Tag Archive for: divorce

What is a Parenting Plan?

/0 Comments/in //Tags: , , , , , , by

According to Section 61.046 of the Florida Statutes:

“Parenting plan” means a document created to govern the relationship between the parents relating to decisions that must be made regarding the minor child and must contain a time-sharing schedule for the parents and child. The issues concerning the minor child may include, but are not limited to, the child’s education, health care, and physical, social, and emotional well-being. In creating the plan, all circumstances between the parents, including their historic relationship, domestic violence, and other factors must be taken into consideration.

(a) The parenting plan must be:

1. Developed and agreed to by the parents and approved by a court; or

Read more →

Helping Kids Cope With Divorce

/1 Comment/in , , //Tags: , , , , by

School counselor Leslie King and teacher Daryl Sollerh offer some tips at the Huffington Post on how to help children cope with their parents’ divorce:

First, let’s face it: No one is a saint. No one is immune to the pain, challenges and uncertainties a separation or divorce can visit on a family — especially not children.

So even though mom and dad may be moving through some of the most potentially stressful and sad periods of their own life, they still are somebody’s mom or dad, and must try to find a way to help their child, even if they themselves feel as if they are not getting much help from friends or the world.

Should your child rage, do your best not to take it personally, even when it is directed at you. Try to give yourself the space and time to recognize that they too need to vent their feelings, especially the most gut-wrenching ones. It is better that they release the feelings inside them as best they can, instead of bottling them up, which could prove far more damaging in the long run.

Read more →

Video: Divorce TV – Child Support Guidelines

/0 Comments/in , //Tags: , by

The following video from Divorce TV discusses child support guidelines:

Keep in mind that each state’s child support guidelines are different.  Florida’s child support guidelines are based on section 61.30, Florida Statutes.

If you have questions regarding child support and wish to set up a consultation with The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., call us at (813) 443-0615 or fill out our contact form.

Video: Cheaterville

/2 Comments/in , //Tags: by

The following video from KLAS, a CBS affiliate in Las Vegas, discusses a website called Cheaterville:

Please note that parties to a family law case should be careful about what they post to social media and other sites, especially if their case involves children.  As one of the factors in custody decisions is the ability to facilitate a close relationship between a child and his or her other parent, a scathing post on Cheaterville may be seen by a judge as antithetical to a child’s best interests (even if the other parent’s act of cheating was also against the child’s best interests).

People posting on these sites may also subject themselves to defamation and libel lawsuits.

If you have questions about divorce and would like to set up a consultation, you may contact The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., by telephone at 813-443-0615 or by filling out our contact form.

Dependents and Qualifying Child for Child Tax Credit

/0 Comments/in //Tags: , , , , by

The following excerpt from the Instructions for IRS Form 1040 provides information on whether a non-custodial parent (a parent with whom a child resides less than half of the year) qualifies for the Child Tax Credit (after the jump):

Read more →

Equitable Distribution: What Happens To Pets When People Divorce?

/1 Comment/in //Tags: , , by

In Florida, a family law court is authorized to divide spouses’ marital assets and liabilities as part of a divorce.  This is known as equitable distribution.

A dog or cat adopted during the marriage would be considered a “marital asset” to be distributed.  A court will either ratify an agreement on the pet, or determine how to distribute the pet based on the factors laid out in section 61.075, Florida Statutes.

Interestingly enough, the legislature of Maryland is considering a bill that would treat animals more like children.  From the Washington Examiner:

Essentially, the law gives the court the power to issue a custody agreement for pets. While it may seem a little silly on the surface, to couples who don’t have kids, pets are the next-best thing. And — especially if it’s a bitter divorce — they’ll fight tooth and nail over them.

Here’s what the proposed law would allow the court to do:

Read more →

Retroactive Child Support

/0 Comments/in , , //Tags: , , by

Everyone knows that a Florida court can order a parent to pay child support up until the child is 18 years, or even beyond.  But can a court order a parent to pay retroactive child support (child support that covers a period of time prior to the filing of a court action)?

Read more →

Video: Ten Techniques To Minimize the Stress of Divorce on Children

/0 Comments/in //Tags: , , , , by

Chicago family law attorney Richard Kulerski provides ten techniques that you can use to minimize the negative impact that a divorce can have on children:

Secretly Recording A Spouse Has A Price: $120,000.00

/1 Comment/in //Tags: , , , , , by

An article from Ars Technica discusses a woman who secretly put a recording device in a teddy bear to prove allegations that her estranged spouse was mistreating their daughter.  Not only did the family law court rule that the recordings were inadmissible, but the husband (“Duke”) sued the wife (“Dianna”) in federal court for, among other things, violation of the federal Wiretap Act.  From the article:

When Duke filed the federal lawsuit against Dianna in 2009, he also rounded up five other plaintiffs whose conversations had been recorded by the bear. One plaintiff, a cousin of Duke’s, at one point had the bear in his van for several days after it was left there accidentally; the cousin, going through his own divorce at the time, was upset that his conversations had been recorded and eventually distributed to people involved with Duke and Dianna’s custody case.

Read more →

Divorce: Protecting Your Credit Score

/1 Comment/in //Tags: , , by

An article from consumer website WalletPop.com discusses ways to protect your credit score as you go through a divorce.  The following issues (from both the article and my experience) should be addressed in any marital settlement agreement and/or final judgment:

  • Closing of joint credit card accounts;
  • Closing of joint charge accounts, such as J.C. Penneys or Macy’s;

Read more →