Wheat Ridge Divorce Attorney Blog | Front Range Family Law

Is your spouse committing financial infidelity in your divorce?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

When you decided to file for divorce, you understood it would have financial implications in your life. Perhaps your biggest concern was whether or not you'd have enough resources to provide for your children's needs. Beyond that, you may also be worried that your spouse will try to gain the upper hand when it comes time for property division proceedings. Like most states, Colorado operates under equitable property division laws.

In community law states, judges typically split marital assets 50/50 in divorce. In this state and the majority of others, the court determines a fair division of assets and liabilities, which does not necessarily mean it will be an even split. If your spouse has grown defensive any time you ask about finances or has been acting rather secretive when it comes to his or her pay from work or other financial matters, it may be a sign that you are dealing with a hidden asset problem.

Unhealthy relationship signs that may signal divorce

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Thursday, January 24, 2019.

Whether you've only been married a year or two, or you and your spouse laid down roots in Colorado as a newly married couple more than three decades ago, chances are, you've likely encountered your share of relationship challenges. While it's true that the longer you've been married, the more experiences you've shared and life situations you've navigated, it is also true that even spouses who haven't been together for long may face serious problems that ultimately cause them to divorce.

There are certain issues that can alert spouses that their relationships are not currently healthy. Some may be able to overcome their problems by seeking marital counseling or agreeing to make some changes. Perhaps you've already tried all that and have determined that your most viable option to resolving your problems is to file for divorce. In either case, the type of support you have can greatly affect your ability to cope with your situation.

Protect your health in a late-life divorce

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Friday, January 11, 2019.

After being married for several decades, you may have caught yourself off-guard when you started having thoughts about divorce. You and your spouse have been through a lot together, perhaps including raising children, welcoming grandchildren into the world or maybe even launching and maintaining a business of your own. Several decades of marriage mean you have shared many memories, some likely happier than others.

Regardless of what led to your decision to divorce, you are not the only baby boomer to do so. The divorce rate for your age group doubled in 20 years. Many spouses say infidelity, financial disputes and simply growing apart after living together for so long were causal factors in their decisions to divorce. Many spouses also say that after divorce, their health suffered, so if you're headed to court, you'll want to know how to protect, not only your assets but your physical, mental and emotional well-being as well.

Are you in a high risk category for divorce?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Thursday, December 27, 2018.

Whether you've been married for decades or just recently tied the knot, like many Colorado couples, you've likely encountered challenges at some point in your relationship. The day-in-day-out responsibilities of parenthood can be quite taxing on a marriage, so if you have children, you may already be at risk for divorce.

If you take a moment to think of how many people you know who are divorced (whether or not they happen to have remarried) the number is likely higher than three. Current data suggest the overall divorce rate in the United States is declining. However, there are still many issues that appear to have serious, negative effects on a marriage, which make couples who experience such problems much more likely to divorce.

Child custody plan in place for Pitt and Jolie

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.

Many Colorado parents know what it's like to argue with a spouse about child-related matters. Those who are fans of Hollywood superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may also recall that this particular former couple was in a child custody dispute for quite some time. The good news is that it appears their situation is finally settled.

If you believe that your children should have ample time with both you and your ex after divorce, then you might request shared custody. This is what Pitt has been vying for although Jolie was initially dead set against it. At some point, however, Pitt reportedly convinced Jolie that they best thing they could do for their kids under the circumstances is to settle their differences out of court.

Would a judge choose you as the better parent?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Tuesday, November 27, 2018.

Like most Colorado parents, you understand that parenthood often includes making difficult decisions that are in your children's best interests. This sometimes means the decisions you make will not hold much favor with your kids; for instance, they may want to eat as much candy as they can gets their hands on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should allow it. Since you decided to divorce, you may have also determined that you believe you should have sole custody of your kids.

It would be easy if the judge would simply agree after you explain your reasons. In reality, you may have your work cut out to try to convince the court that a sole custody arrangement in your favor would be better for your kids than a shared custody plan. The court's main priority is to make decisions it believes are in the best interests of your children. The judge will consider physical, psychological and financial issues and will also observe your behavior in the courtroom.

Is your pet a central focus in your divorce?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Friday, November 9, 2018.

Many Colorado residents consider themselves Hollywood fans and have been following the ups and downs of the personal lives of their favorite TV and movie stars. You'd likely be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't heard or read something about the ongoing challenges Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been facing regarding their children after the two decided to divorce.

Not all celebrity custody battles are about children, however. If you own a dog, cat or other pet, you understand that humans often love their fur companions as members of their own families. That's why when divorce occurs, some people encounter contentious pet custody situations. Some judges approach pet disputes as asset disagreements while others have started handling such issues as custody matters.

Many Colorado marriages end in divorce because of these issues

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

Have you ever noticed that something that greatly bothers another person might not have a negative effect on you at all? For instance, some people get really upset when someone zooms in and takes their parking spot, while others could not care less and consider such matters quite trivial. The same goes for most marriages -- an issue that might be completely benign in one marriage may be enough to set off World War III in another.

This is why some marriages are able to withstand certain pressures and relationship problems while others end in divorce over the similar issues. Only you can determine if your relationship with your spouse is able to survive each marital problem that enters your relationship. That said, many Colorado spouses can relate to each other regarding the types of issues that prompt people to end their marriages.

Signs that point toward infidelity in a marriage

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.

Perhaps you and your spouse can relate to many Colorado couples who, from time to time, experience relationship problems in marriage. It's definitely not an uncommon happening between spouses. As you know, some problems are more serious than others; in fact, issues such as infidelity often lead to divorce.

You may not be prone toward jumping to conclusions in life, and that is likely a good thing. However, it's understandable that if you suspect your spouse is cheating, you want to take action to confirm or deny the problem, so you know where to go from there. If your marriage ends in divorce, it is critical to know where to seek support.

Does your co-parent have a new partner in life?

On behalf of Rebecca Gumaer of Front Range Family Law on Friday, September 28, 2018.

When you explained to your children that you were getting divorced, you likely encountered numerous challenges in the weeks that followed as they each came to terms with the situation. You and your ex got along well enough that you were able to devise an amicable co-parenting agreement.

While you may face minor problems as you move on in life, such as those that arise if the other parent cancels a scheduled visit at the last minute or doesn't show up as planned, you needn't expect there to be any major obstacles if you're both willing to cooperate and compromise as needed. However, when a new partner enters the scene, things can get complicated.

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