Utah Divorce & Family Law Blog

Compensation details that could affect divorce

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Monday, August 19, 2019.

Ending a marriage is a serious endeavor, and various factors can play into the outcomes of the legal process. In particular, the type of income and other compensation that a person generates through his or her employment could have an impact on the property division aspects of divorce. Therefore, it is important that Utah residents assess their compensation structure.

If individuals simply receive a regular salary and do not have bonuses, stock options, commissions or other similar financial benefits, their income may not complicate property division. However, if a person works in a position where he or she may obtain a significant commission on a sale or other deal, it is possible that the person will not want that commission to become marital property that could be divided with a soon-to-be ex. As a result, the person may want to get the divorce underway before earning the commission.

Planning for future finances during divorce

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Tuesday, August 13, 2019.

Ending a marriage takes a lot of work. Not only do individuals need to determine how the divorce will affect their immediate lives, but they also need to determine how the major change will impact their futures, especially when it comes to their finances. As a result, close planning is often useful for Utah residents facing this change.

In particular, individuals who are close to retirement when they divorce or those who stayed at home with the kids for most of the marriage may have the most concerns related to their financial affairs. After all, divorce means dividing assets, and those assets include retirement accounts in most cases. However, the manner in which those assets are divided could go a long way in providing for future financial stability. Parties may want to make sure their asset division goes as fairly as possible.

Can having a budget help kids through divorce?

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Monday, August 5, 2019.

It can be difficult for Utah parents to know the best way to help their kids through a difficult transition. When parents choose to divorce, it can be a tricky scenario to navigate. Wanting to do what is best for the kids during this time may mean taking the time to look at the situation from all angles.

Because divorce means that numerous aspects of the household will change, it may be wise for parents to create a new budget. It may not seem like this action is directly helpful to the well-being of the kids, but having a realistic budget could better ensure that parents are able to meet the needs of the children, even on one income. Over time, parents can see where they may be able to adjust their budgets to include more items that are not strictly necessary.

You can reduce conflict during the stress of back-to-school time

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

Summer can be a fun time for Utah families, but at some point, this season will end and it will be time to start preparing for the beginning of another school year. Back-to-school time can be stressful for some, with expensive clothes to buy, school fees to pay and school supplies to shop for. In some cases, this significantly increases conflict and disputes between parents.

Child custody is one of the most sensitive and complicated aspects of a divorce. The issues and hard feelings between parents do not disappear simply because the process is final. In high-stress times, such as during back-to-school, it can be especially difficult for parents to work together. There are steps that you can take during your divorce and after it is final to lower your chance of disputes in the future.

Individuals can help themselves have a smooth divorce process

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Monday, July 29, 2019.

Though most people would likely rather not have to go through the process of ending their marriages, it happens. When this situation does arise, those Utah residents facing the proceedings likely want them to go as quickly and as smoothly as possible. Though many aspects of divorce are out of a person's control, such as the time it takes the court to process paperwork, individuals can work to actively address their cases in other ways.

First, it may be worthwhile to know from the start that divorce will take time. If individuals do not want to put in the time it takes to meet with their legal counsel, gather documents and educate themselves on various aspects of their lives and their cases, those cases could quickly get off track. Devoting the necessary time to the case could help prevent mistakes and other time-consuming issues.

Older people going through divorce need to focus on finances

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Family Law on Monday, July 22, 2019.

Ending a marriage at any age has its difficulties. However, individuals who divorce in their younger years may have a better chance of handling the financial repercussions that can come along with making such a major life change. If older individuals choose to dissolve their marriage, paying attention to those financial repercussions is important.

One aspect that older individuals may need to think about more than younger people involves Social Security benefits. Numerous Utah residents rely on these benefits for income during their retirement years, and divorce can certainly play a role in whether a person could benefit from an ex's work history. If the couple was married for at least 10 years, are not currently married, and the ex-spouse is older than 62 and is also eligible for benefits, the other person could claim benefits based upon his or her ex's work history.

Slower transitions may be helpful during divorce

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Monday, July 15, 2019.

Many Utah residents get married with the intention of having their relationships last the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, numerous people find themselves ending their marriages much sooner than expected. Though divorce is not uncommon, each case and its difficulties are unique to the parties involved.

Luckily, individuals do not have to resign themselves to difficult legal proceedings. If they want their cases to move forward smoothly, they can typically make efforts for that to happen. Though having a smooth process may not always equal a quick process, parties can help themselves by remembering that a slower transition may be useful. This may prove particularly true for parents who need to take the time to ensure that their children handle the major changes well.

Asset division can play a role when moving after divorce

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Wednesday, July 10, 2019.

Ending a marriage typically means that Utah residents will need to make major changes in their lives. For some, that could mean selling the marital home and finding new living arrangements or at least one person moving out of the home. Moving at any time can be hectic, and when the move takes place due to a divorce, it can be even more challenging, especially due to the outcomes of asset division and other matters.

When moving into a new place, many people may see it as a fresh start after their marriages come to an end. It may bring about mixed emotions, and some parties may wonder how to handle the move. One step that may be useful is to go through items that are sentimental to the marital relationship. Some parties may no longer feel the need to hold on to such items after a divorce, and getting rid of those items may make the move easier.

Scheduling and family details can affect child custody terms

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates posted in Divorce on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Most Utah parents want to avoid putting their children through unnecessarily difficult situations. Unfortunately, not all such events can be avoided, and for many parents, going through divorce is something they may view as a necessary evil, especially when thinking about their kids. Many marital relationships do not work out, but parents can try to continue parenting together through their child custody plans.

Joint custody is one arrangement that can help each parent have nearly equal time with the kids. Though splitting time exactly 50-50 is not always entirely feasible, there are other scheduling options that could help. Some parents may find it fitting for one parent to have the children an entire week while the other parent has the children the entirety of the next week. In other cases, parents may instead want to divvy up days during the week with the kids staying with one parent for a couple of days and the other parent the next couple of days and so on.

Will you have to change your retirement plans after divorce?

On behalf of Kris Greenwood of Kristopher K. Greenwood & Associates on Monday, July 1, 2019.

You've probably already given some thought to what your retirement years will look like, even if you aren't near that point in your life. Regardless of what you hope to do in your golden years, you know that a divorce could affect your plans. When a marriage is over, the two parties will have to divide marital property, including certain types of retirement and long-term savings accounts.

While you'll have to make some adjustments, your divorce doesn't have to devastate your plans for retirement. There are things that you can do to pursue a strong future. As you get ready to move forward with this process, you will find it beneficial to start preparing for the property division process and learning how you can fight for a final divorce order that allows you to look ahead with confidence.