Social Media and Divorce

Do you know anyone who does not have at least one social media account? Chances are good that the answer is no. It seems that nearly everyone today has at least one account, and many have accounts on several different sites. It runs quite a bit of our lives when you stop to think about it. For many people, checking their Facebook is the first thing they do in the morning, even before they get ready for work. They put photos up on Instagram to document their fantastic lunches, and they make sure they Tweet about everything that happens during the day, whether it is inconsequential or not.

Social media changed the way we live, and it is changing marriages as well. In some cases, it can ruin a marriage, although it might actually help with the divorce process. A good Fresno divorce lawyer might be able to use social media in your favour.

The Temptation Is Real

Let’s look at a couple of the ways that social media could be ruining your marriage. When you are online on those social networks, it becomes easy to become somewhat anonymous, and it becomes easier to say things that you might never say in person to someone. It becomes easier to give in to those temptations. Consider also just how easy it is to find old boyfriends and girlfriends online, and how easy it might be to rekindle those relationships. Social media is making it easier for many to have affairs. That’s not to say that social media is the only reason that someone will have an affair – it is in their nature or it is not. It simply makes it easier.

Consider also just how easy it is for miscommunications to happen on those sites. You could start arguments with your spouse or your spouse’s friends over perceived wrongs. This could escalate and cause a deeper rift in the marriage. You could also find that even a remark that you see made by your spouse to an old friend, such as, “hey, you look great”, can be misconstrued in some cases. It might not be flirting; it could just be something nice that your spouse said.

When the Divorce Occurs

Social media can also play a role in helping you with your divorce. Many attorneys are finding that when their clients monitor the social media accounts of their spouse, they can find out information that might actually help them during their divorce proceeding. This can also help with things such as child custody and spousal support. It’s always a good idea to be careful of what you post online, but many people simply don’t realize just how much information they are really putting out there.

If you are getting ready to file for divorce because of something that occurred due to social media, or for any reason for that matter, you need to make sure that you get in touch with a qualified family law attorney Fresno, CA as soon as possible. A great attorney ensures that you have someone working on your side to make sure you get the best possible deal in the divorce.

What You Need to Know About Divorce

Do you want to know a scary fact? The divorce rate today is shockingly high, and in California, three out of four marriages end in divorce. Of course, when you are in love and getting married, divorce is the furthest thing from your mind. It is the same way with all couples. While this might sound blissful, when the “D” word rears its ugly head, most people have no idea what divorce actually entails. Knowing a bit about the process can actually make it easier if you have to face it. While you are hopefully one of the 25% of couples that makes it, consider the stats. Take a bit of time to learn about divorce now, and it can make things easier, or at least help you know what to expect.

It Takes Bravery:

Some people will say that divorce is the easy way out of a bad situation. It’s not easy at all, but it is the best way out of a bad marriage. Going through the process of divorce takes bravery and honesty to admit that you simply can’t make a marriage work. It’s often the best decision; it just takes that initial bit of courage to start the process. And you have to make sure you hire a skilled divorce attorney Fresno CA.

The Kids 

If you have children, it is difficult to tell them about the divorce. It takes tact, honesty, and plenty of love and caring to get through telling them. It’s important to share the unfortunate news along with your spouse, and to make sure that you do not blame the other parent. Make sure the kids know you both love them and that you are still a family even though you aren’t together.

Friends Might Say the Wrong Thing

After or during the divorce your friends will sometimes tell you that they never really liked your spouse or that they had a bad feeling about him or her. Expect those sentiments from your friends. They are trying to be helpful, although those types of statements are not helpful or supportive at all.

Taking Sides

One of the other things you may notice at the time of the divorce is that your friends will sometimes take sides. This means that you may actually lose some of your friends. Your ex will lose some friends as well. This happens, but it doesn’t happen with all of your friends, so don’t worry. Many understand that sometimes couples split, and they can remain friends with both of you.

Banish the Guilt

A divorce tends to bring feelings of guilt, but you need to get rid of those thoughts. Spend some time doing things for you, such as pampering yourself or even just spending some time at the gym to clear your head.

The Schedule

When you see your kids on a schedule, it will feel strange in the beginning. You will grow accustomed to it though, and so will the children. One of the things that you need to remember when you are with your children is that you should never bad mouth your ex. Depending on the circumstances of the divorce this can be difficult, but you need to be respectful in front of the kids.

The First Year

The first year of the divorce can be hard because you will suddenly be missing family gatherings with the in-laws, holidays, and more. It takes time to get used to this.

Dating

Eventually, you will want to start dating again. Just make sure that you take enough time to make sure you are actually ready to start dating again. It takes time, and it feels strange at first, but it really can be fun. You can get back into the swing of dating in no time.

You Will Survive

Not only will you survive, you will actually thrive. A good family law attorney in Fresno CA will help you get through it.It takes time, but it does get better. The hurt fades, you can eventually become friendly or at least somewhat amicable with the ex, and you can get on with your life.

Talk with Your Children About Divorce

One of the most difficult parts of divorce for couples who have children is actually letting the kids know about the divorce. It can be very difficult to tell them that you are splitting, and most parents have no idea how to go about it. The age of the children can be an important factor in how you go about it as well. Some younger children will have trouble comprehending what will happen, and most kids, regardless of the age, will have trouble understanding what it means for them.

Parents should always try to keep a positive attitude, and it is even better if both parents can talk to them at the same time. In addition to keeping positive, assure them that they are going to be fine. When parents divorce, the family law Fresno CA is tough and the process can drag on, resulting in a frightening time for the kids, as they feel that lack of stability. If you don’t present positivity, they will notice this fear that you have, and it can exacerbate their own fear.

By talking with the kids together, it will show them that you are still a family, even though you and the other parent might not be together. Keep in mind that your kids will have plenty of questions, and plenty of tears. Be ready for this. Be comforting and answer their questions as honestly as you can, while keeping in mind the age of the kids and the appropriateness of the truth. You should tell them as soon as you and your spouse come to an understanding that divorce is your best solution.

One of the things that you want to keep in mind though is that the divorce is not a competition for the kids. Do not tell them things to make them turn against the other parent. Always strive to keep things civil and make sure that you are never too critical of the other parent in front of them. Be sure that you are always there to answer their questions as well. They will keep having questions that pop into their minds over the course of the divorce and even afterwards. Be ready to answer those questions.

visit http://www.fresnodivorceattorney.org  to get a valuable advice from an experienced family law attorney in Fresno, CA

Who Keeps the House in a Divorce?

This question is one that burns in the minds of many who are considering getting a divorce. Who gets to keep the house? It also happens to be one of the most contested parts of any divorce. The house was a huge purchase, and was likely a joint purchase. Therefore, both parties tend to feel that the house is theirs and they want to claim ownership of it. The fight for the house can be one of the most trying and draining fights in the entire divorce. The only thing that is more contentious would be battling over the custody of children.

The Complexities of the Home in Divorce

If you want to make the battle a bit easier, then you need to take a step back and try to remove as much emotion from it as possible. You also need to get in touch with a Fresno divorce attorney who can represent you in the case. One of the things to keep in mind is that in most cases, neither of the spouses can make the other leave the home while still in the process of the divorce. However, since it can provide an unhappy and tense environment, one of the individuals will likely want to move out.

That does not necessarily mean that the person who moves out temporarily will lose the house though. However, you should note that some family court judges feel that the spouse who stays in the house has a greater interest in the property. This is something you will want to think about and discuss with your attorney before you make the decision to leave.

Even if only one spouse’s name is on the title, many states view the home as being communal property. Because of this, it can cause even more confusion during the divorce settlement. Here’s an example that happens more often than you might think. If the property is in your name, for example, and you decide to sell the property, the judge will freeze the sale process until after the divorce.

You might even find that the person who stays in the home during the divorce could affect the outcome of child support and spousal support. The person who moves out might need to continue paying the mortgage until after the divorce agreement. When you are getting a divorce, make sure that you have all documents that relate to the home, including insurance papers, deed, and utility statements. You also need to take an inventory of all of your possessions – write it down and take photos of your items. Talk about what you will do with the pets, as well.

Always be careful and respectful of your spouse’s belongings. Anything that you do could come back to bite you during the divorce proceedings, and it could cause you to lose the house. You always want to work with a specialist family law attorney Fresno CA who has experience in this area of family law so you can get the best and most up to date advice on what you need to do and how you need to proceed.

How to Protect Your Finances During and After a Divorce

 Going through a divorce causes substantial issues in your life, without a doubt. They can be very expensive, and they have a tendency to devastate the finances of at least one of the divorcing parties. When you are going through a divorce, you need to be very careful about what happens with your finances if you want to have a good future. Keep these tips in mind and it can help to ensure that you keep your finances in the best possible condition.

What Are Your Current Finances?

When you decide to divorce, you really need to make sure that you understand where you are currently with your finances, even before the separation. If you have a large number of joint expenses, make sure you are paying from joint accounts and not just your own accounts. Thus, if you need to pay for a repair on the house or for something for the kids, pay from a joint account.

Open up at least one or two credit cards in your own name. This helps to establish your own credit. At the same time, cancel or remove your name from the joint credit card accounts. If your name is on the account and your ex spouse does not pay for his or her purchases, you could still be liable for them. Split the accounts as quickly as you can.

Try to stay in your home if you can. Even though it is not always a factor in who gets the house, if you stay in the home, the judge may feel that you have more of an interest in the property and may be more willing to give you the house in the settlement. When you leave, it can be difficult to get the house. In fact, it can even be difficult to get your personal belongings and even custody of your children.

If you do stay in the home, it’s a good idea to consider calling the utility companies as soon as you can to get the utilities in your name only rather than jointly with your soon to be former spouse.

Save Money

In addition to having your own credit cards, you should have a bank account that is only in your name. You will be able to use the account to save money. Of course, you need to disclose to the courts that you have your bank account. It’s a good way to put away some money for those expenses that crop up during the divorce. Putting away just a bit of money each month can help to make the transition a bit easier on you from a financial perspective.

Keep Financial Documents

You need to have the originals, or copies of, all of your financial documents. This includes things such as your deed, insurance policies, banking information, tax returns, and other important documents. If you feel that it might be important, it probably is, so save it just in case you need it.

Talk to an Attorney

You can’t do this all on your own. There are so many things that you have to consider and things that you need to know when you are going through a divorce that you simply can’t do it without an experienced Fresno divorce attorney on your side. Get a consultation with a good attorney and learn the best ways to proceed with your case as well as how to protect your finances. Consider talking with someone about mediation services. It can be less expensive than litigation and is a way that you and your spouse can work together to come to agreeable terms without trying to destroy one another.

What About Child and Spousal Support?

States will generally have guidelines for child support that are mandatory and enforceable regardless of what one of the parents might want. The guidelines usually have a basis in income as well as custody arrangements. Spousal support is different though. Those who waive the right for the support will not be able to ask for it later. Once waived, it is gone for good. Thus, it is something you will really want to consider before deciding you do not need it.

Division of Property

Dividing your property can cause some issues in many divorces as well. However, everything proceeds far more smoothly when you are able to come to amicable agreements when it comes to separating your property.

Think about how certain things might affect your finances negatively in the future as well. For example, even though you might want the house, can you afford the mortgage on your own, as well as the insurance and all of the other expenses associated with the home? Consider what will happen with your retirement accounts. Sometimes the courts will want to divide them between the working spouse and the at home spouse if one does not work. Having a good family law attorney in Fresno, CA to help with this matter is vital. Make sure you think about some of the little things as well, such as your frequent flyer miles and even memberships that you have.