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Going through a divorce can be a difficult time in anyone’s life. But it can be especially traumatic and nerve wrecking when you gave up your job, education, or finances to care for your kids or help your spouse. Because of this, many women are afraid of being kicked out of their home or forced to live on their own during a divorce. Thankfully, the law protects women who have sacrificed their finances, career or life for their families. Know that if you’re a woman facing divorce, you likely have many distinct legal rights to protect your interests. Your Rights as a Woman Facing Divorce: The right to remain in your home If you are a stay-at-home mom - or the primary guardian and caretaker for your kids - a judge can rule that you are allowed to stay in your home for the duration of divorce proceedings. You might even keep the home as part of the settlement, depending on your circumstances. Even if you don’t keep your home, you shouldn’t be immediately uprooted. In situations where women cannot remain in their home after a divorce, they are generally given a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the [...]

Having children is a life-altering experience…and one that you may or may not have been ready for. The fact is, after you’ve had a baby, your life will likely look a lot different than it did prior. If you’re a first-time parent, it can be especially difficult to keep up with your old social life, friends, hobbies and activities. While you’ll undoubtedly be busier than you used to be, and have a lot more on your mind, being a parent doesn't mean you have to totally give up your social life, even if it feels like you might have to at first. You can still make time for your friends even after you’ve had kids. This short guide will help you understand why that’s important, and offer some quick tips on how to make your friends a priority without impacting your ability to be a great parent to your child. Make Time for Friends and Socializing Everyone will warn you and tell you all about how kids change your life, but it’s hard to really imagine this until you hold that new baby in your arms. Suddenly, you aren’t getting as much sleep, and you are emotionally and physically focused on [...]

  RIDGID NXT wet-dry vacuums recalled - About 208,000 RIDGID NXT wet-dry vacuums, models HD06000 and HD09000 from Emerson Tool Co. They were sold exclusively at Home Depot stores nationwide and online at www.homedepot.com from March 2018-July 2018. The power switch can become dislodged and expose energized wiring, posing a shock hazard to consumers. No injuries have been reported. Emerson Tool will provide a free replacement powerhead assembly. Green Sprouts Infant Rattles from Whole Foods Market Recalled - About 6,100 Green Sprouts multicolored flower rattles imported by I Play Inc. They are made of wood measure 2½ inches long by 2½ inches wide by 4 inches high. Attached to the handle are three round wooden balls shaped like flowers, including one that contains a silver metal bell, all attached with an elastic cord. The rattles were sold at Whole Foods Market stores and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and other websites from December 2014-October 2018. Pieces can come loose, posing a choking hazard to infants. There have been at least three reports of pieces detaching. No injuries have been reported. Ford F-150 recall affecting 400K vehicles to begin - Ford Motor Company’s safety recall of more than 400,000 U.S.-based F-150 trucks was expected to begin on Monday, according to [...]

If you’re filling for divorce, you may want to hurry up your paperwork. That’s because a new tax law, affecting alimony payments, will go into effect this New Year’s Eve. Happy holidays. The law was finalized last year. Among other things, it removes alimony from the list of “tax-deductible” items from an individual’s income. Translation: If you’re paying alimony, you will now also have to pay tax on it. If you’re receiving alimony, you might receive a smaller amount - since your payment will be taxed at a higher tax bracket than the rest of your income. Because of this, countless couples are rushing to their divorce lawyers this holiday season. Alimony agreements finalized before 2019 are exempt from the new law - so paperwork must be sorted out, long-buried negotiation points resurrected, and agreements signed before the holidays are over. Why would President Trump inject such a grinch-like occasion into everyone’s Christmas? Unsurprisingly, the answer is financial. The motive behind the bill There are at least two reasons Trump signed the changes on alimony tax. Increased tax revenue First, the new law will result in a significant income increase for the federal government. Previously, alimony payments were taxed on receipt. [...]

The 2018 holiday season is upon us! Holiday songs are playing loudly on the radio and for those of us in northern states, snow is falling faster than prices on Black Friday. This time of year is an exciting one that many people enjoy, but it can also be hectic and full of many activities. During the holidays, kids are often out of school and parents sometimes have additional time off of work. This makes the holidays a great time to get away for a while and go on a trip. Below we’ve put together a list of some of the best family vacations to take during the holidays. And, we’ve also included some ideas for having fun holiday family trips when you aren’t able to go too far from home. Best Winter Family Trips When school is out, it's the perfect time to get the family together to make some memories and get away from it all. These trips are ones that the whole family is likely to enjoy. If you're able to plan a bigger trip this year, you might want to check some of these places out. We’ve compiled a short list of some of the best family-friendly [...]

Divorce is a difficult time in any couple’s life. There are decisions that need to be made and changes that need to be accepted. One possible change that is rarely discussed is: should you change your name back after a divorce? Some people do revert back to their maiden name while others keep their ex-husband’s name until death. The answer to this question is not easy. Changing your name is not only dependent on the divorce but several other factors. There are certain legal aspects that you must be clear on before you proceed with the name change. First, you need to make sure that your divorce decree provides you with the option to change your name. If it doesn’t, you can always request an amendment. You will need to discuss the process and cost associated with this amendment with a divorce lawyer. Most lawyers would recommend that you make sure your marriage decree offers you the right to change your name back. However, many people don’t even think about this since they don’t intend to be divorced when they are getting married. So the question is: should you change your name back after divorce? Consider the following: First, try to [...]

Atlanta is a great city to visit any time of the year. With the changing seasons, there are many things for families to see and enjoy. Atlanta is a huge metropolis, and the hustle and bustle of city life is one of the most distinct characteristics of Atlanta. Here is a short overview of some family-friendly things to do in Atlanta: Atlanta Zoo: We understand that going to the zoo is not a big novelty, but you have to know that the Atlanta Zoo is somewhat different from many other zoos. With over a thousand animals, it has many animals from the tropics like the western lowland gorillas and the giant panda bears from China. The zoo also has many features for kids such as the carousel train ride, a petting zoo, rock climbing wall and even a playground. If you want to know why the Atlanta Zoo is not a typical zoo, be sure to plan a visit. College Football Hall of Fame: If you are a college football fan then there is no way you can miss the College Football Hall of Fame. This awesome football-shaped building in Atlanta offers a great personalized experience. Visit the Hall of Fame [...]

Ford recalls 1.5 million Ford Focus cars that could stall with fuel tank problem - Ford Motor is recalling 1.46 million Ford Focus cars in North America to fix a defect that could lead to stalling. The recall affects the 2012 through 2018 model-year Focus with 2-liter GDI and 2-liter GTDI engines. Ford warned that customers should keep their fuel tanks at least half full until their cars are fixed.  The issue stems from a defective canister purge valve that could become stuck in an open position, causing deformation of the fuel tank. McCain Foods recalls millions of pounds of ready-to-eat food - Salads, wraps, burritos and pizzas sold at major retailers such Harris Teeter, Kroger, Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, Trader Joe's and Walmart were recalled for potential risk of listeria and salmonella contamination. The recall expanded this week after voluntary recalls for potentially tainted foods announced last week involving caramelized mushrooms and fire-roasted tomatoes used in products sold at Hy-Vee and corn used at five food makers. Tubeez Baby Bath Support Seats recalled for drowning hazard - This bath seat can tip over or an infant can slip underneath the front support, posing a drowning hazard. Thankfully, few of these baby seats were sold in the U.S. Eddie Bauer [...]

  Raising a child in 2018 is not cheap. Fifty years ago, the cost to raise a child until the age of 18 was a mere $26K, but by 2010, the cost has gone up ten-fold to cover the same basic essentials. Even though the median income in the US has also gone up, raising a child now involves many expenses that parents did not have to worry about before. That is probably why even with both parents working in most families, raising a child can have a significant impact on one’s budget. This is especially true for single parents. Raising a child is an uphill battle for most. The most expensive element for these parents is the cost of daycare which is prohibitively expensive, even for couples. So the question is: how expensive is it to raise a child in 2018? Here is a breakdown of the major costs that most parents have to incur today: Education: There is no doubt that public schools are free in most developed nations, but with advancing technology, private tutoring and the increasing popularity of homeschooling, education is one of the most important elements of a child’s upbringing cost. Most public schools do not [...]