Need help? We're here. Because even in the midst of all the current chaos with COVID-19 and social distancing, life goes on. People still have to shop for basics. Parents still need to find a way to make sure their children continue their education. And those lucky enough to have jobs still need to work. Our world has been shaken to its core. Many of our usual routines have been disrupted, maybe permanently. The world seems to be filled with anxiety and uncertainty. In the meantime, for many...

  Without a doubt, marriage can be an incredible and happy time for a couple. However, it is important to remember to protect yourself and your assets, and to be forward-thinking. The most common way for a person to do that is through a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement (better known as a “prenup” or “postnup”). The main difference between a prenuptial agreement and a postnuptial agreement is the timing of when it is signed. A prenuptial agreement is prepared and signed prior to the...

  By Guest Blogger:  Michelle Buonincontri, CFP®, CDFA™ Part1 - Financial Abuse, Abuse REALLY? Financial Abuse: the elephant in the room Financial abuse can be a subtle manipulative, ‘wooing” process that wears us down slowly so that we start to normalize the behaviors. Or it can be overt, demanding, intimating, or a combination of all the above. It begins in the dating phase, and it un-hooks us from our “gut-brain” or intuition. I’ve seen this increasing and occurring repeatedly with too many...

Thanks to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Nicaise v. Sundaram the planets are now all aligned and balance has been restored in the world. Ok, maybe this is a little bit of an exaggeration, but not much as far as Arizona Family Law is concerned. Let me explain: For many years, there has been a trend in the courts (Arizona and many other states) toward awarding divorced and separated parents “joint custody” of their children, and placing responsibility on them to work...

  It takes courage.  Making it through the holidays can be stressful for any family. But for newly divorced couples or those who are in the midst of a divorce or custody dispute, it can feel almost traumatic. The thought of not having your children throughout Christmas, or of being alone on the holidays, can cause feelings of anxiety and depression. The disruption of what has become family traditions can cause sadness. Worries about how the children will fare while in the care of the...

  If you are seeking Grandparent Visitation with a grandchild who is being withheld from you by an angry parent, you're in luck. Because Family Law in Arizona has recently changed and life has suddenly become easier for those seeking Grandparents Visitation and Grandparents Custody. The storm clouds are parting and blowing away, and the sun is shining through. – Let me explain . . . PREVIOUS LEGAL BARRIERS FOR MADE IT HARD FOR GRANDPARENTS The law pertaining to Grandparent Rights can be...

Spousal Maintenance, known in many other states as “Alimony,” is one of the most ambiguous and difficult areas in Arizona Family Law.  Determining whether to award spousal support during a divorce is a matter of judicial discretion. The award of spousal maintenance will be modifiable in the future (upon a showing of a substantial and continuing change of circumstances) unless the parties agree that it shall be non-modifiable and such a provision is included in the final order In making her/his...