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A Holiday Child Custody Survival Guide | TKG

How do divorcing parents handle the issue of Christmas and other holiday child custody disputes?

In a perfect world, every child would have the benefit of waking up to two loving parents every Christmas morning. Unfortunately, the reality is that many parents do not remain together and in those cases it is crucial to establish holiday custody schedules that allow the children to experience the joy of the holidays with each parent. As a family attorney, Tammy Karas-Griggs has worked with divorced parents and different holiday custody schedules. While you are working on yours, you should keep many things in mind.

Things to Consider in Holiday Child Custody Schedules

Family traditions.
Travel plans
Cost of travel.
The individual needs of your children.

Seek Legal Advice from Tammy Karas-Griggs

Whatever method you choose to handle holiday custodial time, it is imperative that you seek and obtain the advice of an experienced Family Law Attorney. Cases concerning child custody are complicated and any agreements should be done in a legal manner. To ensure you and your children will have the custodial schedule that everyone deserves, Tammy Karas-Griggs will help you.

Don’t Let Divorce Ruin Your Christmas

Please remember that you are not alone. Divorce might make everything harder this year, but remember that you have the power to make it better. Consider putting all of your energy into making this Christmas the best it in can be for your children. Do not isolate yourself this Holiday season! From Tammy Karas-Griggs to you, Merry Christmas!

Covington Divorce Attorney | TKG | Thanksgiving and Divorce

If you are suffering from a recent divorce, Covington Divorce Attorney Tammy Karas-Griggs knows that Thanksgiving can be a tough time for you. Thanksgiving and Divorce do not go hand in hand. When we think of Thanksgiving, we often think of mass amounts of food, family, friendship, fellowship, and warm and fuzzy feelings. For many Americans, this is not the case. During Thanksgiving, wounds can open up from a recent divorce: especially if you are not the parent with your kids on this Holiday. Divorced parents without their children might not feel so great about cooking a meal. Here are some ways to get through Thanksgiving if you happen to be alone.

Don’t Wallow

It’s easy to wallow in self-pity and with social media being the main part of our lives, it’s easy to look at our friends’ pictures and posts on the internet and compare our lives. Make sure that you realize that these are just images and are most likely not showing the inner struggle they may be going through. You don’t post your sadness on the internet and others don’t either!

Plan a Thanksgiving at Another Time

You can plan your Thanksgiving with your children at any time! Living in America means that you can celebrate with your family whenever you want! The week before or after is an appropriate time to plan a special activity with your family!

Relax

If you find yourself alone on this holiday, it might be best to practice self-care! If you find yourself complaining about not being able to do things because of the hustle and bustle of life: now is the time! Try buying a book for your holiday break, going to see a movie you’ve been wanting to see or taking a trip to the spa!

Give Back

Nothing makes you feel better than helping others. If you can’t be with your family, there are tons of ways to volunteer and give back to your community. Many charitable organizations are short-staffed on Thanksgiving and could use some help. Try volunteering at your local soup kitchen, or donating old clothes to a charity. Homeless people need lots of help during the cold winter!

Tammy Karas-Griggs cares deeply about you and your family’s well-being not only during the holiday season but all year! If you are struggling with your recent divorce and need help from a divorce attorney in Covington, she is here with open arms. Contact her today!

Father’s Day After Divorce

Father’s Day after divorce can be difficult to think about. For many divorced Fathers out there, this holiday can serve as a harsh reminder of the most painful loss from the divorce: Time with their children.

However, this special holiday can reinforce the fact that you are always there for them. You may still be feeling hurt and resentful, but Father’s Day is not all about you and is also about your kids.

No matter how much time you actually get to spend with your children on Father’s day , you need to make the effort to show your kids you love them and are there for them to the fullest extent. Planning something fun and meaningful will express how much you care.

When planning your Father’s Day, keep the following in mind.

Leave your resentment at the door

It is fairly common to hold a grudge towards your ex for a long time after the divorce, and it can be even more or an issue if the divorce was recent. Put all your negative feelings away while you are working to make it a special day for your children.

Plan ahead

Winging it may be more of your style, but to make the most out of the time you have with your kids on Father’s Day, planning ahead is super important. Figure out your children’s schedules in advance and plan accordingly, as well as some contingency ideas for situations where something falls through.

Use technology

Even if you are unable to see your children in person you can still use technology to show them you care about seeing them. Video chatting apps such as Facetime, Skype, and other camera apps will allow you to see your kids face to face.

Focus on Quality time

Some fathers may not be able to spend the entire day with their kids, others will be limited to just a few hours and there are still more who will not get to see their kids at all. However, the amount of time you spend isn’t what matters — it’s how you spend it.

Money doesn’t matter

Don’t be ashamed if you cannot go afford expensive plans. It’s very common and completely understandable that divorce wreaks havoc on bank accounts.

Be Creative

Don’t just sit and watch TV together, get active and creative! Even things as simple as going to a park, a local pool, on a hike, fishing or crafting some kind of project together will strengthen your bond with your children.

Contact your Father

Don’t neglect your own father on Father’s Day! The chances are you won’t have your kids for the whole day, so take a moment after your children have left to reach out to your own father. Even getting your whole side of the family together will be a good experience for your father and your children.

If you feel that your custody plan is unfair, Tammy Karas-Griggs can help. It’s important for all children to see both of their parents. Happy Father’s Day from Tammy Karas-Griggs.

Infidelity in the US

New Orleans Divorce Attorney Tammy Karas-Griggs knows all about Divorce and can help you navigate through the difficulty of these situations. Understanding what causes divorce is one of the reasons why Tammy Karas-Griggs is so knowledgeable in her approach. The divorce rate in the US rises every year alongside cheating and infidelity in relationships. Infidelity is the act of cheating on a spouse or a committed relationship partner, and in the last twenty-five years in the US, the infidelity rate has increased dramatically. 17% of all divorces are due to infidelity on the part of either or both married parties.Cheating leads to the partner feeling guilty and searching for reasons why it happened in the first place. Several studies and surveys have been conducted to find the reasons why infidelity is such an issue in modern marriages.

Why Women Cheat

With women, the reason behind cheating is not usually based on intimacy. Most women cheat for an emotional connection, and it has been found that women can have an emotional relationship with another person without taking it to a physical level. When women are not satisfied emotionally, they will look elsewhere for the trust, love and other emotional connections.

Why Men Cheat

Men predominately cheat for a physical connection. Usually, after the first year of married life, the honeymoon phase is over, and couples get settled into routine life. Especially after children are born, marriages may lack intimacy. Several studies have concluded that the male ego itself leads to infidelity.

Infidelity may have increased due to a few factors:

Women are entering the workforce, and there is a rise in cases of office romances.
The Internet and social media has made it easier to engage in infidelity
Increased jealousy due to the previous two causes

Please understand that coping with divorce, especially following infidelity, is no easy task. Each situation is uniquely challenging and requires a great deal of patience and strategy before you finally act. If Infidelity in your marriage has caused you and your partner to separate, Tammy Karas-Griggs can help you through your divorce.

What to do When Engagements Fail

For some people, their wedding day is one of the happiest days of their lives. However, some couples never make it to their wedding day and not only is this experience painful: it’s tricky. Right now is known as the end of engagement season. Nearly 40% of engagements happen between November and February. In fact, Valentine’s Day ranks as one of the Top 10 most popular days to get engaged. But what happens when these engagements end badly?

When couples experience an ending to an engagement, sometimes rings are already sized, the reception hall is booked, the flowers are ordered, and event the dress is purchased. This is when all of the questions start flooding their brains such as: “Who will keep the ring?” or “Can I get my money back?”

The average length of engagement in the US is between 12 and 13 months. With all of the exciting planning comes the payment of many deposits and wedding vendor contracts. The first thing that couples who end their engagement should do is try to stop the financial bleeding. Even though it’s an emotional time, It’s important to promptly call all of the vendors, suppliers, and venues to notify them of the canceled wedding. The sooner you notify these companies, the sooner you can recoup any refunds or credits available.

You don’t have to live with the burden of your canceled engagement. An experienced lawyer who is experienced in family law can help alleviate some of the pain, confusion, and expenses when it comes to these situations. Tammy Karas-Griggs is a top family law attorney who has dedicated her life to helping families stay happy and healthy and receive fair treatment. If the wedding bells are no longer ringing in your ears, contact Tammy Karas-Griggs today. Tammy understands how difficult family law matters can be and the overwhelming emotional turmoil it brings.

Tips For Transitioning Through Divorce

Divorce is a life transition that can have a huge impact on many people. It can leave deep wounds on families that get passed from generation to generation. Many times, divorce is filled with anger, blame, shame and despair. Unfortunately, these situations can cause people to become very vindictive and have a desire to inflict pain on the other party.

These emotions are not easily forgotten especially when it comes to financial matters related to the divorce. Tammy Karas-Griggs knows how hard it is to go through something as painful as a divorce and cares deeply about the emotions of those going through it. Here are seven suggestions to avoid to help alleviate some of the pain of divorce.

Finding a good attorney

It’s important to know that the top return on google doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best. Many attorneys have paid more for advertising to make their name appear at the top of the list. It’s important to look at the reviews that are present and shop around for the right Attorney. Most Attorneys offer free consultations and you should have a consultation with at least three of them before deciding. Some law firms are actually divorce factories that run their prospective clients through a system to maximize their effectiveness of the practice, rather than catering to the individual client’s needs. Make sure that you choose an attorney that is really listening to what you are saying.

Taking the right advice

Many people are confused by the overload of available information on the web. It’s important to remember not to get caught up with the thousands of pages of data, opinions, articles, and editorial writings. Everyone’s divorce is completely unique and to rely on the musings and information from others’ experiences can be dangerous in your decision making.

Setting realistic expectations

Too many people have difficulty confronting the reality of their situation and are not honest with themselves about reasonable and rational expectations regarding outcomes, timing, and costs. When this life transition is occurring, it is important to be transparent. Emotions are raw and your usual mindset can be altered and letting your emotions take the forefront can lead to significant mistakes.

Honesty

Divorce is personal. People may be embarrassed to disclose all information to anyone: even an attorney. Keeping the truth from an attorney can hurt a divorce case so keep in mind that your attorney is your advocate, not someone who is there to judge.

Having the right people by your side

A proper support team might include a therapist, a financial planner, and friends who will be there for them throughout the process. An attorney is a great person to have as part of your support system but do not rely on them and only them.

Knowing the Facts

Some people enter this process having little to no financial information available. Do not avoid knowing all of the facts before this process so that you can avoid expensive mistakes and damaging to all parties.

Listening to the right people

People usually listen to their friends and relatives about their opinions on legal positions, rather than on their counsel’s advice. Check in with your attorney to make sure that your expectations are realistic.

Mandeville Divorce Attorney Tammy Karas-Griggs will help take the burden so you can rest easy. Especially if you feel like you are being threatened or if your spouse already has an attorney. If you are going through a tough time and need help, Tammy Karas-Griggs will help you every step of the way.

A Divorced and Separated Guide to Surviving the Holidays

Newly divorced or separated couples have it tough during the Holidays, and every year they have to figure out how to negotiate Christmas from a different place. Although it can be really painful and sad, it can also be a time of new experiences and traditions. The first year can be the hardest because of the traditional Christmas morning. One parent might have the children that morning while the other has to wake up to an empty house. The best way to survive the Holiday season if you are new to this lifestyle is to plan, be deliberate, be intentional and embrace everything with open arms. Tammy Karas-Griggs knows how hard Holidays can be while undergoing a divorce and wants to share three tips for surviving this Christmas season.

Make a Plan

It’s always important to put your plans in motion by writing it down. For the holidays you should write down where you will, who you will be with, and what you will try to avoid thinking about. This will help you prepare yourself for what is ahead of you so that you aren’t overwhelmed once Christmas sneaks up on you.

Surround yourself with loved ones

If during the planning process you had no answer for who you will be with, then start trying to find somewhere to go and to surround yourself with loved ones. It may be beneficial to try and plan a dinner for others so that you have something to keep you busy. Giving is a big part of what makes Christmas special.

Make new traditions

Traditions are a big part of the Holidays, and it will feel liberating to start your own. Some parents take their children to a movie on Christmas day while others plan a road trip. In your plan you can write down new ideas for a new Holiday tradition and put it into action will give you a fresh, clean start.

If you are struggling and don’t know where to turn during this difficult time, Tammy Karas-Griggs is here to help you and your family not just during the Holiday season but all year-round.

7 Secrets to Surviving a Marriage Separation

Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. Separating is never easy and is a very difficult place to be emotionally, and as the best divorce lawyer in Covington, Tammy Karas-Griggs wants to help those that are struggling to heal the right way. Here are seven secrets to surviving a marriage separation.

Be Kind

It’s important to be respectful to one another. Sometimes, when emotions run high, it’s easy to say hurtful things to each other. Being kind is a big deal when you are still deciding whether or not you want to continue trying to work on your marriage and just need some time apart.

Don’t Pressure Your Partner

Your partner has to spend some time alone just like you. This time is made for discovering yourselves again. Pressuring your partner to make a rash decision can avalanche into something more painful.

Take Your Time

Knowing that you are on the verge of divorce is a scary point to reach, so don’t rush into a decision. Time has been said to heal wounds and give us time to reflect on good, bad and ugly memories.

Be Alone

It may be hard at first, but do not run into someone else’s arms. Your emotions will go haywire, and you will have a hard time trying to sort through your real feelings. Try to understand the balance between dependence and independence and lean on your friends instead of a lover. It’s also common for people undergoing a separation to keep everything to themselves but find at least one friend or family member that you can vent to.

Don’t Involve the Kids

Until your kids are old enough to understand what’s going on between you, don’t drag them into the mess. You should continuously reassure them that you and your partner love them no matter what happens.

As a Covington divorce lawyer, Tammy Karas-Griggs has served an array of families and situations going through difficult conditions. Knowing thoroughly how difficult marital problems are for the entire family, she will delicately work with you and your loved ones to ensure that you have time to heal and make the right decisions. You don’t have to go through this burden alone, call Tammy Karas-Griggs today.

One parent behavior may impact kids of divorce more than divorce itself

It’s a common assumption that children of divorce are more likely to get divorced themselves.

For the most part, that’s what psychologists have found when they’ve studied this phenomenon.

But perhaps divorce per se isn’t exactly what’s to blame.

A recent study in Marriage & Family Review looked at whether it was experiencing divorce itself as a child that played a role in later breakups, or whether it was merely conflict that might be at play.

Researchers analyzed a data set of American families stretching from 1987 to 2003 to track how children of divorce and unhappy marriages turned out. The researchers found that children who experienced high levels of family conflict (not divorce) – parents fighting, worrying about money, abuse, etc. – were more likely to get divorced as adults.

But children in high conflict families whose parents got divorced fared the same as children in low conflict families whose parents stayed together.

In other words: High levels of conflict are a big problem. But a divorce can actually be part of the solution.

Children in high conflict families whose parents didn’t get divorced were the ones who were actually most likely to get divorced as adults. The researchers think this is because by staying together, the family actually had to endure more conflict than if the parents had split up.

“We suggest that … children’s exposure to daily conflict is diminished after union dissolution, thus reducing children’s opportunities to model their parents’ conflictual style, which may be associated with an inability to resolve relationship conflict,” the researchers concluded. “This lack of ability to make resolutions or compromise may lead to their inability to have successful cohabiting or marital unions.”

While this study shows an association between high-conflict childhoods and divorces in adulthood, children who grow up in families with a lot of conflict may well grow up to have happy marriages themselves. The research shows a higher likelihood of divorce, not some kind of predetermined fate. And this finding of course isn’t applicable to every family situation.

There is other scientific evidence supporting the researchers’ conclusion. Studies have found, for example, that children’s wellbeing often increases when their parents divorce after a lot of conflict.

The lesson here may be that if the parents are happy – even if that’s attained by getting divorced – the kids could be happier, too.
Written by Rebecca Harrington, published by TechInsider.io

Prenuptial agreements for high net worth couples

Prenuptial agreements may not be a fun topic, but if you are an older couple or a couple bringing significant assets to the marriage a prenuptial agreement could be an important consideration.

When we are in love we don’t like to think about divorce, but by some statistics over 50% of marriage in the US end in divorce and 100% end in death; either way there are assets that need to be distributed.

Many older couples may bring real estate holdings, significant personal savings, or other assets of value to the marriage. There may be a desire to keep these assets separate, and a prenuptial agreement can set forth guidelines to direct those distributions. This allows for guidance when clear heads may not be possible in the emotionally trying times after a divorce or the death of a spouse.

Certainly not all couples need a prenuptial agreement. A young couple in their first marriage, little to no assets, and no expectation of a large family trust or inheritance may not need a prenup. Couples looking to grow their marital estate from the beginning of their marriage would clearly be in a situation where a prenup would not be necessary and possibly even ill-advised.

Let’s look at some of the cases where a prenuptial agreement could be advisable.

Significant personal assets

Let say you are a 50-year-old couple each with children from earlier marriages, homes in your own name, and significant investment holdings. Maybe you also have a few million dollars in stocks, a classic car collection, or a significant portfolio of rental property. In this case, there are significant considerations regarding whose children inherit what and who gets the homes, cars, or rental portfolio in the event of the death of a spouse or a divorce. A prenuptial agreement can outline this in advance, so there are no lengthy legal battles when the time comes to distribute assets.

Large inheritance or trust from family or estate

If you anticipate a large inheritance, if you have a trust that will become yours upon marriage or at certain age, it would be in your best interest to protect these assets set aside for your future with a prenuptial agreement. It’s sad to say, but there are many marriages today that are nothing more than a long con designed to dupe rich kids or older widows or widowers from their fortunes in the name of love. Be safe rather than sorry and protect your assets.

Kids from previous marriage

Often some of the nastiest court battles over money arise from children fighting over their inheritance after the death of parent. If no will or agreement is in place, there are state laws that govern the dissolution of assets and their subsequent distribution to the children. Do you really want the state to determine this for your children? There are also tax issue to consider like inheritance tax or an irrevocable life insurance trust to shield assets from creditors upon death. All these things require an attorney and should be part of prenuptial planning.

Business interest

When one spouse owns a business prior to marriage, a prenuptial agreement makes sense to protect the business owner from having to sell the business to give the spouse his or her half in the case of a divorce. This will also protect the other spouse from being held liable for business-related debts incurred by the business owning spouse before the marriage.

If you are a couple with significant assets, and want to make sure your rights adequately protected, call Tammy Karas Griggs today at (985) 247-0345 to set an appointment.