Back to School Child Custody

Back to School Child CustodyOn Monday over 320,000 children will head back to school in the Clark County School District. This often involves new schools, schoolmates, teachers, and administrative staff. Our divorce attorneys know that back to school can include changes in child custody. So make sure your child custody agreement still works for everyone.

New considerations can pop up as your children grow and your lifestyle situation changes. This might mean changing your co-parenting plan. Verbal agreements can seem like the best option at first. But smart parents know it’s always best to commit any changes in writing. Moreover, this includes having the Clark County Family Courts recognize permanent changes. While this step may seem unnecessary at first, it is a safe-guard against future problems.

Making Your Child’s Transition Easier

With almost two decades of  experience, our child custody attorneys understand that change is a normal part of ex-spouses’ lifestyles and of child development. New classmates, teachers, schedules, and even schools can make starting a fresh school year challenging. Whenever possible and practical, it is always best to co-operate with your ex-spouse when it comes to changes in parenting plans and your children’s schooling requirements.

Parenting Plan Considerations

Below is a summary checklist of the situations that can possibly affect existing parenting plans.

  • Changes in One or Both Parents’ Work Schedules
  • Changes In Living Arrangements During the School Week
  • Schedule Clashes Due to New Schooling and After School Activities
  • Age, Personality, and Child Developmental Needs Changes
  • Ex-Spouses Career Changes
  • Child Care Changes
  • Residential Changes
  • New Distance Between Parents’ Homes
  • Changing Academic and Extracurricular Activities
  • Moving Out of a School District
  • Parents Disagree on School Choice
  • Possible Moves into a Better School District
  • Moves out of a Child’s Historical School District
  • Current School Not Providing Adequate Educational Opportunities

Back to School and Planning Ahead

A new school year means adjusting from summer vacation mode into a school routine. This goes for your agreed-upon co-parenting situation as well. Both you and your children will transition more smoothly if you plan school related activities ahead of time.

Who gets the report card? Who’s paying for the sports uniforms? Who gets the call in the event of an emergency or picks the children up from school? You can make things easier for everyone involved by arranging for duplicate notifications, deciding on school expenses upfront, and planning for transportation and major project involvement early.

Making Back to School Child Custody Easier

Once both parents have agreed on who is doing what and when, keeping coordinated calendars can help you, your children, caregivers, and coaches all stay informed. If simple texts or emails aren’t doing the job, the easiest way to do this might be to download a co-parenting app specifically designed for parents who share custody.

When You Just Can’t Agree

The Clark County Family Courts prefer that both parents be equally involved in the upbringing of their minor children. So the co-parenting plan should provide for both parents, and most importantly, the best interests of the children involved.

If you find your ex-spouse showing up late for after school pick-ups, not showing up for scheduled events with your children, or putting your children in situations where safety may be at risk, a child custody modification may be your best option.

When your ex isn’t on the same page and your kids are suffering for it, it’s time for legal help. That’s where our divorce lawyers in Las Vegas can provide valuable assistance.

Child Custody Help in Las Vegas

Your children have enough to deal with going back to school without feeling like they are a complication or in the middle of custody disagreements. If you are you having a hard time agreeing with your ex-spouse – Don’t wait. It’s best to seek court intervention to prevent problems.

Our Las Vegas divorce and child custody attorneys have decades of experience in child custody matters. So if you’re ready for immediate assistance, please call us at 702-222-4021 for a consultation.

divorce attorneys las vegas

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos’ Record $160 Billion Divorce is Final

Bezos divorce sets a record

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos have finalized their divorce which, at roughly $160 billion, set a financial record that will be difficult to top.

The ex-couple owns roughly 16% of on-line behemoth Amazon.com. Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and is its current CEO. He also has a wide range of other financial interests including The Washington Post and space-oriented Blue Origin. MacKenzie Bezos is an author with two published novels. After a whirlwind courtship they married in 1993 and have four children together.

According to the divorce filings Jeff Bezos will keep 75% of the former couple’s Amazon stock and control 100% of the voting rights. He also retained all the interest in The Washington Post and Blue Origin. Mackenzie Bezos was awarded 25% of their Amazon shares valued at over 38 billion dollars. Other terms of the divorce settlement were not immediately disclosed.

Community Property State

Because their divorce jurisdiction was in Kings County in Washington State, no Las Vegas divorce attorneys were involved in the Bezos’ divorce. However Washington State, like Nevada, is a community property state. There are only nine community property states in the United States. The others are Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin.

In a very general sense, community property means that all assets and debts during the marriage are held jointly by the couple regardless of who earned the asset or incurred the debt. So why the disparity between the two when it came to dividing the Amazon stock?

Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements

A pre or post-nuptial agreement supersedes community property laws. It’s been widely reported that the Bezos’ did not have a prenuptial agreement. They met in 1992 and married within a year which was prior to Amazon’s founding in 1994. What is less well-known is whether they had any post-nuptial agreement.

Las Vegas divorce attorney Jennifer Abrams noted, “We routinely deal with high asset divorces. Given the apparent financial circumstances at the time of marriage, it is not surprising that there was no prenuptial agreement. The financial acquisitions during the marriage, however, raise a question as to whether or not a post-nuptial agreement was in place. Numerous private investment firms contributed heavily into Amazon before it went public. In order to minimize investor uncertainty, it’s a standard practice to execute a post-nuptial agreement detailing what happens in the event of divorce.” she said.

Bezos’ Have an Amicable Divorce

“Clearly this was a very amicable divorce,” Ms. Abrams continued. “Considering the four children, amount and complexity of assets, and short 6 month time-frame for resolution, it’s reasonable to conclude that both parties were still very much in synch with one another,” she said.

Both Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos have released social media posts praising the other for their cooperation in their divorce matter. They also expressed a strong desire to move on with their lives separately and together, albeit in a different manner. The ex-couples social media communiques paint a picture of mutual respect.

Jeff Bezos tweeted “I’m grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process and am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents.”

MacKenzie Bezos also used Twitter to express her feelings. “Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff with support from each other and everyone who reached out to us in kindness, and looking forward to the next phase as co-parents and friends.”

MacKenzie Bezos Goes Philanthropic After Divorce

Although it appears that MacKenzie Bezos did not receive half the marital assets, her 4% stake in Amazon is still worth approximately 38.3 billion dollars. That does not include any other liquid, real estate, or other assets she may have received. This makes her the 22nd richest person in the world and the third richest woman, according to Bloomberg News.

Prior to finalizing their divorce MacKenzie Bezos signed the Giving Pledge. According to their website the Giving Pledge is an effort to help address society’s most pressing problems by inviting the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes either during their lifetime or in their will.

In a recent letter MacKenzie Bezos wrote, “We each come by the gifts we have to offer by an infinite series of influences and lucky breaks we can never fully understand. In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”

More than 200 uber-wealthy donors have signed the Giving Pledge. Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, has yet to join his ex-spouse in this philanthropic act, but did offer his compliments to her on Twitter stating, “MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and I’m proud of her.”

We can help if you’re concerned about your assets and debts in divorce proceedings. Our experienced divorce attorneys have successfully represented both husbands and wives on these important issues. Please contact us today at 702-222-4021 and one of our expert divorce attorneys will speak to you.

Attorney Vincent Mayo Receives Legal Excellence Award

Las Vegas divorce attorney Vincent Mayo has received the 2016 Legal Excellence Award from Vegaslegal Magazine. Vegaslegal covers local legal issues, lawyers, business, and lifestyle topics. The magazine selects legal excellence award recipients on numerous criteria. This includes prominence in select legal practice areas. Attorney Mayo’s primary focus is high net worth divorce matters. Mr. Mayo is one of only nine attorneys in Clark County to receive this notable recognition. So he was particularly proud of this honor.

Las Vegas Divorce Lawyer Vincent MayoIn a post award interview Attorney Mayo stated, “I would say that my code is to provide leadership to clients while ensuring my services are goal oriented.” He continued, “At the same time, I’m equally committed to avoiding unnecessary litigation and fees by focusing on the most efficient way to accomplish my client’s goals…”

About Attorney Vincent Mayo

Vincent Mayo is a State Bar of Nevada Board Certified family law specialist. Mr. Mayo is one of only seventeen attorneys in the state of Nevada who is Board Certified in family law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). The NBTA is the American Bar Association’s division of the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification.

Attorney Mayo was previously a co-editor of the Nevada Family Law Practice Manual. All family law attorneys and judges in the state of Nevada use this manual because it’s the foremost compilation of Nevada statutes, case law, and local and state rules.

Vincent Mayo’s legal career began in Nevada in the Clark County Family Court system. He was retained by Judge Gloria Sanchez as a law clerk for two years. Prior to that he practiced for four years in a prestigious local law firm. Mr. Mayo joined The Abrams Law Firm in 2008 and has been a partner in the firm since 2015 when it became The Abrams and Mayo Law Firm.

Valentine’s Day Divorce Stress Relief

Valentines Day Post Divorce Stress ReliefValentine’s Day divorce stress relief can include things like yoga, meditation, or professional counseling. But a local Las Vegas business has a new twist. According to a recent article in the Las Vegas Review Journal, a local gun range is offering a “Valentine’s Day Special”. Those who wish to can use machine guns and other firearms to shoot up various marriage related articles. Fortunately the local business draws the line when it comes to photos of ex-spouses. To each their own, but our following recommendations will prove more beneficial in the long run.

Divorce Stress Relief on Valentine’s Day

Remember that human beings are, above almost all things, creatures of habit. So get into positive habits as quickly as possible – and keep them going.

Let it go. Nothing is going to change the fact that you are now divorced. Accept it and get on with your new life. Regardless of what occurred during your marriage and/or divorce proceedings, it’s over. Harboring ill-will will negatively affect you more than anyone else.

If you need to talk to someone get a professional counselor. Your friends may be well-meaning but they are not objective or professionals. They are not in the business of providing positive advice to achieve a goal. Our Las Vegas divorce attorneys provide a list of qualified family counselors to all clients.

Co-parent your children to the best of your ability. Your marriage may be over, but your children still depend on you to be their parent. In fact they probably need you now more than when you were married.

Do not speak badly about your ex in front of your children regardless of how difficult it is to hold your tongue. Your children are going through a transition just as you are. It’s all new to them as well. They are counting on you to be the adult.

Do new things to experience the good things in life. Take up a new hobby. Start a new exercise regimen. Go out with new people to new places. Join a new club. Pick something that you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t, and go do it. These types of things will go a long way to building a positive self-image.

Start dating as soon as you feel ready. Keep it light and easy, but get out there. Lunch dates are great for this. You have plenty to offer. Let others see it.