St. Louis Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Missouri residents and others who are going through a divorce are encouraged to retain the services of a financial planner. While a financial adviser can’t help with the emotional pain the end of a marriage could cause, he or she may be able to help resolve the matter in a reasonable and timely manner. This person might be able to work with both parties to the divorce to minimize conflict and reduce the overall cost of the proceeding. In the beginning of a divorce

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Monday, February 24, 2020. High-asset couples in Missouri who are going through a divorce may have to resolve complex issues regarding property division. This is the case for a prominent art collecting couple in New York. After a court appearance on Feb. 13, the judge told them they were too far apart on the issues they needed to resolve and scheduled a new hearing for April 2. According to some sources, the woman wants custody of the couple’s two children, but the man will not discuss custody until

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Friday, February 14, 2020. Missouri residents who have gone through a divorce may have lower credit scores and higher levels of debt. According to research from Debt.com and MoneyWise.com, divorce can cost a person $5,000 or more. The price tag includes attorney fees, court expenses and costs related to splitting property after the marriage officially ends. Someone who chooses to end their marriage may also be responsible for a portion of any joint debts accrued while with their ex-spouse. Credit scores can drop by 50 points or more

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. Postnuptial agreements are similar to prenuptial agreements in that they can specify how assets are to be divided in a divorce. They can also provide clarity as to what a couple will do with their money both now and after they retire. However, as the name implies, a postnuptial agreement is one that is created after a couple gets married. In some cases, this is because there wasn’t enough time to finalize a formal arrangement before a wedding took place. Couples may also opt

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Friday, January 3, 2020. Conflicts between co-parents in Missouri are bound to arise at one point or another. However, when both parents focus on the big picture and work to do what is best for their kids, they can more easily resolve conflicts in their co-parenting relationship. Here are some tips that have helped co-parents successfully meet common challenges. It’s common for co-parents to argue about parenting time. However, both parties must remember that the plan should allow each parent to spend a reasonable amount of time with

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Thursday, December 19, 2019. There is a pragmatic side of engagement that couples in Missouri need to be aware of if they want to save a lot of frustration and trouble later on. If couples do not discuss how they will handle financial matters, they fail to create an expectation as to what each individual should expect out of their financial partnership. A prenuptial agreement is a legal contract that allows an engaged couple to come up with an arrangement that will be fair for both of them

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Monday, December 9, 2019. Missouri residents who follow celebrity news may be aware that “Transformers” star Josh Duhamel and former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie separated in September 2017 and filed for divorce earlier this year. Media outlets have reported that the A-list couple finalized their divorce in Los Angeles on Nov. 25. A person close to the couple told reporters that Duhamel and Fergie waited two years to make their split official because they wanted to be sure that they were doing the right thing. According to

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Thursday, November 21, 2019. After parents in Missouri get a divorce, they usually still must find a way to co-parent effectively if their children are minors. This can be difficult after a high-conflict divorce. It may sometimes be necessary for one parent to set boundaries and ensure that the focus stays on the best interests of the child. Parents can refuse to allow themselves to get drawn into conflicts by observing the patterns of their interaction and how escalation happens. They also do not need to respond to

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Thursday, October 24, 2019. When Missouri couples divorce, it is common for there to be an order for spousal support. This is also referred to as alimony and is meant to help one former spouse to make ends meet and maintain a similar lifestyle to what they had during the marriage. For many, a common worry centers around how long the payments will be made. There are factors that will be considered with the duration of the payments. These payments can be temporary or permanent. A key aspect

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Friday, October 11, 2019. For divorcing couples in Missouri, the family home is usually a major asset. One option that couples have is to sell the home and then split the profits. Another option is for one person to continue living in the home, especially if there are children, and buy their soon-to-be ex-spouse’s share. For a buyout to occur during a divorce, the couple needs to know the value of the house. They can hire appraisers to get the current fair market value of the house. Both

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Thursday, September 26, 2019. Most Missouri couples don’t plan to get a divorce. However, almost half of all first marriages come to an end, and the ensuing period can be challenging emotionally, practically and financially. Divorce can be difficult even for spouses unhappy in their marriages over a long period of time or for those who have reached a largely amicable resolution. Many people may experience depression and other health concerns in the period surrounding their divorce. They may withdraw from family and friends and pick up unhealthy

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Family Law on Wednesday, September 11, 2019. Couples in Missouri may wonder if it is true that marital satisfaction will steadily decline in the years after the couple exchanges vows. A common idea is that marriage will begin with hearts full of happiness, but that happiness and excitement will cool off as the years pass. It is common for researchers to refer to this as the honeymoon-is-over effect. This perspective is being called into question thanks to new research. Recent studies are showing that it is actually quite common for spouses