The holidays can be especially challenging for divorced or divorcing parents. Maintaining open, respectful communication with your co-parent is key to avoiding conflicts and ensuring a smooth transition for your children between households. Make sure to refresh yourself on school dismissal schedules, discuss holiday schedules in advance, understand details and expectations, and keep flexibility in mind, as children’s needs or family circumstances may change unexpectedly. If necessary, consider using a parenting app to keep track of schedules and important messages in a neutral, organized way.  If you have questions about apps, we are familiar with several and we are happy to discuss those with you to give you an idea about the options available to you.

The holidays can create emotional stress, especially for those who are dealing with a newly begun divorce or recently completed divorce. Remember that it’s okay not to have everything “perfect” and that setting unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment. Focus on what truly matters: spending quality time with your children and creating meaningful experiences. If you’re navigating a recent divorce, allow yourself space to heal and adapt to your new family dynamics. Starting the new year with a mindset of self-compassion can help you build resilience and a more positive outlook.

People often ask how property, including real estate, retirement accounts, and debts, will be divided.  Questions regarding how community property is divided are difficult to answer until the attorney knows more about the real property owned by the spouses, the specific types of retirement accounts, and any other marital property as well as the details about the specific debts and liabilities involved in the divorce.

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on any changes during divorce and any legal changes due to divorce that have happened through the year and may affect your family situation. If there have been changes in your income, living arrangements, or the needs of your children, it may be time to review and update important documents like your insurance policies, state identification information and documents, social security information, your estate planning documents. It’s a good idea to consult with your divorce or family law attorney to ensure your questions are answered and your plan is up to date, especially as life transitions in the new year.