Shelton Family Law Blog

For individuals in Connecticut and elsewhere who are going through a gray divorce, the psychological and physical health impacts can be major, especially if they had previous health problems. However, these health impacts should be considered since divorce rates for those who are 50 years of age or older have nearly doubled since 1990.

In some cases, people who get a divorce after the age of 50 may experience psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety and chronic stress. Individuals who were in abusive relationships may even endure post-traumatic stress disorder, which can cause symptoms such as nightmares or flashbacks. Furthermore, psychological conditions can be linked to physical problems. Chronic stress, for example, can be linked to heart disease, insomnia and high blood pressure.

Connecticut couples who want a stronger marriage might want to consider cutting back on their social media usage. A study conducted by researchers at Boston University and several other organizations found a correlation between higher social media use and lower marital quality. People who are thinking about divorce or going through a divorce might also want to cut back on social media postings.

It is better to turn to relatives, friends or a therapist to vent about the divorce instead of putting negative posts on social media. People should also avoid sharing details about the divorce negotiations or final agreement. Spouses who are divorcing amicably might want to make an agreement about when they will discuss the divorce online. If there are kids involved, parents may want to include guidelines in the divorce agreement about whether children's photos or other information will be allowed on social media. Above all, people should keep in mind that any information they put online could be used against them in the divorce.

The aftermath of a divorce can be difficult for children to handle as they try to become adjusted to a new life. However, there are some things that parents in Connecticut can do to protect their children after a divorce and ensure that they are able to enjoy their new life.

Parents should keep in mind that their children are not adults and should be provided an environment that allows them to be children. Parents should make every effort to refrain from burdening their children with adult communications or responsibilities.

Debts taken on during the course of a marriage are generally considered part of the marital estate, and they are divided as part of a divorce just like assets are. This can lead to bitter disputes when the debts in question are student loans. Divorcing spouses may resent making payments on loans that helped their former husbands or wives to attend college, and in states with equitable distribution laws they may not have to. Connecticut is one of these states.

Some states have community property laws that require marital assets and debts to be divided equally, but the rules in Connecticut allow for unequal distribution if such an arrangement is more equitable. When deciding how to deal with student loans, judges in equitable distribution states will consider how much each of the spouses involved earns, whether or not the spouse who did not attend college supported the spouse who did and whether or not the spouse who attended college graduated with a degree. Judges will also study the loan documents to seen who signed them.