North Carolina is one of 36 states that allow child support orders to be reduced when noncustodial parents are sent to prison, but incarcerated parents are considered to be voluntarily unemployed in many parts of the country. Financial obligations can add up quickly when prison inmates have no realistic way to make payments, and a 2010 study into the problem ordered by the Obama administration found that 29,000 federal prisoners owed an average of almost $24,000 in unpaid child support.
How divorced parents can plan holidays
Divorced parents in North Carolina may look toward the holidays with the intention of making them as pleasant as possible for their children, but they might be uncertain as to how to go about that. One of the most important things parents can do is to make specific plans well ahead of time. This ensures that there is plenty of time to work out any issues. Making plans that are specific helps to avoid any misunderstandings as well. This includes not just setting specific dates for exchanges but times and places.
Planning ahead during divorce
Just as planning for an upcoming wedding and marriage is a multi-step process, so, too, is planning for a divorce. Divorce brings with the inevitable financial and emotional ramifications, but you can minimize divorce-related complications and make an already stressful experience easier on everyone simply by getting your affairs in order prior to filing. Regardless of whether your impending divorce is relatively amicable or wrought with controversy, taking time to think and plan for it is sure to make the upcoming months much easier to handle.
Visitation rights for North Carolina grandparents
In some cases, a North Carolina parent or stepparent who has custody of a child will prevent the child's grandparents from seeing him or her. This may happen sometimes when one of a child's parents dies and his or her remaining parent prevents the child from seeing the deceased person's parents. It may also happen when a child's parents divorce or simply when a biological parent is unable to get along with the grandparents. However, grandparents are allowed to seek visitation rights to their grandchildren in certain situations.
North Carolina parents may benefit from post-divorce mediation
Co-parenting agreements may not always support the realities of a family's situation. When divorced parents move and become separated by significant distances, they may encounter unexpected financial or scheduling difficulties associated with transporting their kids. In some cases, these changes even make it more difficult for children to adjust and feel like they're emotionally supported because they constantly have to go from one community or peer group to another. It's up to parents to take proactive roles and help their kids find a sense of stability.
Prenups are getting popular with millennials
In general, North Carolina couples are getting married later in life than they used to. When people in the millennial generation tie the knot in their 30s, they may have already accumulated some valuable financial assets. At the same time, many newlyweds have family wealth that they would prefer to keep separate from marital property.
Warning signs that a spouse is hiding property
When you entered a marriage agreement, you probably did so with the ultimate trust in your partner. Sharing your emotions, your finances and even your bed often strengthens that trust, which can prove problematic in that it sometimes makes you blind to the true nature or intentions of your partner.
Marsha C. Kennedy
Attorney
Brandon T. McCarthy
Attorney
Dawn Corrente
Paralegal