Health insurance coverage after divorce Health insurance coverage post-divorce is one of the things that I often see that keeps people married for long after they want to be. I have plenty of cases sitting on my shelf where we’ve negotiated a separation agreement but the parties ultimately decide not to finalize the divorce because they’re receiving health care coverage. When no one has met anyone else and the rest of the details are more or less ironed out, it often doesn’t really feel like … [Read more...]
August Girl’s Night Out
August Girl’s Night Out Our fourth annual Girl’s Night Out event at the Ocean View Pier was fabulous! There’s a reason we keep doing events there – you keep coming, and they keep being awesome! We’ve always had amazing weather, for one thing. (Knock on wood.) But the food and the drinks are also great, and where else can you go with such breathtaking panoramic views of the Chesapeake Bay? (Besides when you’re sitting in tunnel traffic, and then it’s generally frowned upon to drink orange … [Read more...]
Can I get him to pay for my medical expenses in divorce?
Can I get him to pay for my medical expenses in the divorce? Whenever a woman asks me a question about what we can make happen in the divorce, I have two answers. If it goes to court, there’s one set of answers, and if we’re able to reach an agreement regarding the distribution of the assets and liabilities in a marriage, there’s a whole other set of answers. Of course, it depends on the question being asked as well. Today, we’re looking at one specific question: Can I get him to pay … [Read more...]
My marriage isn’t working out. What should I do?
My marriage isn't working out. What should I do? There’s not a lot of things that feel scarier than divorce. It’s a big change, and it impacts all areas of your life. I think probably the scariest parts aren’t even what will happen to your retirement accounts or your house, but the ideological shift that takes place. Who are you, if you’re not your husband’s wife? How do you start over? Who do you talk to now, if the person you vowed to love and cherish is no longer playing on the same … [Read more...]
Support Guidelines in Virginia Military Divorce
In many ways, military divorce isn’t all that different from civilian divorce. In other ways, though, there are a lot of nuances and other confusing tidbits that can make it seem a lot more difficult, and make it more difficult to get answers. After all, the military isn’t out to help you, if you’re married to a service member. The military really looks out for its own. There are resources available to you as a military spouse, but you should look at them with a critical eye, and, in many … [Read more...]
Divorce Virginia Seminars
Divorce isn’t easy. And, if you’ve never been divorced before (or even if you have), there’s probably a lot you don’t know. That’s not your fault. There’s a lot to know, and the law is constantly changing. Besides that, it’s very state specific, so even what you know from your friend’s divorces doesn’t necessarily translate to yours, in the here and now in Virginia. Besides, there are steps you can take now so that you can educate yourself, and make sure you know what you need to know about the … [Read more...]
Security Clearance and Divorce
Living where we live, there are a lot of people in our area with high profile military and civilian careers that require security clearances. If your husband has a security clearance For a husband who has a security clearance, it’s often a super big deal – which makes it a big bargaining chip for you. When you file for divorce, it’s pretty public. It isn’t published in a newspaper or anything, but you can see, online, what’s filed, what motions are pending, and check on a final disposition of … [Read more...]
New Year’s Divorce Resolutions
Well, it’s officially the new year. With all those New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and eat healthy and be happy come some others. In fact, though it may not seem like it at first, they’re really along the same lines anyway. Separation and divorce are often part of a New Year’s resolution, too. I’ve seen it before. A woman comes into me, complaining of various ailments (anxiety, depression, stomach complaints, whatever), only to find that, after she separates from her husband, most of … [Read more...]
Military Divorce: Pension Division and Survivor Annuity
Our newest attorney, Lori Michaud, may be new to us, but she’s not at all new to the practice of law. Licensed in Virginia, New York, and New Jersey, Lori has been practicing since the mid 1980s, and, in that time, has built an impressive reputation for herself. This year, Lori was asked to teach a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) class on Military Divorce: Pension Division and Survivor Annuity by the National Business Institute. Continuing education classes are one of the main ways … [Read more...]
Women in Divorce
We’re the only firm in Virginia representing women only in divorce or custody cases, and we have been for awhile. In our area, there are two firms representing men – though, if I’m not mistaken, they don’t represent men exclusively. I had a settlement conference recently with one of the attorneys from one of the men only divorce firms and it was interesting. Well, it’s almost always interesting, of course, but I felt like I learned a lot, and definitely some things that Virginia women … [Read more...]
