Guest: Adam Hopler, an Estate Attorney from the firm Hopler, Wilms, & Hanna PLLC.

• Adam shares about his personal background, including his experience of practicing law in Durham for 12 years and being a father to six kids.
• Discussion about the intersection of family law and estate planning: how divorce and separation can impact one's estate and the importance of consultation with estate attorneys.
• The podcast addresses certain scenarios where it becomes essential to speak with an estate attorney, such as in cases of separations involving substantial estates or closely held businesses.
• Adam elaborates on how estate planning isn't just about the individual but also about those around them, who may end up dealing with the consequences of inadequate planning.
• Discussion on the need for life insurance and how it's meant to cover debts so that dependents don't have to.
• The podcast addresses the importance of revisiting estate plans periodically due to life changes and gives an example of how the pandemic has accelerated these changes for many.
• Adam talks about the significance of beneficiary designations and shares an anecdote from his law school days.
• Discussion about what happens if a person dies without a will, or 'intestate', in North Carolina, with particular emphasis on the role of a spouse and children in the division of the estate.
• The hosts conclude with a discussion on the importance of estate planning, even in complex family situations, such as split families, and during periods of separation before divorce is finalized.

Note: For expert advice tailored to your specific circumstances, it is always recommended to consult with a certified legal professional in your area.

Guest: LINDSEY OHLER, PSY.D. 

1. Introduction:
   Hosts Elizabeth Stevenson and Sarah Hink from New Direction Family Law invite Dr. Lindsay Ohler to discuss a critical topic - how to approach the conversation about separation and divorce with children.
2. The Emotional Impact of Divorce on Children:
   Dr. Ohler emphasizes the profound emotional effects of divorce on children, comparing the experience to grief. She highlights the need for care and gentleness while discussing separation with children, regardless of age.
3. The Perceptive Nature of Children:
   Discussing how even if parents try to shield their children from their disputes, children are intuitive and often sense that something is wrong.
4. Breaking the News as a United Front:
   Dr. Ohler recommends both parents be present when informing children about the divorce. This provides a united front and reassures the child.
5. Approaching Different Age Groups:
   The conversation varies based on the child's age. For a two-year-old, keep the explanation simple. For older kids, explain the logistics of the new living arrangements without delving into the details of the separation.
6. Creating Comfort in New Spaces:
   Encourage children to participate in creating their new spaces in separate homes. This could include choosing room colors or selecting mementos from their previous home.
7. Discussing Divorce with Teenagers:
   Teenagers, who tend to pick sides, balance their time with parents and friends. Parents must maintain control of their emotions during the conversation, provide reassurance, and refrain from oversharing details of the divorce.
8. Protecting Sensitive Information:
   Parents must secure any divorce-related documents (both hard copies and electronic) to prevent their children from stumbling upon them and causing potential distress.
9. Effect on Adult Children:
   Even adult children might struggle with their parent's divorce, questioning their relationships and family identity.
10. Therapy for Children:
    Therapy could benefit children as young as three, helping them navigate the emotional turbulence during a divorce.

Stay tuned for more episodes as we navigate the complexities of family law together.

In this episode of the New Direction Family Law Podcast, Elizabeth, Sarah, and guest Kerrie Droban discuss the pathology of the criminal mind and identify the traits of sociopaths, psychopaths, and narcissists in the context of family law. They also provide strategies for victims to protect themselves and unmask their abusers during litigation.

• Elizabeth and Sarah from New Direction Family Law are joined by Kerrie Droban, an award-winning true crime author and criminal and family law attorney.
• Kerrie Droban shares her expertise on the pathology of the criminal mind, focusing on identifying the personality disorder traits of narcissists, psychopaths, and sociopaths.
• While not all of these personalities have criminal intent, their dangerous behaviors make them a threat to those around them.
• Victims of abusive relationships with dark personalities often suffer psychological abuse, leading to gaps in their stories, making litigation difficult.
• Unmasking the psychopath, narcissist, or sociopath is the key to getting the victim out of the abusive relationship and prevailing in litigation.
• Kerrie shares strategies to educate people in the courtroom about these personality disorders to gain a stronger position in litigation.

https://www.kerriedroban.com
[email protected]

Kerrie’s books on Amazon

Kerrie’s writing workshop 

LinkedIn

Instagram

[email protected]

What do you do if you think someone is stalking you, digitally or in real life...

• Spying is a common issue in family law cases.
• People may spy on their spouses because they suspect infidelity or substance abuse.
• Hiring a private investigator or conducting your own investigation by looking through trash or tracking purchases can gather evidence.
• Spouses may spy by following their partner, audio or video recording, accessing emails or phone data, or installing tracking devices on cars or personal items.
• AirTags can be used to track people discreetly.
• If you suspect someone is spying on you, talk to an attorney and consider having a specialist scan your devices.
• Change passwords, set up new email accounts, and be aware of your surroundings to protect your privacy.
• Mental health concerns may need to be addressed if someone is overly paranoid about being spied on.

• Sarah, a partner and attorney at New Direction Family Law, interviewed Ashley Oldham, another partner, and attorney at the same firm, about military divorces.
• Military divorces have unique challenges, such as deployments, custody during deployment, and division of military pensions and benefits.
• There are three bases for jurisdiction under federal law regarding military pensions: consent, domicile, and residency for reasons other than military assignments.
• To benefit from certain accounts, no set length for marriage is required. Still, if the marriage overlaps with military service for ten years, the spouse can receive direct payments from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
• It is crucial to pick an attorney who knows enough about military divorce to understand what they do not know and can outsource to others.
• In a military divorce, all military entitlements count for child support, not just taxable income.
• The frozen benefit rule, which affects how much of a pension a former spouse is entitled to, has changed with the National Defense Authorization Act and may be worth less than expected due to disability benefits.
• Survivor benefits are unitary benefits, meaning they go to one person, but the pension can be divided among multiple spouses.
• Military attorneys are available for legal assistance, but they may not be licensed in the state and may not be knowledgeable about family law.

In this episode:

• What are some reasons that the court would say you can move or not move during a divorce? Domestic violence is a completely different circumstance.
• Some of the things the court considers is:
  • will it benefit the child
  • family
  • crime statistics
  • culture & art
  • an opportunity to make a better living
• Many times a separation agreement will outline terms related to relocating.
• What can happen if a parent does move with the kids without a court order?
• The age of children and connections they have with friends, school, sports, and their community often will factor into a judges decision as well.

Help your friends going through a divorce go from victim to victorious and bitter to better.
If you like The Ex-it Strategy, visit our website to subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you like the Ex-it Strategy, We'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). 

In this episode:

• What is a prenup and why is it important
• Advantages and disadvantages of prenups
• When should a couple consider getting a prenup
• Common misunderstandings and myths about prenups
• What should couples consider when creating a prenup
• What are the legal requirements of a prenup
• How do you make sure that a prenup is legally binding
• What happens if a prenup is challenged in court
• How can couples protect their assets and interests with a prenup

Help your friends going through a divorce go from victim to victorious and bitter to better.
If you like The Ex-it Strategy, visit our website to subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you like the Ex-it Strategy, We'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). 

In this episode

• I've been separated for a week can I get on tinder?
• We just got married on a week ago, it was a mistake, can we get an annulment?
• I've been living in NC for a while now and I need to change my custody order, but it is from another state. How do I do it?
• I think my spouse is hiding income during the divorce, how do I find out?
• There is no custody order in place but the other parent is with-holding the child from me. What can I do?
• I've been separated for a bazillion years and I want to file but I don't know where my ex is now?
• If I'm willing to separate and leave the home, should I take the kids with me?
• If I choose to leave the house do I loose the rights to my house?
• My divorce is final, but we didn't do anything with the house we jointly own. Do I still get my equity from the home?
• My soon-to-be-ex wants the divorce, they should have to pay for it, can we make them?
• Is cryptocurrency considered martial property?
• Do you have experience working with narcissistic behaviors?
• Have we seen an uptick in divorces since COVID-19?

Help your friends going through a divorce go from victim to victorious and bitter to better.
If you like The Ex-it Strategy, visit our website to subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you like the Ex-it Strategy, We'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). 

In this episode

• David assists attorneys, business owners, and other professionals in determining the value of a company or interest. He focuses primarily on family law, gift and estate, and mergers and acquisitions. 
• His clients enjoy working with him because of his years of experience and choice to pursue long-lasting, trusted relationships. David strives to go beyond just providing a report; instead, he finds ways to communicate why business value is important and help his clients understand every aspect. 
• David works with Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI), a Top 25 nationally-ranked accounting and advisory firm driven by relationships to cultivate growth.
• What do you need to do to get an accurate business evaluation? We talk about the process. 
• In a divorce, people often assume their spouse's business is worth more than reported because of money paid under the table, etc. David says you can pay his firm 10-20k to forensic investigation if you believe they are hiding money, but you may be losing money if they are not.
• There are three ways to determine the valuation of a company
  • The asset approach (the fair market value of those assets minus debt)
  • The market approach (looking at the sale price of other businesses similar to the company being evaluated)
  • The income approach (value=benefits over risks)
• When two spouses are in the same business, they each secure services of a firm to get the business evaluated. How do you handle it when the valuations differ? 

Help your friends going through a divorce go from victim to victorious and bitter to better.

If you like The Ex-it Strategy, visit our website to subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you like the Ex-it Strategy, We'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two). 

In this episode

• We talk about the different aspects of divorce as it applies to military families.
• We discuss pensions and how the National Defense Authorization Act changed what a spouse winds up with a divorce. It gives spouses of service members a pension that ends on the day of divorce instead of the full percentage. 
• If you are getting ready to marry someone in the military, we discuss prenups and specifics surrounding military cases.
• One of the most challenging aspects of a military marriage is the potential of moving often and having a spouse who travels a lot.
• Military members have the highest divorce rate of any profession.
• We discuss child custody issues for children of military divorce, which can get complicated with the frequent travel required for military service members.
• North Carolina specifically has the uniform deployed parents custody and visitation act that allows service members to delegate some of their custodial time to a new spouse or a family member while deployed.

Help your friends going through a divorce go from victim to victorious and bitter to better.

If you like The Ex-it Strategy, visit our website to subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you like the Ex-it Strategy, We'd appreciate you telling a friend (maybe even two).