Divorce and Your Finances

One of the biggest reasons that make getting a divorce so unpleasant is figuring out your finances. As horrifying as gathering all financial data may sound, many people have actually found the process of collecting and weighing financial information to be highly beneficial. While collecting financial records is certainly time consuming, and possibly depressing, it is a required part of the financial planning process.

By reviewing where your money is really going, you will gain more knowledge about your actual monthly spending habits and expenses, both necessary and unnecessary. The experience will be an “eye-opener,” especially for those individuals who have not been primarily responsible for managing family’s finances. Even spouses who routinely have handled family finances are likely to finish the process with a far greater understanding of their true financial picture. Among other things, this experience may cause you to rethink spending decisions and other lifestyle priorities. You now may want to change your spending habits and investments, as certain choices may be a better fit for your financial future and goals than others.

Here is an example of making financial choices: if your house needs new windows, you can deal with that in a number of ways, all impacting your finances.

A) You could use your savings to replace all windows. Your house will be less drafty, thus saving you money long term in heating and cooling costs, but you will no longer have savings.

B) You could buy new windows using a loan or credit card, thus preserving your savings for emergencies. But this option means you will have a new monthly payment, and depending on how long you take to pay off the credit, the real cost of your windows will increase to include the finance charges.

C) You could replace only some of the windows, preserving some savings and avoiding debt, but your house will still have some bad windows.

D) You also could spend all your savings on lottery tickets hoping to win the big jackpot that would allow you not just to buy new windows, but a nicer and bigger house! Though, if you don’t win, you will now have no savings and you still need new windows.

For the person who never had a financial plan, divorce provides an opportunity to finally create one. For the person who has had a financial plan in place, but that plan depended on a breadwinner spouse and/or all the assets accumulated jointly during the marriage, that plan will have to be modified to fit the post-divorce needs.

Remember that the financial decisions you now make, may affect the rest of your life. So don’t just rely on financial and legal advice from friends, relatives, or others who may mean well, but may not have an accurate understanding of the process, the options, or the interrelated nature of some of the financial choices to be made. Also, sometimes it’s hard to separate financial planning from the emotions that often accompany a family law proceeding. That is why it is best not to make any rash decisions, and to consult a competent and trustworthy professional to help you figure out what needs to happen so that you have a secure financial future post divorce.

Divorce and Your Finances first appeared here.

 

Domestic Violence Classes – What If I Refuse to Participate?

When an aggressor faces a conviction for domestic violence, there are several possible consequences as punishment he or she will face, and any refusal to participate could lead to additional penalties. When the individual must take classes as a program for civil convictions, refusal could lead to monetary penalties in place of the classes.

Domestic Violence Punishments

When a person faces the punishments of conviction or through civil suits that require certain programs or classes, the person facing such penalties must participate or he or she may incur further penalties by the courts. These punishments may take the place of incarceration or compensation to the plaintiff or victim. For any specific issues with the classes or programs, there are some alternatives such as reasonable times and costs for each instance. Some domestic violence convicted criminals or those facing the civil version may need to pay for each class or attend with certain times even if the class conflicts with the person’s schedule.

Domestic Violence and Penalties

When an aggressor harms someone in the household, he or she may face an arrest, a court trial or even criminal justice. Some of these accused individuals will face multiple cases or claims. The victim may even take out a restraining order or an order of protection to keep the person from interfering in his or her life. It is possible that the aggressor may undergo an investigation either for criminal or civil cases and face penalties when the courts deem the person at fault. The punishments that are possible may range from jail, prison and fines to restitution or programs that are mandatory.
Domestic Violence Classes as a Compromise
Some aggressors will face certain classes or programs as a compromise to penalties or punishments from either civil or criminal courts. When these options are open and relinquish the individual from the possibility of facing the courtroom for charges or the injuries incurred from the domestic violence, the victim has the opportunity to attempt to rehabilitate the aggressor. If this person refuses to attend classes, other legal options may take place and force the individual into a courtroom to face possible conviction or civil compensation. It is recommended by experts to avoid further punishments or penalties by accepting the available options first.

Possible Criminal Offenses of Domestic Violence

When the aggressor faces the criminal justice system, the prosecutor may charge the defendant in court for various offenses police arrested the accused of either at home or another location. These may include various types of assault, destruction of property, harassment or stalking and intimidation. More severe charges are possible and may include reckless endangerment, assault with a deadly weapon and other violations. When the victim has a restraining order or an order of protection, the violations may incur other penalties not related to the charges. These may incur additional or separate punishments.

Refusal to Take Domestic Abuse Classes

Depending on the attached type of case the classes, additional penalties may occur if the aggressor refuses to take the classes. When not connected to any criminal or civil matter, the individual may only face the judgment of a spouse or romantic partner. However, when the matter is through a civil remedy, the aggressor may suffer monetary or further programs to repay the violent actions against the victim. Sometimes, this may also affect child custody, visitation and spousal or child support. Negative impact from the refusal could further penalize the perpetrator depending on the judge in the civil court.

For the criminal justice system, domestic violence classes are one of several possible penalties the judge may issue separately or in conjunction with other punishments that are mandatory and not up for refusal. However, if the aggressor still attempts to refuse the classes, he or she may face time in jail or prison or fines as a form of payment and punishment. Breaking an agreement to take classes could also lead to a different type of punishment through a new agreement with more severe consequences. This often depends on whether the agreement is legally binding or one with the spouse.

Legal Support with Domestic Violence Classes

The perpetrator of domestic violence may need to take classes to understand the impact of harming someone in the household. The legal representative that supports the criminal defense or civil defense in these instances may bargain for the classes to mitigate possible sentences in jail or prison. It is generally best to attend such classes.

Domestic Violence Classes – What If I Refuse to Participate? originally appeared on https://www.hg.org