New York Family Law Blog

Credit score requires attention during divorce proceeding

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in Divorce on Thursday, July 11, 2019.

Having to face major life changes is inevitable during the process of getting divorced. Naturally, those going through divorce in New York may feel that they do not have a say in the outcome of the process. However, they can take specific steps to put themselves in the best position to succeed financially, including being proactive about their credit.

First, after people decide to divorce, it is wise for them access their credit reports as quickly as possible. It is critical that they pull credit reports with complete lists of trade lines, rather than reports that only give them their credit scores. Credit reports can be purchased from TransUnion, Experian or Equifax -- the three chief credit bureaus.

Preparing for divorce this summer involves a few steps

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in Divorce on Thursday, June 27, 2019.

Research shows that many struggling spouses contemplate getting divorced during the summer season. Part of the reason for this is that they may spend more time together in the summer -- for example, to go on vacation -- and this may exacerbate any marital problems they are having. Here are some important moves to make when considering divorce this summer in New York.

Before moving forward with divorce, individuals might want to do their reconnaissance on their financial situations. For instance, they can find out how much money they have in their bank accounts. They can additionally learn how much debt they have on their credit cards. The more they know about both their liabilities and their assets, the more capable they are of making informed decisions when tackling the distribution of marital property and debt.

Yes, it's possible to keep stress levels low when co-parenting

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. on Friday, June 21, 2019.

You're definitely not the first or last person in New York to get divorced, but as a parent, you have additional concerns that couples without children don't face. It's understandable that you want your co-parenting relationship to be as low-key and non-stressful as possible. If you get along well with your ex, that might not be a problem.

However, many co-parents disagree about custody, visitation or finances. In fact, these causal factors often lead to divorce in the first place. In your post-divorce co-parenting arrangement, you definitely don't have to let your ex walk all over you. You have rights and it's critical that you know how to exercise them or, at least, where to get some help if you're unsure.

Child custody and visitation can impact children emotionally

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in child custody and visitation on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Battling over the family home and alimony is not uncommon during divorce proceedings in New York. However, for parents with young children, dealing with the ins and outs of child custody and visitation can be particularly challenging. They may especially be concerned about protecting their children emotionally during such a tumultuous time. Here are a couple of steps they can take to achieve this during the marital breakup process.

First, the parents may want to develop a parenting plan that allows both of them to be with the children often. If the parents live about 15 to 20 minutes apart, this is feasible to do long term. This is an important move post divorce because it can help the children to feel more mentally stable. Also, they are less likely to feel resentment toward the parent who does not live with them because they can see this parent and still see their friends or participate in their favorite extracurricular activities.

Those who have previously divorced more likely to gray divorce

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

People of your parents age typically remained married even at the expense of their own happiness. Today, more people over age 50 are divorcing than ever in what is known as a gray divorce. As the Baby Boomer population ages, it’s likely that this trend will continue in the future.

Among the most significant determinants for a gray divorce is whether you’ve divorced in the past. Someone who has divorced before is more likely to have another divorce that someone who has not. Here are some surprising facts on gray divorce:

Child custody and visitation dispute may spark range of emotions

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in child custody and visitation on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

When two people in New York go through divorce, they may naturally feel angry, sad and frustrated. If they have young children together, their children may feel the same way as well, especially if they feel caught in the middle of a child custody and visitation dispute. However, divorcing parents can make the divorce process easier on the children in a couple of ways.

First, parents who have decided to get divorced may want to try to keep their children's lives as normal as possible. As an example, perhaps the two parents get along relatively well even though they are divorcing. In this situation, they may still want to take their children to dinner as a family or watch their favorite sport team play together. If the parents do not get along, they may still want to do these activities with their children individually.

Smart money management can help those going through divorce

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in Divorce on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

One of the most challenging parts of any marital breakup is handling the financial aspect of it. Unfortunately, the wrong money moves during a divorce proceeding can end up harming rather than helping the person going through divorce. However, some tips might help divorcing individuals to make the right financial moves during their marital breakups in New York.

First, it is a wise idea for people going through divorce not to count on spousal support or child support. The reason for this is that about 60% of accounts for child support in particular have arrears. In other words, the majority of support recipients do not end up receiving the full amounts they expected to get. In light of this, divorcing individuals may want to create budgets that do not reflect these support amounts, just in case they end up not receiving them.

Divorce impacts parents with special needs child

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in Divorce on Friday, May 3, 2019.

Getting divorced can understandably be a tough ordeal for any family in New York. Still, it poses unique challenges for a family that has a special needs child. Here is a glimpse at the options that these types of families have when facing divorce.

A special needs child requires an additional level of parental support than a child without special needs does. This is because this child may struggle with issues such as autism, addiction, attention deficit disorder, Down syndrome or learning disabilities. He or she could also face physical problems -- for example, diabetes and hearing loss.

Modifying child support amount is possible following divorce

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in Divorce on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

The dissolution of a marriage in New York can be complex, especially when this process involves children. Not all families approach child custody in the same way. However, divorce courts often require noncustodial parents to give child support to the custodial parents so that the custodial parents are not left to support their children financially on their own. Here is a glimpse at some important facts to consider about child support.

For one, the child support amount that a parent is paying can be modified as needed. Courts usually base calculations for support on the two parents' earnings, how many children they have and how frequently they are with them. Courts may also look at who is covering the school costs, medical insurance and daycare costs. However, a court may modify its calculations if the paying parent ends up experiences changes in his or her finances or health.

It is okay to consider a "grey divorce"

On behalf of Peter L. Cedeño & Associates, P.C. posted in Divorce on Monday, April 8, 2019.

Social norms are constantly shifting. Subjects that were once considered too taboo to even bring up in conversation now have their own dedicated magazines and television shows. One subject which is a core value to many people is undergoing a transition: marriage and divorce.

What some people are calling "grey divorce" is becoming more common across the nation. Married couples with a few, or maybe more than a few, grey streaks in their hair are choosing to divorce more than ever.