If you co-parent or parallel parent with your ex, you may utilize virtual visitation to stay connected with your kids when they’re residing with their other parent. Formalizing these virtual visitation arrangements in a parenting plan can inspire numerous benefits, which is why if your arrangements are not yet formalized, you may want to look into getting the court to sign off on them. Formalizing virtual visitation in a parenting plan establishes clear expectations and schedules. This consistency is crucial for children, as it helps them know when they will connect with their other parent, fo ..read more

If your spouse doesn’t want to get divorced, they may be tempted to ignore the divorce petition. They’ll just ignore the paperwork that you give to them, not taking any steps to respond appropriately and move forward with the legal process. Some people believe that doing this will prevent the divorce from taking place. Your spouse may think that their cooperation is necessary for you to get divorced, so they can prevent it simply by doing nothing. But is this actually true? You can still get a default divorce No, this is not true. If one person ignores the divorce petition, the other person ca ..read more

The summertime can be a relatively complicated season for divorced parents. To be fair, this is also true for married parents. When the children don’t have school and their schedule changes so significantly, parents have to adjust. But for divorced co-parents, this can be a bit harder because they are not living together and so miscommunication issues can be a problem. This is why communication is so incredibly important. Taking a trip For example, say that you want to take a vacation or a weeklong trip with your children over their summer break. But you share custody with your ex, and the tri ..read more

No one marries with the intent of one day divorcing. Yet many couples find that their marriages don’t stand the test of time and wind up filing for divorce. But what if there were a way to predict which couples might not go the distance? According to one professor and psychologist, there may be four behavioral signs that are red flags for divorce. Read on to learn what they are: Criticizing their partners – You don’t have to love every trait your partner has, but being a constant critic and assaulting their personality is a recipe for failure. Feeling contempt for their spouses – Husbands and ..read more

Louisiana is among just a few states that recognize covenant marriage. Those who advocate for covenant marriage often do so because this type of marriage is less likely to end in divorce.  If a spouse or the couple together decides to divorce, it’s a lengthier and more complicated process than divorce in a traditional marriage is. It requires a lengthy separation period before a divorce can be granted. It also requires a serious reason or ground for that separation and possibly eventual divorce. What is required for separation? Under Louisiana law, to seek a separation from your spouse, y ..read more

If you’re getting a divorce, you need to divide marital assets with your ex. Though there are some exceptions, it generally means dividing assets that the two of you purchased during your marriage. You also need to split up income that you earned or financial accounts that you have, like investments or retirement accounts. While considering all of these high-value assets, you may wonder what is going to happen to your family pet. If you and your spouse purchased a dog together, for example, it is also a marital asset that you share. But your pet certainly feels like a part of your family. So h ..read more

The approach that parents take when discussing a decision to divorce with their children will have a lasting impact on their emotional well-being. Parents must (when possible and appropriate) approach this talk as a unified front, better ensuring that they’ll communicate a message of love and support, despite the changes ahead. Creating a safe and open environment for this discussion is crucial. Children need to feel secure enough to express their feelings and ask questions. The aim is to reassure them that their parents will be there for them, regardless of the marital changes. Preparation is ..read more

If your spouse asked for a divorce, your first thought may have been that you need to protect your financial assets. Maybe the two of you have been using a shared bank account for years. But you can see that you’re now going to have to divide your assets between the two of you, which probably means closing down that shared account. But how do you do it? It’s important not to make it appear that you’re trying to take those assets for yourself or hide assets from your ex. After all, they also have a right to the money in that account and it needs to be divided properly.  What regulations do ..read more

For co-parents, navigating social media can be a particularly complex undertaking. Because of the potentially consequential nature of social media usage when one is in a co-parenting relationship, engaging on these platforms requires a heightened level of caution, when compared with the average social media user. Ultimately, being careful on social media is not just a matter of personal privacy for co-parents, making this effort – or failing to do so – could impact the well-being of their children and the dynamics of their co-parenting relationships. What is the big deal? Children, especially ..read more

Married couples generally combine their resources to enjoy a higher overall standard of living. They can buy a nicer vehicle and get better credit terms because of their combined household income. Unfortunately, couples who decide to divorce must tackle the challenging process of dividing their marital property. Louisiana is a community property state which means that each spouse has an interest in most assets acquired during the marriage regardless of who earned more money or whose name is on the ownership paperwork for those assets. What would typically happen with a financed vehicle during ..read more