Articles Tagged with divorce

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In Honor of Black History Month - by Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA
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She was the girl from Stamps, Arkansas, long before she was from Winston Salem, North Carolina, where she died on May 28, 2014. Being featured on the first United States coin – a quarter – was in Maya’s future. The American Women Quarters Program is the program, and Maya is deservedly the first woman and the first black. This blog explores her early years that laid the foundation for her entrepreneurial spirit and the coin that reflects that entrepreneurial spirit.

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By Carolyn Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA

Here are some tips based upon frequently asked questions. There are two types of Mediation: in-person and Zoom (or other remote protocol). With Covid, we have had the advent of Zoom, Teams, and WebEx. So here goes:

Dress.

Dress to be comfortable but professional. You make an impression on the mediator, and while that should not affect your case – impressions are subtle and subliminal. Business casual is the preferred dress. There is no reason to recreate the wheel on what business casual means.

Please click here for examples from Indeed.com. While this goes a bit further than required for Mediation, I enjoyed this website. For the video mediation, look at this website.

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By: Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA
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Creating a new family tradition can be a way to bring cheer to the holidays for both children and adults, especially when the family structure is changing due to divorce. One way to bond in a new family dynamic is to incorporate ‘matching outfits’, such as holiday themed pajamas or the famous ‘ugly Christmas sweater’.

According to The Suburban Mom blogger Jen Burg, whose blog has featured a variety of expert tips on navigating family life, matching pajamas can help kids feel cozy and relaxed during the holidays and provide an opportunity for fun family bonding activities. She also notes that the pajamas can make for some cute pictures!

The ugly Christmas sweater has earned its place in American lore and has become increasingly popular in recent years. It even has a special national day! The third Friday in December is known as National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day. It is a day when people don their best, most hideous, sweaters to bring joy and laughter to all they meet.

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By: Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA
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Greetings, Ask Carolyn readers. September is Hunger Awareness Month. Today’s blog explores the topic of single-parent poverty related to hunger issues and whether the American Rescue Plan will help reduce poverty. See the end of this blog for more information and links to resources.

Single parent poverty is a harsh reality that has a significant impact on families. Twenty-five percent of all families in America are single-parent households. Our country has more than three times the rate of single-parent households than others around the world. Looking deeper into the statistics shows that 80% of single-parent families are headed by the mother, with a poverty rate of 34%. (Chamie, 2021)

The United States Department of Agriculture surveys households annually to determine levels of food insecurity. In 2020, 10.5% of households experienced some food insecurity. When you factor in the rates for households headed by single parents, the rate is much higher at 27.7% for households headed by a single mom and 16.3% for households headed by a single dad. (USDA, n.d.)

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By: Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA
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Self-care can make it to the bottom of the list some days, especially during a divorce. Between the demands of work and home and possibly caring for children, other family members, or even pets, it can be difficult to make time for yourself. Continue reading

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By: Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA
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Divorce is mostly negative energy. Why not have a Sage Smudging Divorce Party for you and your besties to get rid of the negative energy? So, you kept the marital residence: I did that, and I found the constant reminder of my ex dragging my sensuality to my retained home a drag. One of my closest friends was familiar with Sage Smudging suggested this sage ritual. And, it worked: we took a wrapped “stick” of sage, a feather, and moved throughout the corners of the retained marital residence ridding the house of its ghosts and bad vibes. You can do this with a group of friends and a special cocktail. Continue reading

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Carolyn Woodruff
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Dear Carolyn,

I read an article about a man who took marijuana to the courtroom in Greensboro. My ex-spouse smokes marijuana, and we are getting ready for a custody trial over our three-year-old. After my ex moved out, I found some drug paraphernalia the ex left behind in my home. I found a ceramic pipe, and I know what my ex used this for. I have never used drugs, and this is one of the reasons we broke up. I want to use this as evidence in my custody trial, but now I am afraid to take the evidence to court to show the judge. What should I do? The judge needs to see the evidence I have. I do not have an attorney, at least not yet. I don’t want to end up like Mr. Hussain, in jail.

Concerned

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Carolyn Woodruff
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Dear Readers,

Today’s second Ask Carolyn addresses separation as a potential tipping point for suicide and discusses the recent suicides of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, both of whom were separated from their spouses.

Dear Carolyn,
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Carolyn Woodruff
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Our first reader today finds herself in a very difficult situation: her husband is abusing opioids and alcohol, and their children are aware. She knows divorce is the only option if her husband won’t get clean, but is worried, as he supports their family. Our second reader has been separated for some time, and wants to know how divorce will affect the business he and his brothers inherited from their father.

Dear Carolyn,

My spouse is using both prescription opioids (Percocet) and alcohol. I do not think he has a prescription for the Percocet, and there are lots of cash withdrawals from our bank account. I am suspicious he is buying on the street, but where? And how? He had back surgery three years ago and I know he was using Percocet about six months. I don’t think his doctor is giving him Percocet anymore, as the health insurance is mine, and I don’t see it coming through.

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Carolyn Woodruff
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Dear Carolyn,

I have an example of corruption that exists in the family court system in North Carolina. My ex-wife is requesting increased child support. When I requested all of her financial documents, she provided fraudulent tax returns to the courts in order to gain increased child support payments from me. When I advised the judge of the fraudulent tax returns and proof that I had as far as lease for rental property that she claimed zero income for two out of three years, the judge’s comment was she is not the IRS; therefore allowing felony fraud to be committed in her courtroom and participating in a conspiracy to commit felony fraud.

Dear Exposing Corruption,

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