Need Free Legal Help to Avoid Foreclosure?

If you are behind on your mortgage payments and facing possible foreclosure on your home, there is an excellent program that the Ohio Attorney General’s office has instituted. The new program is called “Save the Dream”. You can call their hotline for help at 888-404-4764. Hundreds of lawyers statewide have volunteered to provide free legal services for Ohioans to help them avoid foreclosure actions. Be smart and avoid all those predatory lending “quick fix” offers that you see advertised on television or receive in the mail. They will only put you in further trouble!

I Want to Keep the House, But Should I?

This is one of the questions I am asked all of the time. Of course, the correct answer is “It depends.” The home often accounts for a large percentage of the entire marital estate. Whether to retain the home after a divorce is often a very emotional issue, especially if there are children involved. It is natural that parents want to maintain as much stability for their kids as possible when going through a break up. One would assume that keeping the kids in the marital residence after the divorce is important. But interestingly, the psychological studies show that divorced children are not really affected by the retention of the marital home. The key factor is the stability of their parents, not what house they live in.

It is important to realize that unlike spousal and child support, property division terms cannot by law be changed after the divorce is completed. The first step in the analysis is to prepare an accurate anticipated budget and determine if it is feasible to pay the mortgage, taxes, and utilities. Don’t forget to consider necessary repairs and upkeep to the home. Hiring a housing inspector to evaluate these future costs often makes good … Read More... “I Want to Keep the House, But Should I?”

The Rise of the Use of Electronic Evidence in Divorce Cases

With the rise of the popularity of the internet, instant messaging, text messaging and the use of GPS systems, electronic evidence is being utilized more and more in litigation. Technology is having a huge impact on our lives and also the way many divorces are being litigated. Recently 88% of the members of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) indicated that they have seen an increase in the number of cases using electronic data during the past five years. Emails were the most common form of electronic evidence offered in court according to AAML president, James Hennenhaefer. Electronic evidence is being used for many purposes including detecting hidden assets, financial misconduct and infidelity.

Antonia Love, a solicitor (attorney) from England recently warned the public that social networking sites are becoming the next tool lawyers will be using in divorce proceedings. She said, “People who use social networking websites to send flirtatious emails to people, who are not their partners, are often lulled into a false sense of security that they are doing nothing wrong because correspondence is electronic and therefore isn’t real life.” Snooping in another’s email account is not uncommon. A Google survey indicated that 27% of women … Read More... “The Rise of the Use of Electronic Evidence in Divorce Cases”

Military Resource Guide

The Army has developed an excellent online resource guide that would benefit new members of all the branches of the armed services, as well as their spouses and their families. It contains a great deal of useful information, including many resources and various checklists. The guide is described as follows:

“This guide introduces new Army spouses and family members to military family life. It contains information on aspects of Army life from military benefits to recreation. It also includes a glossary of Army terms and abbreviations as well as a list of useful Web sites.”

Military OneSource requires that you login on their site in order to access information. You will need to login and search ‘spouse guide’ in order to find the guide titled “A First Guide for Army Spouses and Family Members.” The guide is available to download in PDF format. Click here for the website.

… Read More... “Military Resource Guide”

Statistics Regarding Military Divorces

Men and women serving in the armed forces of our country encounter many stresses within their marriages that men and women in the general public do not experience. Long separations from marriage partners and other family members and hardships experienced due to war conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq play havoc on many military marriages. So, it is somewhat surprising that the divorce rate among men and women serving in the military remained steady last year at 3.3 percent. From October 1, 2006, through October 1, 2007, there were 25,000 failed marriages out of approximately 755,000 married active duty troops. These statistics represent members of all military branches.

According to information provided by the Defense Department, members of the Army had a divorce rate of 3.2 percent, a rate which remains unchanged from the previous year. Of the 275,000 married Army soldiers, that amounts to approximately 8,750 divorces. Comparing all branches of the military, it is the Army which has the largest number of troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. More Army couples had to cope with longer separations as many tours of duty were extended from twelve (12) months to fifteen (15) months in duration. This past year was also … Read More... “Statistics Regarding Military Divorces”

National and Ohio Statistics related to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

I have listed some of the most intriguing statistics from the 2000 U. S. Census Bureau Table DP-2, Profile Selected Social Characteristics :

  • Across the United States, more than 6 million children are being raised in households headed by grandparents and other relatives.
  • 2.5 million children are in these households without any parents present.
  • Nationally, 4.5 million children are living in grandparent-headed households (6.3% of all children under age 18). This represents a 30% increase from 1990 to 2000.
  • There are another 1.5 million children in the United States who are living in households headed by other relatives (2.1% of all children under 18).
  • In Ohio, there are 157, 298 children living in grandparent-headed households (5.4% of all children in the state). There are another 35,333 children living in households headed by other relatives (1.2 % of all children in the state). Of the children living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives in Ohio, 76,794 are living there without either parent present.
  • Nationally, 2.4 million grandparents report they are responsible for their grandchildren living with them: 29% of these grandparents are African American;17% are Hispanic/Latino; 2% are American Indian or Alaskan Native; 3% are Asian ;and 47%
… Read More... “National and Ohio Statistics related to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren”

Information & Resources Available to Grandparents with Custody of Grandchildren

There are many sites listing resources available for grandfamilies and grandparents having custody of children. One of the most comprehensive lists is included in the Generations United website. It lists national organizations and resources that might be of benefit.

Here is a list of Ohio programs that might be of assistance:

  • The Kinship Navigator Program is available in several counties in Ohio through county and community-based organizations. Navigators are available to provide information and referrals for other programs in the community for grandparents and other relatives. Service links may include health supports, educational services, financial resources, child care, legal services, support groups, and respite care. In some cases, the programs sponsor activities and specialized services for caregivers and children. To see if there is a program in your county, contact your local Department of Job and Family Services or call Kristen Burgess, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, at (614) 752-1329 or burgek01@odjfs.state.oh.us.
  • The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has published a statewide resource guide for kinship families, Relatives Caring for Children: Ohio Resource Guide. Information is provided about the availability of programs for kinship providers through local agencies. Contact: Help Desk, Office of Children
… Read More... “Information & Resources Available to Grandparents with Custody of Grandchildren”
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