Year: 2016

Colorado follows a guideline approach when calculating child support, but it involves more than plugging in numbers alone. The key is to make sure those numbers are correct. The number of overnights and gross income are significant. But who will pay for health care insurance and how will out-of-pocket expense be divided? What about the…

Mediation is a dispute-resolution method in which two parties attempt to negotiate a settlement with the assistance of a professional, neutral mediator specially trained in helping parties in conflict resolve differences in position and navigate through communication impasses. Mediation can be a good idea for divorcing spouses, offering the likelihood of less stress and lower…

Are you a Colorado parent who is divorced and living day-to-day according to a court-ordered parenting plan? Your parenting plan may have been created in negotiation with your ex-spouse and approved by the court or it may have been developed by the judge if the two of you were not able to agree or if…

More than 34,000 people in Colorado filed family law cases without attorneys last year. The increasing prevalence of unrepresented parties (appearing pro se) can slow the work of state courts and has been regarded by some as a crisis. Unbundled legal services can provide an answer in many situations. How do unbundled legal services work?…

Working out matters related to property division and other financial obligations in divorce cases requires careful negotiation and planning. Splitting up assets can be complicated in practice, and parties may need to be flexible in coming up with an acceptable agreement. For instance, a couple may negotiate the division of retirement assets to satisfy family…

It is frequently written that the most difficult decisions during divorce relate to children. This is true, but means little until you actually have to make them yourself. Even though your relationship has come to an end, you will need to co-parent with your ex-spouse for many years. A workable parenting plan provides the road…

Very few people go through the divorce process more than once. This in itself is a reason to seek help from a professional who handles these cases on a daily basis. Most divorce cases settle before trial. But there are many steps from an initial filing to a final order when you have children. Initial…

A divorce will affect all aspects of your life, and you will be reminded of this at tax time when you file your first return post-split. Whether you recently ended your marriage, or are planning to do so soon, it is important that you understand the major tax implications of a change in your marital…

It’s a long, hard road to build a family company from the ground up. Your different skill sets might have complemented each other perfectly as the business flourished. But those same differences contributed to the breakdown of your marriage. Buying out a spouse in the divorce process is common in many divorces. A buy-out might…

Many people assume that it is difficult, if not impossible, for fathers to win custody of their children. But by law, the courts actually cannot assume that one parent is the better choice solely because of sex.  Colorado law puts mothers and fathers on equal ground when it comes to child custody. This is true…