Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Your Fiduciary Duty Toward Your Spouse
Many couples take a vow at their wedding to love each other for richer or for poorer, but finances are a major cause of discord even among couples who enjoy each other’s company and share similar values. Having opinions about the best ways to spend or save money does not mean that you are… Read More »
The Court Cannot Order Your In-Laws to Continue to Bankroll Your Lavish Lifestyle After Your Divorce
If a married couple lives beyond their means, it is no one’s business but their own. If they file for divorce, though, all their unsustainable spending habits come out in the wash. California law requires former spouses with a large disparity to pay spousal support to the disadvantaged spouse in an amount that would… Read More »
Can the Court Order You to Pay Spousal Support When Both Spouses Are in Dire Straits Financially?
If your spouse is asking for Spousal Support (previously known as alimony) as one of the terms of your divorce, and you have been researching Spousal Support laws online, most of the example cases you find involve a financially stable man and a woman who depended on him financially throughout their marriage, either because… Read More »
Do the Family Courts Ever Separate Siblings?
Even if all the feelings of love and friendship you ever had for your spouse are gone by the time your divorce is finalized, almost everyone is sad to see their family break up. The good news is that the family courts make it their goal to ensure that you get to have an… Read More »
How to Keep the Peace with Your Ex-Spouse About Co-Parenting: Agree to Disagree
You love the countdown to Christmas, hanging stockings on the mantelpiece and configuring the artificial Christmas tree as soon as you come home from the Black Friday sales, but your husband would roll his eyes every year when the Elf on the Shelf appeared. Your husband’s objections to the commercialization only grew stronger the… Read More »
Parallel Parenting: Practical Solution or Nihilistic Fad?
Some people feel a weight lifted from their shoulders the minute their divorce becomes final. Those people do not have minor children. If you and your ex-spouse have children together, divorce is a marathon, not a sprint. The wounds reopen every time your children repeat a passive-aggressive comment that your ex’s new partner made… Read More »
How Parents Can Lose Custody of Children
If you’re a parent going through a divorce, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to child custody and parental rights. For starters, there is an assortment of reasons why a parent may end up losing custody of a child, and some of those reasons may surprise you. It’s… Read More »
Division of Retirement Assets
The average 20-something has $10,500 in their 401(k) plan, according to Investopedia and Fidelity. This may not sound like much, but it is by no means inconsequential. And, the older the worker, the larger their retirement account becomes. The average 60-something has over $182,000 in their 401(k) account. Of course, these are averages, not… Read More »
Child Custody and How To Relocate
Americans move, on average, 11 times in their lifetimes, according to The Atlantic and the U.S. Census Bureau. Simply because a parent has children does not mean that they will be able to stay in the same city for the rest of their lives; new job opportunities, better school systems, being closer to family,… Read More »
Virtual Child Visitations in the COVID-19 Era
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives and society, and visitation rights are no exception. For many, shelter in place orders and social distancing has become just another part of life, meaning staying in contact with your children if you’re divorced is important, yet perhaps more difficult now due to the… Read More »
