Same-sex couples may face challenges when it comes to estate planning. With the landmark 2015 Supreme Court decision in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex couples across the country were granted the right to marry (the case struck down previous state-level bans on gay marriage). Though the case was decided by the Court on the basis of the Equal Protection…
Virginia residents who are looking to get married after a prior divorce should learn how a prenup may be essential for them Virginia residents who are contemplating a new marriage after having been married before know all too well that an expected future may not come to fruition. That, however, does not mean they have to give up on love…
Thinking about, let alone preparing for, divorce before you are even married is not what most of us want to do. Whether we believe that divorce will never happen to us or whether we just choose to ignore the possibility, the fact remains that almost half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. One way to enter…
Discussing these three issues can help begin the estate planning process. Putting together an estate plan is an important step towards ensuring financial security. Not only do the documents used in the plan help determine the distribution of assets, but they can also help reduce tax obligations. Although there are a number of benefits to these plans, many Americans do…
This article looks at advance directives, especially as they concern medical care for military veterans. Talking about end-of-life care can be difficult, yet most people would like to decide for themselves the kind of care and treatment they receive. Advance directives, such as living wills and health care powers of attorney, allow individuals to make their own health care decisions…
Couples experiencing problems with their marriage may have several uncertainties about their next steps. They may not know if the relationship is worth saving. They might try several attempts at reconciliation, only to have the same setbacks time and time again. They may ask friends and relatives who have been through the process what to expect if they decide to…
The subject of divorce has seen many changes over the last half-century. In addition to becoming more common, there are now many more ways of going about the process. What used to be exclusively adversarial and dependant on courtroom proceedings for its outcome is now increasingly cooperative, and much of it can take place out of the public eye. Couples…
As more and more people invite social media into their lives, research increasingly shows that chatting, flirting and interacting with online friends is contributing to a growing number of divorces. According to Telegraph.co.uk, Facebook has become a “virtual third party” in divorce petitions. “Facebook is being blamed for an increasing number of marital breakdowns, and it is quite remarkable that all the…
Divorce and Arbitration in the Era of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic The pandemic has affected people’s lives in many ways. Anxiety permeates our present way of life. Much is uncertain. Accessing justice and obtaining relief does not need to be out of your reach. While future access to the courts is uncertain, access to justice and dispute resolution is not.…
A few decades ago, divorce used to be an issue that affected primarily young and middle-aged couples. In 1990, approximately 90 percent of all divorcees were under age 50. Recently, though, divorce rates among the baby boomer generation have skyrocketed – to the point that 25 percent of divorcees were age 50 or older in 2009. That year alone, more…
