Scottsdale Divorce Lawyer | Owens & Perkins, Attorneys at Law
When most couples enter marriage, the idea of spousal support, child custody and the allocation of assets are usually the last things on their mind.
One facet of divorce that can feel daunting is determining how to handle your regular, monthly household bills while the case is ongoing. There are
Financial stress is often a side effect of divorce. Loss of dual-income, division of already limited assets and the cost of attorney’s fees are often
Divorces can be a confusing process, particularly where it comes to finances. Managing marital debt is a very important factor during divorce and can seem
The most frequently asked question we receive regarding the division of debts is what the difference is between separate and marital debts. Our clients often
One question we receive regularly from clients is whether mediation will be necessary or required in their legal matter. While mediation can be an extremely
Mediation as a means to resolve a legal dispute can be a great solution for many family law cases. Particularly during the global pandemic we’re
A mediator is an independent third party appointed or hired to facilitate negotiations between parties in a legal dispute. The mediator does not represent any
Mediation is a method used in many family law cases that provides an alternate solution for resolving your matter without appearing in court. Through mediation,
The way our world operates is changing daily during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in many ways, it will continue to do so for months to
The COVID-19 pandemic has reached all of us far and wide and is changing the way we are all living our day-to-day lives. The way
Throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, our firm is working hard to stay apprised to all of the changes being made that effecting legal
Although the world seems to have come to a screeching halt, life continues to go on and people will still need legal help. Throughout the
The COVID-19 pandemic has already had significant negative implications on our economy, and it may be quite some time before we are able to bounce
The COVID-19 pandemic and all that has come with it has completely changed the way we’re living our lives. Cities and countries around the world
With the drastic lifestyle and financial changes in our world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, life as we know it has seemed to
In recent weeks, the world has drastically changed. While we’re all learning to navigate a new way of life that involves social distancing, the world
Navigating a divorce can be tricky, particularly when it comes to interacting and sharing online. Many adults have Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts they use
Social Media has become a major part of our society, and while the use of it can keep you connected with friends and family in
Email and text messages are the most common forms of communication these days and have really become a part of the fabric of our everyday
For good reason, privacy on Social Media is a popular topic of discussion these days, and during a divorce case it’s no less important to
When it comes to divorce, one of the first questions that is often asked is, “what will happen to my business?” Navigating divorce can be
One of the most important aspects of any divorce is dividing the marital estate, and the larger the estate, the more difficult it can be
During a divorce it is critical to understand your marital estate and all it contains. Salary and compensation can be a complex and sometimes tricky
Divorce is a complicated, difficult process that often involves both high stakes and high levels of tension in even the most basic cases, but when
A Motor Vehicle Beneficiary Designation is a form that you can complete, provided by the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicle, that allows you to designate
One easy and inexpensive way to handle the transfer of real estate, without the need for probate, is to have a Beneficiary Deed prepared and
2020 has brought major changes to Inherited IRA accounts and when they are distributed. If someone dies in 2020 or later and leaves you as
One simple way to be prepared for your future is by having a Healthcare and Financial Power of Attorney prepared to meet your needs. While
It’s a brand new year, and planning for the future and setting resolutions is at the forefront of most of our minds. Estate Planning is
As 2019 is winding down we’re gearing up for entrance into a new decade, and one of the best ways to prepare for the future
As we approach the holidays, many of us have parties and gatherings planned with co-workers, friends and family to celebrate and often this includes the
While your divorce decree declares exactly how your assets, debts, children and life in general will be divided up, treated and/or otherwise will proceed after
If you or someone you know has gone through a divorce this year, then you know it can be challenging getting into the groove of
Income from employment can come in many different shapes and sizes. An employee may receive stock options, restricted stock units, or other benefits from their
Going through a divorce can often bring out the worst in people. Many people go into “panic mode” and make irrational decisions, ones that they
The divorce process is never easy, but can become even more difficult when you and your spouse have accrued many assets during your marriage and
In this day and age of entrepreneurs, a spouse may own or operate their own business, may be a partner in a business or professional
In Arizona, there are two different types of property to consider when going through a divorce – community or marital property and sole and separate
While mental health issues are often a factor in divorces, drug and alcohol abuse are even more common. Millions of Americans suffer from drug and
When people get married, they are at an all-time high and usually only think of their future together as happy and bright. But as we
Although there are many different things that may cause someone to seek a divorce, if one or both spouses are suffering from depression and anxiety
One of the most common things we hear from clients here at Owens & Perkins is that they think, or their counselor has said, that
A parent’s ultimate goal is to provide their children with a better life and opportunities than they had. That goal does not end when they
In Arizona, there are several types of Power of Attorneys – all of which serve different purposes. In general, a Power of Attorney is the
When considering the “what ifs” of life, it is important to consider having a Healthcare Power of Attorney (“HCPOA”). In simple terms, a HCPOA is
Life after divorce can be scary, but it is also a chance to leave your old life behind you and start fresh. During the process
Art or art collections can be another common, unique asset that comes up during a divorce or separation but can be very difficult to value
Cryptocurrency is becoming a more and more popular way to invest your money. Consequently, divorces involve cryptocurrencies more than ever before and sometimes the asset
Most of the time, when dealing with splitting assets, it comes down to simply assessing the value of a particular item – whether it be
Although they say “cash is king”, many people look to invest their money into precious metals and coins for various reasons. Purchasing these precious metals
While the process of divorce and/or separation is incredibly difficult, sometimes parting with our possessions can be just as difficult. It is not uncommon for
As we’ve established over this blog series, things are always changing and sometimes these changes cannot be anticipated. When it comes to sharing custody of
Spousal Maintenance, much like child support, is based off of the income of the party paying for it, but it is also based in large
Child support, whether you are paying or receiving, is bound to be modified at one point or another, especially if the children are young when
When going through a divorce or a custody matter, often people are not thinking beyond their immediate future. Divorce is an incredibly difficult process and
Divorce itself, in the best of circumstances, is already a complicated and complex process. When you add in an issue of citizenship and/or living in
The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act is similar to the UCCJEA that we discussed last week. This act was also drafted by the National Conference
The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act or UCCJEA deals with the enforcement of modification of Custody/Legal Decision Making and/or Parenting Time from different
It is a common issue for people to move after a life changing event like a divorce. Many people feel that moving out of state
It is a pretty common question to ask, whether or not you have to pay for your spouse’s expenses that were not for the benefit
When it comes to debt incurred during a marriage, in general, all debt is community debt. When it comes to paying off student loan debt,
Divorce proceedings can take months, even years, to complete but that doesn’t mean life gets put on hold. Mortgages, vehicle loans and other community expenses
Filing for divorce is not only a huge decision, but can also be an intimidating process. Understanding all the paperwork leading up to and after
Splitting up community property and addressing debts is one of the more difficult facets of going through a divorce. The marital residence is often a
Last week we discussed 529 college savings plans and how they are handled in a divorce proceeding. In a similar vein, we will discuss UGMA
529 plans are named for Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, which authorizes investment accounts to be set up for future college expenses for
Divorce with children is a difficult process to go through for anyone, but when one or more of those children have special needs, the process
When going through a divorce with children, it is important for the parties to keep the best interests of the child in mind because that’s
Paternity proceedings can be messy, especially if you are lacking information about the child or the birth of the child. The Putative Father Registry is
It is a popular belief that Arizona is a more “mother-friendly” state, meaning that in most paternity cases, mothers are usually awarded superior rights to
Before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges extended the right for same sex couples to marry in every state, certain states tried quasi-marriage
Raising children is a wonderful journey to embark on with your significant other. Unfortunately circumstances can sometimes prohibit couples from having a biological child together,
In Arizona, the presumption with respect to paternity is that a man is presumed to be the father of the child if he and the
Prior to the 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, many same-sex couples had difficulty obtaining a divorce as same-sex marriage was
As we discussed earlier this month, Arizona is a no-fault state. In addition, to no-fault meaning that the court is not concerned if one or
Deciding what steps to take to end a marriage can be unsettling. If you are unsure about divorce or are considering alternative options, you may
Marriage and divorce are both completely common experiences. One of the most bitter realities of our time is that divorce is no longer a rare occurrence. Roughly
Prior to January 1st, 2019, spousal maintenance was tax deductible for the person paying and was considered income for the person receiving the funds. Last
Take care of it now, don’t wait! As fast as 2018 went, we should all realize this is just around the corner! Starting in October
Clear the roads! It has now become even easier for teens to get their driver’s permit. Starting March of 2018, the Driver’s Permit Test was
The holidays can be a wonderful time to spend with family and reflect on the past year. While you’re doing some reflecting, it is important
It seems that we have progressed to an easy click of the mouse on our computers for just about everything. From banking, to paying bills,
Many couples that are at or nearing retirement are aware of the benefit of a good estate plan and have already had their directives clearly
Spousal maintenance (also known as alimony) is an integral part of divorce, but for those going through gray divorce after a marriage of long duration,
When it comes to divorce, everyone thinks first about the assets that need to be divided, whether it’s the home, other properties, cars, or bank
When saving for retirement, most couples try to plan for how to continue their standard of living for an extended period of time after retirement.
A study by the Pew Research Center from March of 2017 showed divorce rates for adults ages 50 and older have roughly doubled in the
There are a few ways to go about modifying an existing parenting plan. The first and best option is for parents to discuss changes and
In an emergency situation you can file a Petition for a Temporary Order Without Notice simultaneously with a Petition to Modify Parenting Time. The court
In order to file to modify an existing order, a parent must wait an entire year from the date the last parenting time order was
Arizona law imposes limits that only allow changes to a parenting plan if it has been more than one year since the Court entered the
As companies change, so do their types of compensation plans. Understanding the way a spouse is compensated in a divorce is important for spousal maintenance,
Many clients believe that once an asset is determined to be one spouse’s separate property they are no longer entitled to any compensation related to
Some spouses still want to be business partners even after they divorce. There can be many reasons for this – both understand the nature of
Many people approach our firm seeking advice in a divorce believing that their case is simple and will settle easily. Occasionally this may be true,
So now that we know what all is entailed in filing an appeal of the final ruling or judgment in your case, you may have
After all the briefing, review of transcripts and evidence from trial, debate among the 3 judge panel, and possibly oral argument, the Court of Appeals
“Litigation – A machine which you go into as a pig and come out of as a sausage” Ambrose Bierce Once you’ve filed your Notice
So now, as we discussed in the last blog, you’ve been to trial, the judge has issued final, appealable orders, and you’ve determined the issues
