July 2014

Shared custody could be an option for Massachusetts parents

For some Massachusetts parents, the idea of gaining custody in the event of a divorce could be one of their goals. However, it is important to examine the situation and understand what a difficult custody fight could put the parents and children through. By being more knowledgeable about what child custody proceedings entail, some parents may be better apt to decide whether shared custody could be right for their situation. As with all custody proceedings, the well-being of the children should be the top priority. While some parents may believe that fighting for sole custody could be in the best interests of the children, they may want to ask themselves if their children are ready to go through the legal process. Children may be interviewed by professionals during the custody process in order for those professionals to gain an idea about the living situation. This could potentially put children in stressful and otherwise uncomfortable positions. By allowing a third party to make the decisions regarding custody, parents must be ready to contend with the arrangements that a judge may consider adequate for the situation. This could potentially lead to both parties feeling unhappy about the arrangements. However, if parents are able to work together, they may be able to come to agreeable terms regarding the custody and visitation of their children. It is true that shared custody may not be a feasible option for all situations. Therefore, parents should take the time to consider their circumstances and how the impact

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Alimony could affect prenuptial agreements in Massachusetts

Before a Massachusetts couple gets married, they may draw up a prenuptial agreement that would discuss many of the aspects of what would take place if the couple got a divorce. Property division and alimony are often brought up when making such an agreement in order to understand what each party may be entitled to in the event of a separation. However, there may be situations in which the prenup may be disregarded. Many individuals do not know how they will react if they suddenly find themselves going through the divorce process. As a result, they could possibly regret signing a prenuptial agreement, especially if they believe that it could result in them getting less alimony or property than they may have received without the agreement. Therefore, in some cases, a party may move to have the agreement thrown out. A court will give much consideration to the fairness of the agreement before determining whether it should be upheld. If it seems exceedingly unfair as opposed to what the court may have normally awarded, it could potentially be disregarded. The judge may also consider the timing of when the agreement was made. If it appears that a party was unjustly pressured into signing the agreement close to the wedding date, it may also be set aside. Alimony can be especially important to individuals who will have a considerably lower income after divorce. Parties who may not have worked for some time during their marriage or otherwise relied heavily on their

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Social media use may lead to divorce and property division

People in Massachusetts get divorced for a plethora of reasons, including financial disagreements. When people are fighting over asset distribution and property division, they may quickly turn to social networking sites to publicly share their feelings and find emotional support. However, according to research, this same outlet that divorcing people sometimes use to vent may be the very thing that caused them to get a divorce in the first place. A new study showed that using Facebook and other similar social media sites is linked to having trouble in relationships and pondering divorce. This may be because these sites let users reconnect with people they dated or were married to in the past. In addition, they easily allow people to privately and continuously maintain romantic relationships with people other than their spouses. The chance of having a marriage that lasts long-term is only 50 percent, and social media has not helped these odds. This is why it’s beneficial to discuss the use of social media with one’s spouse. The two parties can then come to an agreement on ground rules related to how they use these sites, such as whether it’s okay to reconnect with past boyfriends or girlfriends. However, even when taking steps to control social media usage in a marriage, marital unions sometimes fail despite how hard people try to make it work. The best way to protect oneself from the financial perils of divorce is to develop a prenuptial agreement that addresses how assets and income will

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Massachusetts kids could handle shared custody well

Learning that their parents are going to divorce can have a great impact on Massachusetts children. They may have many different questions about the circumstances and be uncertain as to what it means for their living situation, especially if parents have shared custody. Child custody proceedings can, at times, be difficult for children and parents alike, and it is important that the situation is handled with sensitivity in order to ensure that the best interests of the children are being considered. One way that parents may know that their children could be handling the custody conditions well is if they want to know more about the situation. Asking questions and looking for answers about the event could mean that the children want to understand the circumstances. By having a better understanding of the situation, children may be more comfortable than if they are left out of what the proceedings mean for them. Observing a child’s behavior can also be a way to determine how that child is handling the process. If a child becomes spiteful or otherwise acts as if he or she does not want to be around one or both parents, it could mean that the child is not handling the situation well. However, if a child continues to act normally and still enjoys time with both parents, he or she may be handling the divorce in a mature and positive manner. The majority of Massachusetts parents want their children to be affected as little as possible when

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