Tucson Family Law Blog

Some Arizona residents who are divorced share a child with their ex-spouse. Most would agree that separating from their child's parent was not an easy thing to do. In addition to sorting through their own pain, they must strive to make decisions that take their child's best interests into consideration.

This might mean that divorced co-parents need to show flexibility when it comes to the time they spend with their children. The court usually sets the calendar for child visitation. Still, there may be times when a parent decides to yield if doing so is in the best interests of the child.

In the past, people in Arizona often thought of prenuptial agreements as either a type of bad luck or a concern only of celebrities or the ultra-rich. When people married at a younger age, they often brought fewer assets and a brand-new career to the relationship. However, a growing number of people are marrying and remarrying at an older age, meaning many of them already own homes or businesses or have children of their own. As a result, prenups have become very useful for a growing number of couples. They do not see these agreements as a negative sign of a pre-planned divorce but as smart thinking about their financial future.

For people who are already married, they may have some of the same concerns that motivate people to sign a prenup, including family inheritance, a privately owned business or complex situations involving their children from past relationships. Postnups may seem even more like an advance plan for a divorce, but some couples may find them to be an important part of their financial plan. There are some circumstances in which they may even be a necessity. For example, small, privately held startups and other businesses can be torn apart in case of a divorce and the resulting property division.

Arizona residents may have heard friends and family members talking about divorce more during January than in other months. If this is the case, it follows a trend that many lawyers see. Statistics show that there is a spike in divorce filings in January after the holiday season.

There are many potential reasons why so many spouses opt for divorce at this time of the year. Some partners have been contemplating divorce for some time, but there's always that one thing that holds them back. November has Thanksgiving, and they don't want to ruin everybody's holiday with talk of divorce. Shortly after Thanksgiving ends, the Christmas season begins, and the last thing that they want to do is ruin another holiday for their children or their family. Some unhappy couples just try to keep it going until the start of the new year.

While most people like to focus on the joy and excitement that surrounds an engagement, it is also important to look at the deeper pragmatic side of it. In order for Arizona couples to avoid a lot of frustration and arguments later on, speaking about finances is essential before they get married. Discussing prenuptial agreements and signing them well before the wedding date can give both of them peace of mind as they move forward with their marriage plans.

Even if a couple decides that a prenuptial agreement is not the right option for them, it can still be beneficial to talk about it. Discussing this legal contract and other financial matters sets expectations for what each individual should expect out of the financial partnership once they get married. They can discuss how they plan to use their money, how much they will save and which assets will belong to each individual and which ones will be shared.