Front Royal Law Blog

When long-term marriages end

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Friday, January 17, 2020.

Married couples in Virginia who have decided to end their marriage after a long time will need to prepare for a process that might become more complex depending on the property shared by the couple and if they also share minor children.

Divorce after long-term marriage often involves negotiations for division of property that can include the family home, savings and investment accounts and business interests. If the couple also has minor children, they will have to figure out custody and support agreements.

Drive with confidence in efforts to avoid traffic tickets

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC on Thursday, January 9, 2020.

You, like most other Virginia drivers, do not ever want to see flashing blue lights in your rearview mirror. Of course, even as a conscientious driver, mistakes on the road or issues with your vehicle could lead to an officer looking at you a bit more closely. In some cases, that may mean that the officer conducts a traffic stop and possibly gives you a traffic ticket.

While you may not think too much about the consequences of a traffic ticket, one can have greater impacts than just adding an inconvenience to your day. As a result, it is smart to think of ways to avoid traffic tickets if possible.

Why divorce filings increase during January

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Monday, December 30, 2019.

Some Virginia residents may be surprised to learn that there is usually an increase in divorce filings in the month of January. Even searches on online platforms for things related to divorce, like "divorce party," increase during the month of January, especially the first half of the month.

Some common stressors that are experienced during the holiday season put so much strain on a marriage that some feel that a divorce is their best option. Things like spending time with in-laws, travel and increased spending during the holiday season can cause some individuals to feel like they never want to experience another holiday season with their spouse again. However, instead of breaking the news, especially to children, during the holidays, they choose to wait until the holidays are over.

Financial planning during a divorce

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Monday, December 16, 2019.

When a person in Virginia decides to get a divorce, that person might want to consult a financial planner or even a certified divorce financial specialist. The latter individual has specialized training in the issues around divorce and money. This may be particularly helpful for individuals who do not know much about the family finances.

People should list their assets and gather as much documentation about them as possible. This includes bank statements, property titles and tax returns. With this information, people can begin to determine what property they may keep from the marriage. It is also important to create a budget for after the divorce. This may include paying or receiving child and spousal support. Individuals who have health insurance through a spouse may need to find new insurance. People might also need to find a new place to live and calculate what it will cost. Frugality is a good rule during a divorce since the process could be costly.

Divorce often leaves women vulnerable financially

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Monday, December 2, 2019.

Working women in Virginia and around the country are often left financially vulnerable by divorce. A study conducted by the London School of Economics reveals that working wives see their incomes fall by an average of 20% following a divorce while husbands earn about 30% more after ending their marriages. This drop in income makes life especially difficult for divorced wives because women generally earn less than men to begin with.

Women also live longer than men on average, which means that divorced wives must be more careful with their retirement savings than their former husbands. A recent change in the way alimony is taxed dealt spouses who rely on this money yet another blow. For many years, divorced spouses who received alimony did not pay tax on this income, and divorced spouses who paid spousal support were able to deduct the payments. This situation was reversed in January 2019.

Maintaining sanity when co-parenting with a toxic person

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in child custody on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.

Virginia co-parents who divorced in an amicable way face a variety of challenges because of the logistics of parenting children from two different households. The situation becomes even more complicated when one of the co-parents is a toxic person. Here are a few steps a co-parent can take to maintain their sanity while working with a toxic ex-spouse.

It may be helpful to acknowledge that an ex-spouse will likely do anything to push the other individual's buttons. They may make false accusations, try to manipulate the other individual and hash out old problems from the marriage. However, successfully raising children after a divorce involves focusing on the best interests of the children. For the most part, the communication between the co-parents should be about parenting. It should be business-like and well-documented.

Has a plea bargain been offered in your case?

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC on Friday, November 15, 2019.

Every criminal case is different. If you have recently faced charges for a crime in Virginia, you may have spent a considerable amount of time worrying about what will happen next. You may already understand the exact allegations that you face, but you know that the outcomes are up in the air until the end of your case.

However, the prosecution may have approached your legal counsel about a plea bargain. You may have heard of such bargains before but still do not fully understand how they could apply to a case, especially yours.

Why men are still expected to be breadwinners

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

Men in Virginia and throughout America are generally expected to be financial providers for their families. However, it is not uncommon to see wives make more than their husbands. Research suggests that this could be a problem in some relationships. One study found that a couple is 33% more likely to get a divorce when the wife makes more than the husband. While women have more leeway to determine what they would like to do with their lives, men are still expected to be financially stable.

There are many reasons why this may be the case. For example, researchers believe that limited opportunities for women at work cause men to believe that they should be the primary breadwinner at home. Men may also feel pressure from others in society to be the top earner in their households. If a person is getting married for a second or third time, financial security may be more attractive than looks or charm.

Social media in divorce cases

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Monday, October 21, 2019.

Most Virginia residents are active on at least one social media platform, and the messages and photographs they share with their friends and followers are often quite candid. This kind of sharing has become so common that it is now considered a normal part of daily life, and it is also a source of evidence in about two-thirds of divorce cases. Scouring the social media accounts of divorcing spouses leads to the discovery of evidence worth presenting in court 81% of the time, and about a third of all divorces are initiated by spouses who discovered evidence of infidelity online.

Checking social media can reveal more than evidence of affairs. People often show off on platforms like Facebook and Instagram by posting images of themselves enjoying sumptuous meals or wearing expensive watches or jewelry, but this kind of photo could be difficult to explain when spouses claim during divorce negotiations that they are struggling financially and cannot afford to pay spousal support.

House buyout process during divorce when refinancing mortgage

On behalf of Williams & Bell, PC posted in divorce on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

Divorces in Virginia do not always involve selling the marital home. Sometimes, the splitting spouses agree that one should buy out the other's half of the house. The desire to keep children in a familiar environment often motivates this decision. For a home that has a mortgage, the person retaining sole ownership of the house needs to obtain a new mortgage without the ex-spouse's name on it. The newly single person will need to have sufficient income and credit history to gain approval of new financing.

To initiate the buyout, the two parties must determine the property's current market value and their equity shares. A professional home appraiser can calculate the home's value by examining its features and the recent sales of comparable homes. A report from a home inspector also enters into the equation if the property requires significant repairs that influence its value. After establishing the value, the amount owed on the house must be subtracted to calculate equity. The two people will then determine their share by dividing the remaining equity equally. This amount represents what one spouse must pay the other spouse, either in cash or in the exchange of other marital property, to buy the house.