WHY ENGAGED COUPLES SHOULD SIGN A PRE-NUP

Although prenuptial agreements are often associated with celebrity couples -- and their headline-generating divorces -- they're not just for boldface names.
Any couple who brings personal or business assets to the marriage can benefit from a prenup. The most basic of these contracts lists an inventory of premarital assets that in the event of a divorce will remain the property of their original owner.
To continue viewing this article by Robert DiGiacomo please click below:
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/engaged-couples-sign-prenup-1.aspx
For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT DATING AS A SINGLE PARENT

When it comes to dating as a single parent, there is one single most important thing to consider, above everything else:
Would you allow your potential partner to date your child? Or in other words, is your potential partner good enough for your kids?Time and time again, I see women and men dating people who don't exactly cut it: The man whose girlfriend treats him like a bank account and handyman; The woman whose boyfriend treats her like a "sidepiece" and inconvenience.
To continue viewing this column by Laura Lifshitz please click below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-lifshitz/the-most-important-thing-_4_b_7989072.html?utm_hp_ref=divorce&ir=Divorce
For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/

10 LESSONS MY DIVORCE TAUGHT ME ABOUT LASTING LOVE

I've learned a lot of lessons over the last 20 years since my divorce. It dawned on me recently that even though I didn't have a divorce party (just wasn't in the mood) it doesn't mean that I can't mark the 20th anniversary of my divorce in some way.  So here it goes, my list of the 10 most important lessons I've learned in the last two decades:
1. Your partner is not going to change. In other words, you can't change a cat into a dog. Love just isn't enough to significantly alter a person's basic nature and upbringing. For instance, if you fall in love with someone who is reserved and you need outward signs of affection to feel secure, you'll feel chronically dissatisfied. Most likely, these differences will probably erode loving feelings over time and diminish positive interactions in your relationship.
To continue viewing this column by Terry Gaspard, MSW, LFCSW please click below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/terry-gaspard-msw-licsw/10-lessons-my-divorce-taught-me-about-lasting-love_b_7985848.html?utm_hp_ref=divorce&ir=Divorce
For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/

8 PIECES OF ADVISE FOR DIVORCE IN YOUR 20's

It's easy to be hard on yourself when going through divorce in your 20s. While all your friends are busy planning their weddings on Pinterest, you're planning a new life without your spouse and dealing with mounting legal bills.

To make the process a little easier, we asked experts -- divorce lawyers, psychologists and financial advisors -- to offer their best advice. Here's what they had to say:

1. Chalk the divorce up to a lapse in judgment. 

Don't fall into the trap of feeling like a failure for splitting up in your 20s. Forgive yourself and remember that you were young and maybe a little naive when you said "I do," said Andra Brosh, a Los Angeles-based psychologist. 

To continue viewing this article by Brittany Wong please click below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-you-need-to-know-before-divorcing-in-your-twenties_55ccdd65e4b064d5910acb15?utm_hp_ref=divorce&ir=Divorce&section=divorce&kvcommref=mostpopular
For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/

HOW WE HAVE KEPT OUR SON FROM FEELING LIKE HE IS FROM A BROKEN HOME

A family may change after divorce but it doesn't have to fall apart. Just ask Heather Belanger. The remarried mom of two prides herself on the close co-parenting relationship she shares with her ex-husband Tony.

"As far as my son is concerned, it's normal to see mom and dad at each other's homes and to see mom and dad there for all of those special moments in his life," Heather told The Huffington Post recently.

Below, she shares more about her blended family. 

Hi Heather. Please introduce us to your family.  

At my house we have me, my husband Mike, our daughter Grace (1) and my son Alex (5). At Alex's dad's house, there's his dad Tony, Tony's girlfriend Jesse, plus their 3-year-old daughter Violet. 

Tony and I have been divorced since February 2013, but separated since 2011.

To continue viewing this article by Brittany Wong please click below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-weve-kept-our-son-from-feeling-like-hes-from-a-broken-home_55cd14b3e4b055a6daafe56f?utm_hp_ref=divorce&ir=Divorce&section=divorce&kvcommref=mostpopular
For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/

THE SUPREME COURT's IMPACT ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

In a truly historic decision, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry in all states. As Justice Kennedy eloquently stated in the Court's majority opinion:

"It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right." 

To continue viewing this article by James McLaren please see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-mclaren/the-supreme-courts-impact-on-same-sex-marriage-and-divorce_b_7688396.html

For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/

AMICABLE DIVORCE IS THE NEW BLACK

America's beloved celebrity couple, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, known colloquially as "Bennifer" marked their 10 year anniversary this week with a divorce.
But Affleck and Garner shocked tabloids with a public statement brimming with amicable divorce language, defying the drama-hungry hype:

"After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children." 

To continue viewing this article by Michelle Crosby please see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-crosby/amicable-divorce-is-the-n_b_7716846.html

For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of
Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/