Your credit and divorce…how it effects your future.

By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida

We all know the importance of a good credit score…without it, you can’t buy a car, get a mortgage, rent an apartment, or even get a good job.

Unfortunately, bad marriages can lead to bad credit for the innocent spouse.  A spiteful shopaholic spouse can run up joint credit card accounts; a business gone bad can incur huge debt; boats and car purchases can put both the husband and the wife into serious debt; so can job loss and not paying bills.

The fact is your credit can be restored after divorce.  Here are some helpful hints to restoring your credit:

1.  Don’t close accounts in your name only.  15% of your credit score is your credit history and 10% is your diversity.

2.  Rebuild your credit with secured credit cards that are tied to savings accounts.  If you put $3000 into a savings account you can charge up to that amount each month.  Then pay it off.

3.  Continue to pay monthly minimums, or even over pay the minimum.

4.  Keep expenses down; do not incur additional debt.

For more information about divorce and credit call one of the attorneys at ROBIN ROSHKIND, P.A. at 561-835-9091 or click on the Firm’s web site at www.familylawwpb.com.

Preparing for divorce…the devil’s in the details.

By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida

The marriage hasn’t been good for awhile.   The house is going into foreclosure or a short sale.  A new job awaits you in a different state.  Is it time to start over? 

Revolution makes evolution.  Time for a new life.  But before you jump into divorce court, it is time to take some steps to plan for your divorce.

Divorce planning can be complex or simple depending upon the extent of assets and debts of the marriage.  If there are assets, setting up a trust with your spouse may be just the answer to getting assets out of the marital estate and off to the kids by agreement before the divorce word is ever spoken. 

If debts are high,  it might be wise to consult a bankruptcy attorney as well as a divorce attorney.  It might be best to let that house go into foreclosure. Your course of action depends on the facts specific to your marriage.   Divorce planning is just that…thinking before you leap.   Know your finances, and know where to get good advice.

For more information about this or other divorce topics, call on one of the attorneys at ROBIN ROSHKIND, P.A. at 561-835-9091 or click on the Firm’s web site at www.familylawwpb.com.

The ugliest divorce…

By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida

What kinds of issues does the ugliest divorce include?  I thought I would take a divorce to its extreme to show all of those people out there how good an amicable divorce can be.

Here is what the ugliest divorce looks like:

1.  The husband earns much more money than the wife.

2.  He is self employed and has the ability to hide income, maybe even offshore.

3.  The wife was a stay at home mom without any marketable skills and just a high school or college education.

4.  The wife relied upon the husband to take care of the family finances and does not really know anything or where the assets and debts are.

5.  The children have health issues and need extra care and money.

6.  The wife has no money or resoures of her own.

7.  The husband has traditionally paid all the household bills and controls all the funds.

8.  The husband is verbally and physically abusive.

9.  He is also a gambler and a drunk and has a girlfriend.

10.  He spends time away from home with the girlfriend and her kids, and maybe they even have a child on the way.  He  supports her, spending a lot of marital funds on her for her condo and car and jewelry.  She has more than the wife in her name only.

11.  The wife is driven to drink or drugs and has a DUI.

12.  She trashed her husband’s office while he was out of town with the other woman.  He stole her jewelry as revenge.

These facts make up the divorce from hell.  If you recognize yourself here, please come in to see me so we can do some divorce planning. 

For more information about these issues or other divorce topics, please call one of the attorneys at the Firm at 561-835-9091 or click on the ROBIN ROSHKIND, P.A. web site at www.familylawwpb.com.  And call immediately for a consultation appointment.

Your marriage is falling apart…what to do?

By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida

It is Saturday night…instead of dinner and a movie, your spouse says to you “I am going out, don’t wait up”.   Or you find yourself in sweat pants and disheleved from the day, and you are doing a laundry. 

Or maybe you shipped the kids out to a friend for the night and all your spouse wants to do is watch TV.  Alone.   Or worst case scenario, you end up in a fight.  If any of this happens repeatedly, you have to know that something is wrong in the marriage.

The question is what to do about it… Here is the advice of a divorce attorney who is experienced in these sort of things.

1.  Avoid domestic violence.  If you find yourself in a heated argument, go walk the dog or go visit a friend for an hour.  Just get out of the house for a while to let things cool down.

2.  Realize the marriage is broken.  You have two optionns:  bail or fix it.

3.  Start seeing yourself as an individual.  Perhaps your needs are not being met, whether they are physical or emotional or financial.

4.  Protect yourself.  Have credit cards in your own name;  set up a cell phone account of your own;  get a post office box for your personal mail;  keep a lock on your computer; know at all times where the keys to your car are; remove personal papers and small jewelry from the house.

5.  See a divorce lawyer to learn your rights.  If  you have any inkling that the marriage is in trouble, find out what your rights are under the law and the specific facts of your marriage.

6.  Don’t listen to friends and family.  Every marriage is different.

For more information about this or any other family law related subject, call one of the divorce lawyers at Robin Roshkind, P.A. at 561-835-9091  or click on the Firm’s web site at www.familylawwpb.com.

Bad Marriage? What to do about it…

By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida

If you are living the nightmare of a bad marriage, day in, day out, you might feel at a loss as to what to do to improve your life’s situation.   This can have a freezing effect so you become numb.  It can also have the effect of causing you to feel lifeless, hopeless and depressed. 

You have two choices:  you either get help to work on fixing the broken marriage, or you bail out.   But before you can make the decision to remove yourself from the marriage, seek legal advice.  An informed decision is a wise decision.  With additional knowledge as to your rights, obligations, and options, you will feel better about your course of action. 

For answers to your questions, call the law office of Robin Roshkind, P.A. at 561-835-9091 or click on the ROBIN ROSHKIND, P.A. website at www.familylawwpb.com.

Marital Problems get worse around the holidays.

By Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida

Around holiday time, things get tough enough with stress levels increasing for everyone.  If a marriage is already in trouble, these holiday external forces usually make matters worse.  Read the list below and you may see yourself here.

1.  BLENDED FAMILIES.  Where there are children from several former spouses, it is difficult to even plan a holiday meal where everyone can be together. 

2.  DEADLINES TO MEET.  Christmas and Hanukah fall on specific dates.  Presents have to be ready when the time comes, which means shopping and wrapping has to be done on time and is often rushed.

3.  MONEY IS TIGHT.  Especially in these troubled times with the economy being what it is, and some of us even being jobless into the new year. 

4.  FIGHTING OVER HOW MUCH TO SPEND or what bills to pay or not pay. Everyone has an opinion and this causes marital friction.

5.  DIFFICULT EXs.  Put the kid on the plane……..or not. 

6.  NOT IN THE MOOD.  Too stresssed for sex.

7.  ADDICTION AND CELEBRATION.  No champagne for alcoholic or drug users.  Or DUIs for those that imbibe.

8.  COMING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.  Everyone knows the stress of travel whether it is on a plane, train, or auto.

9.  STAYING TOGETHER DURING THE HOLIDAYS FOR THE SAKE OF THE KIDS.  Many couples stick it out until January.  

10.  SHOULD YOU OR SHOULDN’T YOU?  There is a way out.  For marriages that can’t outlive the pressure, the way out is separation and divorce.  Consult your local shrink, then call us.

For more information, click on our website at www.familylawwpb.com or consult with one of the attorneys at Robin Roshkind, P.A. by calling 561-835-9091.