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  • What Makes a Parent Legally Unfit in Iowa?

    If you are a single parent, you may have concerns about leaving your child with their other parent. Sometimes, these concerns spring from simple disagreements about parenting. You may have concerns about the other parent’s entertainment choices, what they feed the kids, and so on. Other times, you may be worried that the child is in danger with the other parent. In this article, we explore the ...
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  • Child Custody and Support in Military Divorce: Iowa's Guidelines

    Divorce is a challenging process for any couple, but it can be even more complex when one or both spouses are members of the military. In such cases, child custody and support matters can become particularly intricate due to the unique circumstances and lifestyle associated with military service. Understanding how child custody and support are handled in military divorces is crucial for service ...
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  • Protecting Your Home in an Iowa Divorce

    Divorce is never an easy process, but it can be particularly difficult when spouses share assets. Spouses can be particularly, understandably concerned about their real estate investments. Many don’t see the family home as a financial asset. Instead, they are emotionally tethered to it. If you are concerned about keeping your house in a divorce, here are some steps you can take. They could help ...
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  • Modifying Child Support: How to Request Changes to Your Current Order

    Child support orders are designed to ensure that both parents contribute to the financial needs of their children. However, circumstances can change, and you may find that your current child support order no longer reflects your family's needs. If you're considering requesting a modification to your child support order, this step-by-step guide can help you navigate the process and ensure that your ...
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  • How Does Iowa Handle Property Division in a Divorce?

    Each state has its own rules on how to divide marital assets. Generally, they use one of two systems: equitable property division or community property division. In this article, we focus specifically on Iowa’s approach to dividing assets in a divorce. If you are an Iowa resident preparing to end your marriage, this information will help you understand what to expect. Equitable Distribution vs. ...
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  • Adopting a Child Who Is a Citizen of Another Country

    In our modern world, the word “family” has taken many new definitions. There are more possibilities for what makes someone your family than ever before. These days, it’s more common to see scenarios that were unheard of before. For instance, life could put you in a position where you need to adopt a child who is not a U.S. citizen. Perhaps you fell in love with their parent, and want to officially ...
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  • Can a Child Choose Their Custodial Parent in an Iowa Divorce?

    Divorce is never an easy process, especially when you have children involved. Custody decisions can be extremely difficult to ascertain. Often, these decisions are left up to judges who try their best to suit a child's needs. As part of this decision, they can consider the child’s wishes. In this article, we broadly explain Iowa’s general approach to child custody, then we directly address whether ...
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  • Keeping Your Pet in a Divorce

    Breaking up is hard enough, but when you have to figure out what to do with your pet, it can be even more challenging. If you're going through a divorce and hope to keep your pet, here are some things you'll need to consider. Pets Are Considered Property in a Marriage Under common and civil law, pets are classified as moveable property. In the event of a divorce, pets are subject to division like ...
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  • 4 Forms of Domestic Abuse Than Can Exist Within a Marriage

    Domestic abuse is not always about a direct, violent act. It can take many different forms, and it victimizes both men and women. You should stay aware of the various types of abuse, so you can get help escaping from an abusive situation. Defining Abuse It's Not Just Physical Violence Physical violence is, of course, a form of abuse, but the term is broader than just that. Abuse encompasses a much ...
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  • Could My Marriage Annulment Be Denied?

    Marriage annulment is a very specific process. It is not like a divorce, which ends a marriage. In an annulment, the state invalidates the marriage, making it “null.” It erases the marriage from your record as if the union never existed. Because of what an annulment does, it requires very specific parameters. In Iowa, the qualifications for a marriage annulment are: The union is somehow illegal. ...
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  • The Rights of a Parent Outside of a Marriage

    These days, family dynamics are more complicated than ever. Spouses in same-sex marriages may raise a child parented by someone outside the marriage. More people are warming to the idea of polyamory, where more than two people have a relationship, and they have a child with someone other than their spouse. There are, of course, also situations of betrayal where someone has a child from an affair, ...
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  • Justifiable Reasons to Change Your Child Support Payments

    Divorce orders are based on your present circumstances, but they also account for a potential future. For instance, support orders look at your current finances, but they also look at your earning potential. The court can assume that someone will advance in their career and order a higher amount of support. These days, however, the future is harder to predict. People change careers far more often, ...
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  • How Will the Court Handle Property in My Annulment?

    An annulment is not at all the same thing as a divorce. In a divorce, you divide property and determine spousal support. The purpose is to help someone stable as they transition into singledom. Divorce ends a marriage. Effectively, you are breaking up a legal family, and the law wants to make sure everyone is protected. Annulment doesn’t end a marriage. It nullifies the marriage, erasing it from ...
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  • How Does Collaborative Divorce Work?

    When we think of divorce, we often imagine ugly courtroom trials. We picture angry spouses trying to undercut and scam one another out of money, property, and so on. These perceptions give us a sense that someone will “win” or “lose.” It doesn’t have to be this way. When it’s time to get a divorce, court is not always necessary. Many other options are available to you. One such option is a ...
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  • Can Men Receive Alimony in a Divorce?

    Even in our modern times, there is a lot of confusion around gender and divorce decisions. Most people assume that the system is biased toward women. They believe that women are overcompensated when it comes to support, child custody, and so on. Legally, gender should not affect any divorce decisions. The court should consider only the facts of the case and the individuals getting divorced. In ...
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