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Equitable distribution sounds like a relatively simple term, but the reality can be far more complicated. What you bring into a marriage may not be what you leave with, and the division of those assets you share, called marital property, is not always a clean 50/50 split. Understanding what constitutes marital property versus separate property is the first step in determining how your assets might be divided, and how it […]

When you’re separating or divorcing from your spouse, it’s hard to grasp you are still a family and custody has to work for the entire, new version of that family unit. I can speak to this struggle professionally — and personally. My name is Elisabeth Valarik, but you may also know me by my professional name, Elisabeth Molnar. I have been a family law attorney for over 20 years and […]

Fans were shocked last month when pop star Joe Jonas filed for divorce from actress Sophie Turner after four years of marriage. After playing a game of he said/she said through entertainment news and social media, it seemed the couple was heading toward a bitter legal fight, specifically in regards to their two young children. But after just a few mediation sessions, Turner and Jonas announced they had reached a […]

When there are special needs children involved in a divorce, planning is essential to ensure kids with unique needs will have adequate financial support as adults. Child support normally terminates when a child turns 18 or graduates from high school. In cases where a child has special needs, however, child support may continue after the age of 18 by a showing the child has a mental or physical condition that […]

This four-part blog series addresses the sourcing of money and property in divorce proceedings to discover hidden assets and income, distinguish separate property from marital property and enforce or attack prenuptial agreements.  International Tracing Traditional discovery is an essential but incomplete tool when tracing foreign assets and income in connection with a divorce. Divorce lawyers must understand, and explain to clients, that the subpoena power of a U.S. court does […]

This four-part blog series addresses the sourcing of money and property in divorce proceedings to discover hidden assets and income, distinguish separate property from marital property and enforce or attack prenuptial agreements. Defending and Attacking Prenuptial Agreements If the objective of a prenuptial agreement is to define and protect separate property, an effective one must anticipate and address future opportunities for comingling, transmutation, and retitling separate property. For instance, many […]