There are a number of custody options that people can choose when they decide to divorce in Minnesota. While the right solution may vary for each individual family, joint custody is an increasingly favored standard option in most cases where the divorcing parents live near one another and have living situations appropriate for children. Many child psychologists note that shared custody is preferable for children of all ages, including overnight care, so long as abuse or neglect is not a factor. While some people in the past opposed overnight visits with fathers for infants and toddlers, modern approaches recognize equal value for parenting time with both parents.
Joint custody can benefit children of all ages
What your prenuptial agreement can include
If you are about to walk down the aisle, you naturally may feel that you will stay married to your significant other long term. The reality, though, is that divorce can happen if you and the other party end up growing apart and wanting different things in life.
Planning for divorce amid tax law changes
For many people in Minnesota, news of the tax changes to come with the new year in 2019 led them to speed up their divorce agreements in order to finalize by the end of 2018. As part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in late 2017, alimony tax rules that have been in place for decades will be dramatically altered as of Jan. 1, 2019. While the tax treatment of couples who are already divorced will remain the same, people who divorce moving forward will need to reach a settlement under the new tax laws.
DNA tests and child support
In Minnesota and around the country, fathers are expected to provide child support to their children even if they are not and never were married to the kid's mothers. While married men are usually presumed to be the legal fathers of any children born during their marriages or within a period of time after a divorce, things are not so straightforward when a marriage has never taken place.
How child support reductions are determined
Divorced non-custodial parents residing in Minnesota and elsewhere in the U.S. may have questions about how to lower their child support payments. There are several reasons a child support reduction may be granted. For example, the court may allow a child support reduction if a parent suffers a significant change in his or her financial situation or when a child becomes an adult and is therefore capable of self-support. The court may also grant a child support reduction if both parents are in agreement about the reduction.
Divorced parents should have a plan for the holidays
Divorced and separated parents in Minnesota should come up with a holiday plan in advance to help mitigate stress. Holidays are especially difficult for families who have to struggle with child custody. To prevent tempers and emotions from flaring and help make the holidays more enjoyable for the children, special times of year should be approached with the right attitude.
