Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Alimony In Gross
When people hear the word “alimony,” they often think about one former spouse sending the other a check every month, reopening the resentments that led the couple to divorce in the first place. Most likely, though, you will not have to pay alimony for as long as you think you will. Even if your… Read More »
What Happens If You Encounter A Non-Marital Financial Hardship In The Middle Of Your Divorce?
Rock bottom is a moving target. People who have been divorced for a long time tend to look at the day they filed for divorce as a turning point; after that, things gradually got better. They have the advantage of hindsight, though. While your divorce is pending, it is painfully obvious that life has… Read More »
Your Spouse’s Threats To Deport You If You File For Divorce Probably Aren’t Credible
At almost any social gathering you attend, you will meet married couples where one spouse sponsored the other’s permanent residency. In some cases, this sponsorship took place decades ago, and the immigrant spouse has been a naturalized U.S. citizen for so long that he or she has renewed his or her U.S. passport at… Read More »
How Does The Alabama Divorce Court Deal With Whirlwind Romances?
If you are a Millennial Alabama girl, scrolling through social media as the sun beats down on the bleachers from which you are ostensibly watching your child’s soccer practice, you can bet that your social media feeds will find content to cement your belief that the best days of your life have passed you… Read More »
Will Your Finances Ever Get Better After Divorce?
Here in the land of toxic positivity, where soccer moms enthuse about their latest multilevel marketing business opportunity, even as their bank accounts are overdrawn and their husbands are cheating, we would do well to acknowledge our sadness. What is the point of calling a funeral a celebration of life? It doesn’t change the… Read More »
Can You Delegate Your Parenting Time To Someone Else?
How do families spend time together on the weekends? The short answer is it depends, and it’s none of your business. In one family, the whole family commits to doing chores all day on Saturday and then goes to the park on Sunday and picks up dinner from Raising Cane’s on the way home,… Read More »
Will You Still Be The Primary Parent After Your Divorce?
The phenomenon of primary parenting has ruined marriages since long before it had a name. Primary parenting is where one parent takes on a disproportionate share of the mundane tasks involved in the children’s care, such as baths and bedtime routines, as well as the decisions involved in their care, such as scheduling dentists’… Read More »
The Silver Lining Of Co-Parenting After Divorce
Conflict over parenting is nearly a universal experience, but it is more painful than anyone tells you. Two weeks ago, as you drove to the hospital for the birth of your child, you and your spouse giddily anticipated your adventures as a family of three, and now your spouse is screaming at you like… Read More »
Does Your Immigration Status Affect Your Alabama Divorce?
Immigrating to the United States and settling here with your family is a long process. You always feel vulnerable until all the members of your family travel to your country of origin on U.S. passports and return safely to your home in the U.S. If your visa status is employment-based, then you constantly worry… Read More »
Alabama’s Family-Centered Take On Divorced Parents Paying For Their Children’s College
The skyrocketing cost of college puts everyone in a bad mood, from those who have never entertained thoughts of pursuing higher education to those who finished their entire degree and took a graduation trip on their parents’ dime without applying for a single penny of financial aid or taking out student loans. Paying for… Read More »