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Recent Blog Posts
Divorce Rate Growing for Older Couples
New research shows that it's not America's youngest couples who are facing the highest likelihood for divorce. A study from the University of Minnesota points out that the biggest growth in the divorce rate has happened with older couples.
According to the study's researchers, baby boomers were responsible for the increase in marital instability that occurred in the 1970's. Even though that portion of the population is now middle-aged and older, they are still linked to high rates of relationship instability. Divorce for those over the age of 40 is now more common than ever, even though divorce rates have dropped for couples in their early twenties. The lead researcher on the project, University of Minnesota history professor Steve Ruggles, there have been major increases in divorce rates for those over age 60.
Is Your Spouse is Snooping through Your iPhone?
Often as a marriage is breaking apart, especially a contentious one, and one or both parties have consulted attorneys to plan divorce strategies, the couple still lives under the same roof. Many times in these situations, one spouse may be snooping on the other, trying to gather evidence and information they can use against them to gain the upper hand during the divorce process, particularly if there is an anticipated child custody battle.
Many people use iPhones and iPads for the convenience of having all electronic communication in one place - telephone calls, text messages, emails, snap chats, etc. But this also makes it very easy for a person who is snooping to be able to find all that information in one place. So how do you know if your spouse is snooping through your electronic devices? A recent article in OS X Daily explains how:
The Role of an Executor
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Do You Have Digital Assets?
The rise of the digital age makes estate planning all the more important, because there are new concerns and safeguards you should consider. Many records, memories, and assets are stored somewhere in the cloud and protected by passwords. If you were to pass away, your family might not even be aware of these assets, much less able to access them.
A study from McAfee indicates that the average consumer has over $37,000 in digital assets across several devices. What is a digital asset? This can include personal information, entertainment files, career records, and photo libraries, more and more of which are being stored online behind a password. The study had each individual assign an estimate to their digital assets, although nearly one-third of survey respondents indicated they did not use any kind of security protection at all.
The Relationship Between Cohabitation and Divorce
Sociologists at the Council on Contemporary Families now believe that the stigma long held against cohabitation before marriage should be thrown out the window. A new study from their office reveals that nearly two-thirds of all couples live together before their wedding day, and that this might mean good news for the couple's chance of divorce.
While previous studies looked at a myriad of time-related factors for couples, lead researcher Arielle Kuperberg believed that research should delve into when marriage-like roles begin for couples. Kuperberg argues that living together before marriage could give couples a chance to work out some major issues before walking down the aisle together. Her survey looked at more than 7,000 couples to arrive at this result.
New Study Finds Non-Custodial Parents Only See Children Five Days per Month
A new study conducted on behalf of Nebraska's State Court Administrator's Office revealed that non-custodial parents spend an average of five days per month with their children. The results came from analyzing child custody and divorce decisions made in Nebraska's family courts for the past 10 years.
The State Court Administrator's Office said that although the numbers were low and inequitable for non-custodial parents, more and more custody decisions that are being made do include a more equitable amount of parenting time, although the office does admit that change has been a slow, gradual one. Multiple past studies have shown that children who have equal contact with both parents do much better emotionally and physically than those who have limited contact with their non-custodial parent. Children also do much better in school. The study looked at 392 cases that came from 67 of Nebraska's counties. There were 663 children whose custodies were decided. Most of the custody cases involved divorce. Some of the findings included:
Potential Tax Hit of Philip Seymour Hoffman's Estate
The recent death of 46 year-old Philip Seymour Hoffman was a loss felt by the entertainment industry and the talented actor's large fan base. What might make Hoffman's death even more tragic is the family he leaves behind, including his three young children and their mother, Mimi O'Donnell.
It's important to update your estate plan whenever a major life event occurs, such as a birth of a child, a wedding, divorce or a death. Otherwise the legal battles that can ensue between heirs can be very costly, both financially and emotionally.
Avoiding Estate Planning Mistakes: Preventing Improper Use of Joint Property
Jointly owned property can present many challenges to individuals, especially those couples who are not married and couples where one person is not a U.S. citizen. Without proper consideration, and individual may find himself or herself facing sudden tax-related issues and other concerns that all could have been prevented with proper estate planning.
To start with, joint property opens the door to possible federal and state gift taxes, especially for those non-citizens and non-spouses mentioned above. There's even the potential for double federal estate taxes if the ownership involves two individuals who are not spouses. In this scenario, the whole property is taxed inside the estate of the first to die, excluding where the survivor is able to show their contribution towards that property. Whatever the survivor gets and doesn't use or give away will be included in the survivor's estate, which is also subject to taxation.
Couples With Successful Fertility Treatments Less Likely To Divorce
Going through the challenges of trying to conceive for a long period of time can put a lot of pressure on any relationship, but new research indicates it can have a strong impact on whether or not a marriage stays together. Women who go through the fertility process without success are more likely to get divorced from their partner after a few years of trying, according to researchers.
The study followed women who went through the process of fertility treatment evaluation for up to 12 years after that initial consultation. The study found that nearly one-third of women reported no longer living with their partner if they had been unsuccessful in conceiving a child.
Challenges Facing Baby Boomers Illustrate Importance of Planning
Millions of baby boomers today are helping to care for aging parents. Whether it's handling healthcare needs or helping with the day-to-day aspects of life, baby boomers are serving as the stopgap for older parents who might not have anticipated their needs in advance. The pressure put on baby boomers in this situation highlights the importance of proper estate planning.
Many people caring for an older parent are doing so while juggling responsibilities of their own, like working full time and taking care of immediate family members. Some have even put their own health care on hold in order to care for a parent in the short term.
While people often underestimate the cost of retirement and the assistance they might need during this period, some proper planning in advance could help to relieve the amount of responsibility falling on adult children.
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