Ashley Madison, a site designed to allow people looking to have an affair to connect with each other, was hacked in August, and members of the site became public. Unsurprisingly, this has caused some increases in interest in divorce. Although cheating may be a very good reason to file for divorce, people may be surprised to discover it might not have a very large effect on divorce proceedings.
Wives more likely to divorce than husbands
Virginia residents may benefit from learning more about what compels certain genders to file for divorce or separate from their current spouse. Researchers claim that wives exhibit a higher propensity for initiating divorces than husbands. However, when the couple is not married, the recent study showed that the break-up was equally attributable to both parties. Researchers from the American Sociological Association analyzed surveys from more than 2,200 respondents who shared information on their relationship status from 2009 to 2015.
Dealing with jurisdictional disputes in child support cases
Although a divorce might take place in Virginia, it is not uncommon for one or both parties to move from the state where their marriage ended. When children are involved, child support issues can become complicated, especially if either party deems it necessary to seek a modification while living in a different state. The individual who owes support is most likely to request such a modification due to a change in their financial situation, and if there is an interstate residential change, it may be confusing to determine how to proceed.
More couples using lifestyle clauses in prenups
Some Virginia couples choose to include 'lifestyle clauses" as part of their cohabitation or prenuptial agreements. These clauses usually concern nonfinancial matters and are reportedly popular with celebrities and wealthy individuals. Some of the lifestyle clauses that rich and powerful people have allegedly included in their relationship contracts include agreements for spouses to maintain a certain weight, restrictions on gambling and drinking and agreements to spend a certain amount of time together.
Understanding the initial divorce consultation
Virginia residents facing divorce may feel stressed and overwhelmed about starting the process. However, knowing what to expect during the initial divorce consultation could make the experience feel less daunting.
Protecting financial interests during a Virginia divorce
Virginia couples whose marriages are ending will likely have a desire to protect their financial interests. There are a few simple tasks that can help to ensure that people are contemplating a divorce will have the best possible financial footing once the decree is finalized.
Claiming spousal Social Security benefits
Although divorce severs many financial ties between former spouses, a marriage lasting 10 years or more provides for some Social Security benefits under an ex-spouse's earnings record. A spouse or ex-spouse is entitled to half of the other party's benefit amount without any impact on that person's own benefit. It may be tempting to tap into this resource prior to reaching the full retirement age of 66, but Virginia residents may want to consider this action carefully based on their current and future employment plans.
Thinking about the details of a divorce
Many Virginia couples whose marriages are coming to an end want to get the process over with as quickly as possible, while others let their emotions take over. Each of those approaches can result in one or more mistakes being made that can come to haunt one or both of the parties later.
