Overland Park Family Law Blog

When Kansas spouses decide their marriages are no longer viable, they often choose to go their separate ways. In a high asset divorce, property division issues may be a central focus of settlement negotiations. It is not always the case, however, that such situations must be resolved through litigation; many couples opt for mediation to achieve agreeable terms.

Mediated divorces are often less expensive and less time-consuming than those that are litigated. Spouses considering this path to settlement will want to make sure they can fulfill the requirements. For instance, both spouses must agree to engage in peaceful discussion to resolve disagreements, such as issues regarding marital assets or liabilities, as well as child-related topics, such as custody or financial support.

Most Kansas residents are aware that lifestyle choices can affect their health, sometimes in good ways, others quite bad. For instance, it is well-known that cigarette smoking is closely connected to lung cancer, so those who smoke place themselves at risk for the disease. Other situations can also have a potentially negative impact on physical, mental and emotional health, including high asset divorce.

Current data shows that getting divorced later in life can spark numerous health concerns. Even when the person in question is the one who initially filed for divorce, he or she may be unprepared for the feelings of isolation, loneliness or depression that sometimes set in afterward. Many older people also often suffer from insomnia after a divorce, perhaps because their bodies were simply so used to having their spouses next to them during the night.

Thinking back to the days before you got married, you may recall some hesitation on yours or your intended spouse's part regarding the topic of signing a prenuptial agreement. Perhaps, you thought it unromantic at the time. Since many years have passed and you have now decided that your marriage is not sustainable, you may be glad you finally agreed to sign a prenuptial agreement as you prepare for property division proceedings.

Like the majority of states in the nation, Kansas governs property division proceedings under equitable division regulations. This means that your marital property won't necessarily be split 50/50 when your divorce is finalized. If you designated certain property or assets in your prenup as being separately owned, you will definitely want to make sure the court  is aware of this fact.

There is never an easy way to tell children that parents are getting divorced. The more prepared a Kansas parent is ahead of time, the less stressful it may be. It's important to understand typical childhood reactions and to provide support and encouragement, especially concerning child custody issues.  

A younger child may show signs of regression if they are of an age where they somewhat understand what is happening, at least that one parent is not going to live with him or her anymore. Some parents later say that they noticed signs of stress in their toddlers, perhaps having bathroom accidents once they'd already been potty trained. Other parents say their children experienced a heightened level of separation anxiety once the parents actually separated.