If you have children with your former spouse, you will need to work with that person to raise them. However, there is a chance that your child's other parent will take actions that seek to rattle you or openly defy the child custody or visitation order handed down by...
family law
Why would you modify your custody order?
The court carefully considers your situation when issuing a custody order, and they try to make a decision that puts the children first and also adheres to the rights of the parents. With all of this consideration up front, why would someone ever want to modify the...
Nontraditional families created through adoption
The world of nontraditional families can get very complex quickly. It is important for all involved to know exactly what options they have. For instance, in many recent cases, grandparents seek to adopt their grandchildren. They do this because they love them and they...
Cohabitation often happens gradually
When people get married and begin living together, they make a conscious decision. There is a defined day when one partner moves in or when they both move into a new house together. Cohabitation, the process by which people live together without getting married, is...
With adoption, carefully consider exactly what you want
If you're thinking about adoption, take the time to slow the process down and really consider what you want, why you want it and what you expect out of the process. For instance, maybe you struggle with fertility and you really want to be a parent. You see adoption as...
1 out of 3 kids lives with an unmarried parent
If you are not an unmarried parent yourself, odds are very good that you know someone who is. A lot of children live with one or more unmarried parents. In some cases, this is because the children were born outside of a serious relationship; in others, it just means...
For unmarried couples, property splits get complicated
You don't want to get married simply because you have never liked the idea of marriage as an institution. That does not mean you're not committed to your relationship. You are. You and your partner stay together for 10 years. Then it finally ends. You've been living...
Keep emotions and finances separate
When you get divorced, you need to make a lot of financial decisions. Will you sell the home and split the money? What about your other assets? What types of support do you need or deserve? Are you willing to spend more in court if your spouse fights you on anything?...
Don’t adopt for the wrong reasons
Adopting a child is a huge decision, and it's one that you have to make for all of the right reasons. It's not just your life that changes forever, but the child's as well. For instance, some people adopt because they simply feel guilty. Maybe they took in a foster...
How many children have unmarried parents?
The "traditional" family in the United States involves a mother and a father who are married, living with their children. Many people assume that this is the way the vast majority of kids grow up. The reality, though, is quite different. According to the Pew Research...