to the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers, there has been an increase in millennials doing so.

With the average age of marriage rising for both women and men, millennials are going into marriage with more assets than their parents may have had. They may want to protect real estate, investments and retirement funds, and a prenup may help them do that. Others may be struggling with debt. In 2017, college graduates' average student loan debt was more than $38,000. Millennials may have other debt as well, and their spouses-to-be might be concerned about having to pay back some of those debts in case of a divorce. They may see a prenup as a solution.

People in Missouri should know that when they decide to divorce, there is a range of legal and financial implications that can come with the end of a marriage. In addition, it can be important for individuals seeking a divorce to update their estate planning documents as soon as possible. While some changes cannot be made until a divorce is finalized, others can be made even while the divorce is pending. Making these changes as soon as possible can be important for protecting a person and his or her beneficiaries and heirs and preventing unwanted outcomes, especially if there is a risk that someone could become incapacitated or even pass away while the divorce is pending.

Under the law, certain types of documents cannot be changed until the divorce is finalized. At the same time, these are some of the most critical documents to change immediately once it is possible. These important provisions include the beneficiary designations on pensions, life insurance, retirement funds and other key financial accounts.