Law Office of Alexandra White, PC
Colorado Family Law Attorneys
Your Colorado divorce can be a fresh start for you and for your kids. Sometimes, making the most of this opportunity will require drastic changes beyond the mere end of your marriage.
Many people find that they will also move to a new home or even change jobs in the immediate aftermath of their divorce. Others may feel compelled to move somewhere closer to their families to get support while they rebuild their life.
Child marriages still happen in Colorado, despite many people believing they are against the law. Children under the age of 18 can legally marry in Colorado provided that they obtain the permission of their parents or, in certain cases, the approval of a judge. The age of the individuals, as well as their reasons for marrying, can factor into their ability to do so.
Young adults who are either 16 or 17 can get married either with the approval of both of their parents or the approval of a judge. Until recently, children under the age of 16 could also get married provided that they had both the permission of their parents and the approval of a judge.
As a parent, you want to give your child the best possible opportunities in life. Unfortunately, some of the decisions that you make out of necessity for your own health and well-being could have a damaging effect on your child's psychological health. Certain family situations can increase the risk of teen stress and depression, including parental divorce.
Researchers have found a concerning trend of higher rates of teenage suicide across the United States in general, but in Colorado specifically. Out of the entire country, the increase in suicide rate was the sharpest in Colorado between 2016 and 2019.
No matter how well-intentioned two parents may be, co-parenting is always difficult. The time we spend with our children is precious, and when we choose to raise a child separately with their other parent, some tensions and conflicts are nearly unavoidable. Learning to balance the needs of your child with your rights as a parent and the rights of the child's other parent is a difficult process that deserves special attention and care.
Many parents behave badly in co-parenting and use their child as a tool to frustrate or punish the other parent. Not only is this typically illegal, it places pressures on the child that they probably do not understand. While it may feel satisfying in the moment to punish another parent, it is crucial to understand that this behavior impacts the child as well, and may come with legal consequences.
Far too many people seem to stay in unhappy marriages for purely financial reasons. It is a common issue, as many people cannot maintain the lifestyle they want on a single income. For those who stay home to care for the house or raise children, concerns about the ability to independently support themselves may be even more serious.
Worrying about whether you could make enough income to rent a home, pay for food and cover utilities is common, particularly if you have been out of the workforce for some time. The more demanding your duties as a parent, the more difficult it could be to balance a career and your other obligations to your children after a divorce.
When you are going through a divorce, your children need to know that life with both parents is going to continue even if you and your ex live in two homes. Take steps to help protect their psychological health throughout the process. This isn't always easy because it is sometimes hard to understand what they are thinking and what they need.
One thing that might help your children is to know that they aren't alone. Around 60% of children in this country live with their biological parents who are married. That means that 40% of children don't. Knowing that others have gone through the same thing can help your children to feel better about what they are going through.
When going through a divorce, years of financial intertwining will need to be organized and separated between divorcing spouses. This can have the potential to create considerable disputes between a separating couple, and arguments about what is and what is not fair are very common.
If you want to make sure that you get a fair share of marital property after a divorce, you must pay attention to the state laws that apply to you. In Colorado, community property is not recognized. This means that instead of marital assets being automatically split equally between spouses, the courts will decide on a distribution outcome that they believe is the fairest based on the specific circumstances surrounding your case.
When it comes to custody disputes, you should know that your children's best interests are what are most important. At the end of the day, a dispute that goes to trial will result in a judge ruling for what they believe will most benefit the children involved.
Since you know that your ex-spouse isn't going to budge on their custody request and you aren't going to give them what they want without a fight, you need to prepare to go through litigation.
You worry that your kids will feel devastated to learn that you and your spouse plan to get divorced. You know that it's the right thing for your life, but you understand that children can take it fairly hard.
You want to focus on your children's well-being throughout this entire process, and that starts with breaking the news to them initially. Here are a few things you should do to make it go smoothly:
The process of getting a divorce can bring up issues you never thought your family would have to deal with. One common concern is the safety and well-being of your children, particularly if your ex has begun to date someone who seems dangerous or volatile. In most cases in Colorado, serious abuse in the family, whether it is spousal abuse or child abuse, is one of the only reasons why the courts may deny one parent an allocation of parenting time.
In most situations with two willing parents, the courts choose to divide parental rights and responsibilities relatively equally between each adult. In certain circumstances, one parent can ask the courts to limit access of the other to the children during the divorce or later at a modification hearing.
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Law Office of Alexandra White, PC
12625 E. Euclid Dr.
Centennial,
CO
80111
Phone:
303-416-5940
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