Most divorces-around 90% according to some estimates-are settled "out of court." (More accurately, the court has to enter the divorce decree, so the parties' agreement is approved and adopted by the court.) There are quite a few reasons why settlements are so popular.

Divorce is one of the most stressful events in a person's life. It may also be one of the scariest-in part because of the unknown. But it doesn't have to be.

The process for getting a divorce is relatively straightforward. Knowing it will give you a sense of control over a situation in which you may feel prone to powerless.

Many couples separate before getting divorced. In fact, many sources suggest that separation can actually be therapeutic and beneficial for a marriage. Therapists, too, say that a three- to six-month period spent apart can get spouses time to breath, think, and evaluate the marriage more calmly. For some couples, this break works, and the marriage is restored. For others, it does not, and divorce is the ultimate conclusion.

With divorce rates hovering around 50%, it must be pretty easy to get a divorce these days. In fact, divorce, or some practical equivalent, has been available throughout most of history, but the relatively recent invention of the no-fault divorce has made it much simpler to dissolve a marriage.

This is the third in a series of articles focusing on the issues specific to our clients whose financial circumstances involve significant wealth. For a general overview of complex financial holdings and property division, see February’s article. For information on the division of retirement and premarital assets, see March’s article.

This is the first in a series of articles discussing the various approaches to divorce. This article discusses the use of mediation in the divorce process.

Division of complex financial and real estate assets for our high net worth clients

This is the first in a series of articles focusing on the issues specific to our clients whose financial circumstances involve significant wealth.

Divorce is one of the most stressful and difficult events to happen in a person's life. It is also, unfortunately, a time when major decisions that will affect the rest of your life must be made. Banas Family Law, P.A. will advocate on your behalf in order to create a marital agreement that addresses the division of marital property and debt in your best interests.

Divorce not only affects the parties emotionally and financially, but can also affect a party’s livelihood. Physicians in Minnesota who divorce should be particularly diligent about adhering to the terms of their divorce. Those who neglect them do so at their peril.

For example, Minnesota law allows for the court to suspend a physician’s license when they fall three months behind in child support payments or spousal support payments or both. Failure to comply with a written payment agreement approved by the court or the child support agency will cause a great deal of professional troubles. Banas Family Law, P.A. has worked with physicians to address these concerns.

In 2008, Minnesota averaged a 5.5% divorce rate. A somewhat more surprising pattern is the rising number of long-established couples among those getting divorced in St. Paul.

A later-in-life divorce, also known as a "gray divorce," represents a growing number of divorce cases in Minnesota and throughout the country. While previous generations may not have considered divorce as an option after a certain age, modern couples are finding that after many years of marriage, they now have different goals and may be happier leading separate lives.