Once a new year starts, I see a lot of articles focusing on how to give yourself a fresh start financially, and have a generally fiscally responsible year. Some pieces take the approach of the best ways to pay down your debt, while others focus on the best way to invest your money. I recently saw an article in which a couple describes their own debt nightmare, and then goes into the details of how they paid off that debt. While being able to pay off a large amount of debt in a little amount of time is definitely impressive, what actually caught my interest in the piece was the underlying cause of the debt.
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Economic Partnerships: A Short Case Study on Marital Debt
As this year comes to a close, I took a look at some of the topics I wrote about throughout the year. I’ve covered a mix of different topics, ranging from co-parenting issues to unique prenuptial agreement cases. Out of all the entries I looked through, the more popular pieces tended to fall under the category of prenuptial agreements and topics dealing with finances or assets. I figured that a good way to close out the year would be to highlight some of my more popular posts, based on feedback I’ve received from others:
Now that the holiday season is upon us, people tend to get pulled into a bunch of different directions. From holiday planning to finishing up odds and ends before the New Year, the holiday season can bring forth a lot of stress. Last year, I wrote about 
or divorce is where the pet will go. According to recent stories in the news, custody cases involving pets are on the rise in the United States. You might know of someone who went through this issue after a breakup – the former couple ends up disagreeing on whom the pet actually belongs to and who should get to keep it. However, it is possible to address these concerns in a prenuptial agreement, preventing hostile and potentially costly disagreement in the event of a breakup.
In recent weeks, the internet was abuzz with people talking about the woman who got to keep her engagement ring even after she and her boyfriend (and alleged fiancé) broke up. Debbie Lopez of Long Island made headlines after a court ruled that she was entitled to keep a $10,000 ring her beau, Robert Torres, gave her, even after Lopez dumped him. She dumped him, but got to keep the pricey ring? What gives?
The hotel sits on a beautiful piece of land and has been considered a great wedding venue for years. The “Divorce Hotel” concept has actually been in practice in Europe recently, and now the US will be giving it a try. The general premise is that instead of worrying about a long, drawn-out and hostile process, couples can come for a weekend getaway and have their divorce taken care of, while enjoying scenic walks and spa treatments during the process. While I appreciate the idea of not wanting to prolong what is already a difficult process, I, as a mediator, question whether this approach provides couples with an environment conducive to informed decision-making. Given the delicate and complex nature of divorce, coupled with its lasting consequences, checking into the Divorce Hotel should only be done, if at all, in very limited circumstances.