Author Archives: Jay Butchko
And Now Some Optimism About Your Finances After Divorce
Here is an exercise in Southern charm for you. Try to find something nice to say about how divorce has affected your finances. Remember that joke about the Southern Belle who bragged that her Daddy sent her to charm school so she could say, “That’s nice” instead of a string of expletives? If you… Read More »
Restoring Your Parenting Time After A Long Absence
Alabama’s laws on parenting time, which state that the children’s best interests are the main concern in parenting plan decisions, imply that children thrive on routine and stability. When judges set parenting plans, which they only do when the parents cannot reach an agreement during mediation, they choose a schedule that disrupts the children’s… Read More »
Does Health Insurance Coverage Count As Alimony?
One of the marriage trends the younger generation is embracing is the prenuptial agreement. It used to be that people only signed prenups if they were wealthy or if one or both parties had children from a previous marriage. These days, an increasing number of couples realize that prenups are an effective way to… Read More »
Does The Court Order Alimony If Both Spouses Are Broke?
The Alabama courts may award alimony when this is necessary to enable both spouses to continue to live at the same standard as they lived during the marriage. Often, it takes the form of rehabilitative alimony, which lasts five years or less, and the purpose of which is to enable the recipient spouse to… Read More »
How Much Of A Problem Is It If You Do Not Follow The Parenting Plan To The Letter?
On the one hand, a parenting plan can be a relief. During your marriage, you tried everything to get your ex to stop flaking on your plans, but nothing worked. A court-ordered parenting plan could be just what you need to stop the constant lateness and last-minute changes of plans. Your anger is not… Read More »
Why It Is Worthwhile To Finalize Your Divorce In Mediation
When you summon the courage to file for divorce, you might go into it with the mindset that you are ready to fight to win. You imagine the judge awarding you possession of the marital home and paying your ex a lump sum for the refinance, so that you never half to think about… Read More »
How To Avoid Oversharing Your Divorce
One of the best things about living in Alabama is that everyone seems to have the gift of gab. If you strike up a conversation with the person in front of you in line at the supermarket every time you go shopping, by the end of a month you will have found out which… Read More »
Does Changing Your Parenting Plan Affect Your Child Support Obligations?
The possibilities are endless when it comes to customizing your parenting plan, but no matter how carefully you craft your unique parenting plan to suit your unique family, life brings plenty of surprises. You might need to change your parenting plan because of changes to your work or family obligations, or even because your… Read More »
How Does Pregnancy Affect Your Alabama Divorce?
One might expect that welcoming a child into the world together is when couples feel the greatest commitment to each other, but things do not work out this way for every couple. Taking care of a baby is a new level of stress and responsibility that causes conflict even among couples who are emotionally… Read More »
Rented Apartments And Divorce
Some people’s main source of stress relates to the marital home after divorce. It makes their blood boil that their ex got to keep the house they renovated with the work of their own hands. Someone out there is stressing about whether she will qualify for a refinance, even if her mother agrees to… Read More »