Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Is the Best Way to Split Up Retirement Plan Assets in Divorce?
For a number of Americans, retirement plan assets are a significant part of their financial future. This means that, in the event of a divorce, figuring out how to split up these plans in the form of property division can present a challenge. Most states–including Florida–treat retirement plans as marital property. Therefore, unless there… Read More »
Do I Need a Prenup If I Only Have an Idea for A Business, But Haven’t Yet Gone into Business?
Prenuptial agreements today are not just about physical assets that you already have, but also ideas that may come to fruition one day; especially when it comes to business (read: tech) startups. This is very important; given that anything that is not claimed as separate property in a prenup will be distributed equitably; pursuant… Read More »
What Are the Most Common Telltale Signs That Divorce Might Be Inevitable?
One of the first questions that therapists, counselors, and others who work in the field ask people who are considering getting a divorce is: What is your ultimate goal, and do you think divorce will get you there? Rarely is there one telltale sign that you should get a divorce; instead, there are usually… Read More »
What Should I Specifically Prepare Before My Wedding in Order to Protect Myself?
Given that, statistically speaking, 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce, in the same way that couples plan weddings and honeymoons, they should arguably put the same amount of effort and planning into not only preventing divorce, but in ensuring that they are protected if divorce comes about. This not only includes developing… Read More »
What Is the Average Number of Years of Marriage Before Divorce, And Why?
With 50 percent of all marriages in America ending in divorce (and that’s just the first marriage: 60 percent of all second marriages and 73 percent of third marriages also end in divorce), a number of questions arise as to why this is the case and after how many years of marriage a couple… Read More »
Where Does the State of Florida Fall in Terms of Encouraging and Fostering Joint Custody?
Most experts agree that shared parenting is better when it comes to child custody (or “time sharing”) decisions, whereby a child spends (roughly) an equal amount of time with each parent, and both parents equally share responsibilities when it comes to legal (decision-making) and physical (where the child is located) custody. According to studies,… Read More »
Why Do So Many People Get Divorced at The End of the Summer?
It is no secret that a number of people choose to get divorced in the spring; after the holidays; presumably due to wanting a fresh start; way head of a new school or work year, particularly if they share children with their spouse. However, according to a study out of the University of Washington,… Read More »
How Can I Make Sure That My Divorce Does Not Negatively Affect My Productivity at Work?
As attorneys who practice divorce and family law here in Florida, one common question we receive is how clients can make sure that their divorce does not negatively impact their productivity at work. While divorce can of course be physically and emotionally consuming, there are some techniques you can use to manage this challenge… Read More »
Is There Any Technology That Can Help Me Co-Parent & Get Through My Divorce?
As family law attorneys who practice here in Florida, every August, we regularly see a spike in the number of divorce filings. Divorce can be beyond overwhelming, especially for couples who have to coordinate co-parenting after the divorce. Fortunately, there are new apps and services available that can not only help facilitate that communication… Read More »
Is All Compensation Treated Equally in Divorce?
We talk a lot about asset division in divorce, but cannot always get into the specifics, such as how different types of income are treated differently in divorce negotiations; even in a state like Florida that goes by equitable distribution. For example, what if most of your compensation comes from a bonus or stock… Read More »