Wife of Family Court Attorney; Exposes State Bar, DA Child Support, Police, and Family Court Judge!

Wife of Family Court Attorney; Exposes State Bar, DA Child Support, Police, and Family Court Judge!

Clark County Nevada

April 23, 2023

 

Veterans In Politics International has exposed the criminal, unethical, and violations of Federal and State Laws regarding Family Court since 2016 none-stop. Since our involvement, this topic has garnered much attention.

The behaviors in this article are horrendous, to say the least, and we felt it would be best told by the litigant herself.

Here is her nightmare:

Hello, my name is TARA KELLOGG. I am the ex-wife of ALEX GHIBAUDO ESQ. I filed for divorce, which was finalized on February 1, 2017, after 16 years of marriage. We have one child together, born May 17, 2001. I will now give you a relatively brief summation (infra) to establish the basis/foundation of what has transpired. From there, you can see why I reasonably believe a Federal Lawsuit is warranted against the State of Nevada for egregiously blatant, undeniably intentional, and unimaginable willful violations of my Civil and 14th Amendment due process rights. Further, I have all the evidentiary documents and documentation to prove my powerful FEDERAL CIVIL CASE against the STATE OF NEVADA well beyond a reasonable doubt.

My record keeping is impeccable and thorough, as you will soon find out if/when you need anything related to my following assertions and claims. Now comes my factual timeline and the prima facie elements to prove The State of Nevada’s intentional and willful misconduct towards me. The State’s misconduct has actually and proximately caused my disability damages (actual and punitive). Alternatively, at the very least, the facts below will prove the prima facie case for unthinkable negligence, in which the State owed me a duty, breached that duty, and as such, has actually and proximately caused damages to which I am entitled.

STATE-LICENSED ATTORNEY ALEX GHIBAUDO graduated from law school in 2006 and started his first (failed) law firm in 2008. By August 2009, Ghibaudo was suspended from the practice of law for the following reasons:

 Several acts of (physical, emotional, financial, and psychological) Domestic Violence from 2003 through 2014 (Ghibaudo’s reinstatement).

 Alcoholism.

 Repeated violations of Protective Orders.

 Repeatedly abandoning clients.

 Failing to provide an accounting of client funds.

 Criminal misuse of clients’ IOLTA accounts, past and present).

 Failing to respond to the office of bar counsel after repeated requests regarding multiple grievance files.

 Making several “unprofessional, threatening, and demeaning telephone calls” to other attorneys.

Alex Ghibaudo Misconduct: (A) Foundation and summary:

  1. Judge Lisa Brown was my first Judge. Judge Brown recused herself to avoid the appearance of impropriety because Ghibaudo repeatedly contacted her by email and phone.
  1. Judge T. Arthur Ritchie was appointed the new Judge. I had an opportunity to “spin the wheel” for $500.00 and get a judge better or worse than Ritchie. Attorney Creel and Willick said Judge Ritchie was the best option; “Judge Richie is by the book Ritchie.” I now know that Willick and Creel fed me a lie. They believed I was a big fish and would pay substantial fees, knowing damn well Ritchie would drag out enforcement of my Decree indefinitely.
  1. Judge Ritchie had the simple task of enforcing my divorce decree signed by Judge Lisa Brown.
  1. Throughout 2017-2023, Judge Ritchie has NEVER enforced any provision in my Divorce Decree.
  1. Ritchie despised my divorce decree and had no intention of ever enforcing the decree resulting from the required settlement conference.
  1. In 2019, my attorney of record was Sigal Chattah. During a hearing in 2019, Ritchie threw down my Divorce Decree on his bench while shouting,” This is crap.”
  1. All that was needed from Ritchie was to enforce Judge Brown’s finding of facts and enforce my divorce decree “as is”, “not make up his version of “Ritchie Law instead.”; Hence, this is where all the” judges-attorney’s club” privileges, corruption, blatant bias towards non-attorneys, judicial misconduct, and Ghibaudo misconduct begin and end since no one in power is doing anything to end it, even now. Unfortunately, this same misconduct persists going back eight years.
  1. Refused to require Ghibaudo to produce personal and business tax returns annually to determine child and spousal support per Divorce Decree.

I AGREED TO THE TERMS OUTLINED IN THE DIVORCE DECREE/CONTRACT IN CONSIDERATION (THE MUTUALLY AGREED UPON BARGAINED-FOR EXCHANGE), RELIEVING GHIBAUDO OF HIS EXCESSIVE MARITAL WASTE.

I AM NOT GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THE AGREED-UPON TERMS IN THE DIVORCE DECREE BECAUSE JUDGE RITCHIE DISCRIMINATES AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

On 3/6/2017–I sought and received a TPO against GHIBAUDO. Ghibaudo and his girlfriend, Elske Shipp, sent illegal, unwelcome, unsolicited pornographic images on my cell phone of the two engaged in sexual intercourse. The text messages lasted 44 minutes.

On 7/18/2017–Trevor Creel Esq. filed a STATE Bar complaint against Ghibaudo. (Trevor Creel’s Bar complaint was systematically dismissed and disposed of)

   Rule 8.3.  Reporting Professional Misconduct.

(a) A lawyer who knows that another lawyer has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial question as to that lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects, shall inform the appropriate professional authority.

Hearing on 8/22/2017 

Alex – “Your honor, just like what I put on the record, what I mentioned to you off the record before Court.

Ritchie – What did you say?

Alex – just like what I put on the record, what I mentioned to you off the record before Court.

Ritchie – I don’t want you to make some notion that we had some dialogue before Court.

Ritchie and Alex had dialogue before Court, and I believe they have had several conversations outside of Court. This is highly improper and constitutes extreme judicial misconduct. No other Judge on the “up and up” would ever allow such a private conversation with one party (an attorney, no less) without the other party being present. Since Ritchie allowed as much, this reeks of corruption and strategizing as a co-conspirator with Ghibaudo on exhausting my attorney funds until I drop out.

I believe wholeheartedly that Ghibaudo and Ritchie communicate regularly about this case.

  1. Ritchie knows Ghibaudo’s false allegations before he spews them from his mouth.
  1. Ritchie knows Ghibaudo’s request for unrelated relief (not written in motion) before he requests such.

Hearing on 10/6/17 

  1. Judge Ritchie provides Ghibaudo with tax and business advice while I pay attorney fees to Willick, Creel, and Creel’s paralegal. Alex pays nothing.
  1. Alex continues to lie about his financials disseminated online by me without a single shred of proof.

EVIDENTIARY HEARING-Ritchie avoids the unsettled divorce decree provisions because he refuses to hear them.

Ritchie – “I’m going to do my best to close this thing out.” (a lie, or even worse, could be construed as “closing this thing out” as the functional equivalent of “until Ms. Kellogg’s attorney’s fees are exhausted, and she can’t afford to come back into my courtroom.”

My case is still ongoing 8 years later. Does that seem like “closing this thing out” to you or any reasonable person or Judge?” Hell no.

On November 7, 2017, a JUDGMENT against Ghibaudo was signed by STATE ELECTED Judge T. Arthur Ritchie. Including:

  1. Child Support Arrears.
  1. Medical Insurance Arrears for the minor child.
  1. Family Support Arrears (the Judgment is still unpaid).

2017 – Numerous status checks occur every six days to ensure Ghibaudo paid the MINIMUM amount per the divorce decree, which rarely happens. Continued status checks cost more attorney fees than the minimum support obligation. This was, and still is, Ritchie’s intentional design to financially force me out of further litigation against Alex by completely exhausting my attorney funds to continue.

Not an attorney fee award is in sight from Ritchie (I stopped counting after Ritchie hit one dozen (12) deferred attorney fee requests, even though the relevant statute Ritchie is supposed to follow states that all litigants need to be on equal financial grounds. If not, the litigant with the higher income is statutorily mandated to pay the lesser-earning litigant’s attorney fees. The statutory relevance here is to keep everything equally balanced between the parties (especially when the higher-earning litigant is filing frivolous motions to exhaust the lower-earning litigant’s attorney fees deliberately).

Per the Decree of Divorce, Ghibaudo is to provide his tax returns for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 to determine child support and alimony amount according to Ghibaudo’s income. Ritchie Never enforced the production of tax returns, Schedule C Profit and Loss statements, DFDF, etc.

To avoid a Writ of Execution, Writ of Garnishment, Alex filed a fraudulent motion indicating that HIS registered agent did not serve him with the documents. Alex’s ridiculous claim is that his registered agent is mine and my family’s 20+ years of friends.

Alex then embellished his initial lie under penalty of perjury (again) with another completely fabricated falsehood (by saying his registered agent would spend Christmas with my family, celebrate birthdays, take trips, etc.). These are All Lies under oath, no less.

Ritchie then unreasonably determined that Alex’s absurd and blatant lies somehow warranted scheduling another expensive evidentiary for which I would have to foot the bill and based on no reasonable grounds. Each time Ritchie forces me to humor Alex’s lies and fabrications in Court, I am the only one forced to pay attorney fees.

Alex, a somehow licensed attorney still, represents himself pro bono.

Further, Ritchie never mandates that Alex pay my attorney fees even though it’s the law, which is also required in my divorce decree.

Here, Ritchie set aside two full days in August 2021. Alex repeatedly lied, perjured himself, and could not remember his numerous lies; thus, he constantly got tripped up by my attorney, Jonathan Nelson.

On Day 2 of Evidentiary Heating, Alex requested a continuance. The request was denied. At the end of day two, Ritchie ruled that “the beef” between Alex and his Registered Agent was between them. This was a fact Ritchie knew or should have known before even scheduling such a ridiculous evidentiary hearing premised on such a frivolous motion filed by his buddy Alex.

Thus, I prevailed (as Ritchie couldn’t appear that blatantly corrupt, especially if there were a chance his bias toward Alex might be publicized on YouTube, etc).

This is why courtroom transparency is needed, or judicial corruption would continue to be buried under cover of & “sealed case adjudication without cause”).

However, this little “evidentiary hearing stunt” pulled off by Ghibaudo and Ritchie, in cahoots with one another, still cost me thousands of dollars to defend the ridiculousness orchestrated by both Ritchie and Alex (to drain my attorney fee resources continually).

Further, on the same day, Ghibaudo changed his LLC (Limited Liability Company filed with the Secretary of State), making it impossible to collect the 2017 judgment.

Judge Ritchie knew about this, allowed it illegally, and did nothing to remedy Guibaudo’s wrong. Once again, Ritchie is exhausting more of my attorney fees ($250K to date and counting) on an unnecessary evidentiary hearing causing me even more financial hardship (without ever awarding attorney fees) that no other reasonable judge would have ever entertained over Ghibaudo choosing his Registered Agent. (a registered agent, my family nor I had any input or influence over Ghibaudo’s decision to do such). Unbelievable.

GHIBAUDO’S suspension lasted for five years, and he was reinstated in 2014, followed by a two-year (“stay out of trouble”) probationary period. However, that was a seemingly impossible State Bar requirement. GHIBAUDO could not escape trouble and was arrested on January 1, 2016.

Further, GHIBAUDO did not report his arrest to the Nevada State Bar as per the terms of his suspension.

Hearing 2/26/18 – Trevor Creel files a request for a lien against me for non-payment of $61,000, although I paid them well over $50,000.00. Ghibaudo is a working attorney with a substantial income. He refuses to pay support, judgments, etc. In contrast, I was a full-time housewife and mother to our ill daughter. My level of education at the time of separation was high school, and I received an AA degree in 2017. Ghibaudo was present at the hearing. He wants Judge Ritchie to confirm that he is in no way responsible for the attorney fees from the Willick Law Group, and Ritchie assures him that this is my debt.

On 3/19/2018—Alex Ghibaudo was held in Contempt of STATE Court for failure to pay court-ordered support in January, February, and March 2018.

On 9/13/2018— Sigal Chattah submitted a STATE Bar complaint against Alex Ghibaudo Esq., for threats and harassment. (The complaint was systematically dismissed and disposed of).

On 10/31/2018-Ghibaudo unilaterally and illegally stopped paying all court-ordered support per the established and controlling divorce decree on October 30, 2018.

On 3/20/2019— Tara Kellogg and Nicole Ghibaudo were granted a TPO against Alex Ghibaudo for threats to cause physical harm, harassment, and stalking.

On 6/27/2019—ELSKE SHIPP (under GHIBAUDO’S direction again) hacked into my USAA account to receive unauthorized information on my two children and me. I received a text message from USAA stating: “You were recently added to the personal profile of ELSKE SHIPP. If you have any questions, please call 800-292-8995.” I discovered that SHIPP accessed the account I opened in 2014, and SHIPP wrongfully added herself as a fiancé. I immediately worked with USAA to secure my and my children’s personal information to circumvent any identity theft by Shipp (who was arrested and/or convicted of various crimes herself independently of GHIBAUDO).

On 8/9/2019—I, Tara Kellogg, submitted a STATE Bar complaint against Alex Ghibaudo

  1. Failure to pay court-ordered support obligations.
  1. Failure to disclose a conflict of interest between Ghibaudo and Hearing Master, Jennifer Henry assigned to cases adjudicated Complainainant’s Request for Temporary Protective Orders, all in violation of Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct 3.5 (a-b): 8.4 c-(f):

On 8/26/2019—I received a letter from Phillip J. Pattee (STATE Bar Counsel) at the Nevada State Bar. The letter concluded, “No further action will be taken in this matter.”

On 9/5/2019—I, Tara Kellogg, sent STATE Chief Justice Mark Gibbons a certified letter with supporting documentation about Nevada State Bar Counsel Phillip J. Pattee. “I believe the investigatory and disciplinary process is being abused or ignored. I also believe that Bar Counsel Phillip J. Pattee is biased, lacking objectivity when reviewing complaints about Alex Ghibaudo.”

On September 25, 2019—the STATE Supreme Court of Nevada Re: Your Correspondence Dated September 5, 2019

“Your letter dated September 5, 2019, along with exhibits, has been forwarded to me for a response. As there is pending litigation in this matter. Chief Justice Gibbons is unable to intervene or advise you in this matter. Your letter and exhibits will be forwarded to the Executive Director of the Nevada State Bar for consideration. Sincerely Elizabeth A. Brown Esq. Clerk of Court.” (I never heard from the Nevada State Bar).

On 9/26/2019–Criminal Conspiracy by Ghibaudo, Elske Shipp, and Heather Bekish.

  1. The inception of the first Fake Facebook page, “Hekela Koa” developed and devoted to disparaging, harassing, and stalking me (Tara) incessantly.
  1. In total Ghibaudo, Shipp, and Bekish developed 7 Fake Facebook pages.

On 10/2019–SHIPP (“high as a kite”) contacted my then family law attorney Sigal Chattah and demanded that my bank statements be directly sent to Shipp’s email address without authority or authorization whatsoever. SHIPP has no reason, right, or basis for requesting my bank statements.

On 10/28/2019–I contacted the STATE-appointed Henderson Police Department because of the relentless and continued online harassment from SHIPP/GHIBAUDO. Upon information and belief, the Henderson Police Department contacted SHIPP and advised SHIPP to stop engaging in this behavior and misconduct. However, SHIPP flouted authority and continued engaging in said behavior. SHIPP was empowered and emboldened by GHIBAUDO as a STATE licensed officer of the court.

Ghibaudo continued telling SHIPP “It was “okay” to carry on with the harassment. Thereafter, the Henderson Police Department inexplicably closed the case within minutes after learning GHIBAUDO was a STATE licensed attorney. Ghibaudo threatened to sue them (calling the officers “pigs” in the process).

On 10/30/2019–GHIBAUDO and SHIPP unlawfully and without permission attempted to access my Capital One account. I received a message from Capital One that my account had been locked out due to too many failed attempts. Henderson Police Department Incident Report No. LHP191025000778.

AGAIN, the Henderson Police Department did Nothing because they were intimidated by a STATE licensed attorney (Ghibaudo) threatening to sue them.

On 10/30/2019–GHIBAUDO and SHIPP attempted to unlawfully and without permission access my PayPal account from an unknown mobile device.

November 2019—Conference call with STATE elected District Attorney Steven Wolfson, Suzi Trubi, Assistant Director of Child Support Enforcement, my dad, Dr. Joseph Kellogg, and me.

The conference call addressed Alex Ghibaudo’s failure to pay Spousal Support since October 30, 2018, and child support arrearages and Child Support Enforcement’s ultimate failure to enforce.

In addition, we further discussed NRS 201.020. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, this conference call resulted in nothing of consequence (like virtually everything else at the STATE level whenever my CIVIL OR DUE PROCESS RIGHTS are at issue.

NRS 201.020  Penalties; jurisdiction.

1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, a person who knowingly fails to provide for the support of his or her:

(a) Spouse or former spouse;

(b) Minor child; or

(c) a Child who upon arriving at the age of majority is unable to provide support for himself or herself because of infirmity, incompetency, or other legal disability that was contracted before the child reached the age of majority, Ê as ordered by a court, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

2.  A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130 if:

(a) The person’s arrearages for nonpayment of the child support or spousal support ordered by a court total $10,000 or more and have accrued over any period since the date that a court first ordered the defendant to provide for such support; or

(b) It is a second or subsequent violation of subsection 1 or an offense committed in another jurisdiction that, if committed in this State, would be a violation of subsection 1, and the person’s arrearages for nonpayment of the child support or spousal support ordered by a court total $5,000 or more and have accrued over any period since the date that a court first ordered the defendant to provide for such support.

3.  A prosecution for a violation of subsection 1 may be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in any county in which:

(a) A court has issued a valid order for the defendant to pay child support or spousal support;

(b) The defendant resides;

(c) The custodial parent or custodian of the child for whom the defendant owes child support resides;

(d) The spouse or former spouse to whom the defendant owes spousal support resides; or

(e) The child for whom the defendant owes child support resides.

[1:170:1923; NCL § 10516]—(NRS A 1965, 1440; 1967, 474; 1969, 271; 1979, 1284; 1983, 1878; 1995, 1196; 1999, 1208, 3568; 2001, 278).

In direct reference to this statute supra, GHIBAUDO OWES ME OVER $300,000.00 IN SUPPORT ARREAGES, which are still unpaid, yet the STATE-elected D.A. Wolfson never found such egregious criminal violations by STATE-licensed GHIBAUDO “necessary enough” to pursue, past or present.

Instead, Woflson nonchalantly stated, “He did not want to get involved in pursuing this blatant CRIME.” This is coming from the D.A. which has a statutory and elected duty (that was breached) to pursue willful and egregious crimes against victims, including but not limited to families and especially children!

Then Nevada State Bar renews Alex Ghibaudo’s law license annually. The State Bar knows full well that he does not pay his court-ordered support obligation, judgments, and attorney fees.

In 2019 and 2020–GHIBAUDO, SHIPP, and a new player/agent in their sick and twisted game, one HEATHER BEKISH (Bekish is a disgruntled ex-girlfriend of my boyfriend), posted a Craigslist ad offering “my” sexual services to strangers. The ad provided my phone number. I received numerous terrifying, unwanted, unsolicited, and lewd phone calls and voice messages (I have one saved voicemail for evidentiary purposes).

In 2019-2020, BEKISH, SHIPP, and GHIBAUDO publicly shared my medical information, bank statements, bank account numbers, and Deposition of Tara Kellogg. My private information was posted online, in emails, and in text messages. The trio disseminated my information in my sealed Family Law case. I repeatedly requested STATE elected Judge Ritchie safeguard my protected information just as Ritchie would a juvenile. He ignored my request, just as he had done for years (multiple breaches of his duty as a STATE elected family law Judge).

As discussed supra, and on other occasions, SHIPP, GHIBAUDO, and BEKISH have engaged in an online and in-person campaign of harassment, defamation, abuse, stalking, and other atrocious conduct towards me, as explicitly discussed above and below.

SHIPP, BEKISH, and GHIBAUDO admitted to their goal and purpose of accomplishing the above-discussed objectives and admitted the same in writing and orally.

On 4/3/2020–I received a letter from my health insurance provider (Aetna). The letter said that Alex Ghibaudo from the Law Firm G Law contacted Aetna to inform them of his power of attorney status. This assertion by GHIBAUDO to Aetna was a blatant lie and completely misrepresentative and illegal since I gave GHIBAUDO no such authorization to say or do so.

On 8/2/2020—An email to STATE-elected Steven Wolfson outlining Ghibaudo’s failure to pay child support, court-ordered spousal support payments, and Larry Bertsch’s Forensic Accounting report. The report concludes Ghibaudo’s misuse of two (2) IOLTA accounts and refusal to provide documents, statements, and tax returns.

On 8/9/2020—Phil Pattee (Nevada STATE Bar, Bar Counsel) emailed my attorney, Chris Reade.

Please note that the email is dated one month before the court granted Ghibaudo’s Law License Suspension for failure to pay Court-Ordered Child Support.

The email explicitly states as follows verbatim (an unimaginable STATE-authored admission of an intentional and willful breach of duty):

“I got a call from Phil Pattee at the State Bar Office of Bar Counsel. He noted that they had received the information on child support from the CCDA and would be doing Nothing further with it. He said that the District Attorney has no authority to suspend a law license and knows it has no authority to suspend a law license. He said as he chuckles when he gets another complaint against Alex, he puts it in his 3” thick file on Alex. He said this one would likewise be put in Alex’s file but Nothing further would be done at this time.”

On 8/12/2020—STATE sponsored Child Support Enforcement-District Attorney’s Notice of Motion and Motion to Suspend Alex Ghibaudo’s Law License to Practice Law in the State Of Nevada is granted. (Yet, Ghibaudo did not pay, nor was his Law License suspended per order).

Here, another breach of duty is shown by this agency since such an ordered suspension is specifically what their job is (enforcing payment or imposing the appropriate penalties).

On 8/21/2020— An email from STATE elect Steven Wolfson to me confirming that Child Support Enforcement is pursuing the suspension of Alex Ghibaudo’s Law License for failure to pay child support.

ORDER September 17, 2020: 

The Court finds that Tara is willfully underemployed to maximize her spousal support claim, that the income should be imputed to her for the period between October 2017- the present (8 months after the Divorce decree was signed) (The NRS code states that you cannot retroactively decrease support). The Court can appropriately calculate the NET (the divorce decree states that all calculations are determined GROSS, not NET) support that is due during this time and that amount based on the evidence presented is $2,000 a month.

The Court further finds that Alex is employed as an attorney who incorporated his law firm with the Nevada Secretary of State about six months after the settlement conference on December 19, 2016. (Per the settlement agreement, all assets will remain community property until divorce).

The Court further finds the duration of the marriage, which was 13 years. (WRONG 15 years, 6 months) YOU DUMB FUCK. SIX YEARS ON MY CASE, AND YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW THE YEARS OF MARRIAGE!

The Court further Finds that the Court considered the earning capacity, age, and health of each spouse. Alex has an earning capacity of $140,000 per year; Tara’s earning capacity is $24,000 per year.

The Court Further Finds that the Court considers the standard of living during the marriage and finds the marriage, both parties had financial and personal issues. So that is not a compelling consideration in this case. (Ghibaudo had personal and financial issues; hence, drugs, alcohol, hookers, strip joints, and supporting random girlfriends).

In 1999 Alex moved into my 3,000 sq ft house with a pool valued at $650,000.00 and drove my $60,000 car to begin his education at CSN. (Alex had nothing.) He pissed everything away). Please see my attached deed. I stupidly added Ghibaudo to the deed to my house.

The Court Further Finds that the Court considered the career before marriage of the spouse who received alimony. Here, Tara has been taking college courses for years and has received an Associate Degree. She is currently seeking a bachelor’s degree and made effort in that regard.

I started school at CSN in 2013 while being the sole caretaker of our minor child and housewife.

I was unable to continue school and graduate from UNLV. However, Alex strategically stopped paying support on October 30, 2018. He knew full well that I would soon receive my Bachelor’s Degree. Ghibaudo does not want me to obtain an education and has made this known throughout our marriage.

The Court Further Finds that the Court considers the award of property granted in the Decree.

There was not much property granted in the Decree of Divorce to either party. (DUH! Alex stole over $700,000.00 from me. He took out a second and third mortgage on my house to afford his deplorable, vile lifestyle while living in San Francisco and attending Law School. My money provided “UNKNOWINGLY” his animalistic lifestyle behind my back.

Additionally, Alex sold my $80,000.00 vehicle and $10,000 engagement ring. He sold all the furnishings in my house and borrowed over $100,000.00 from my parents without repayment. My home foreclosed in 2009.

The Court has continuing jurisdiction to modify unaccrued periodic alimony payments outlined in a Decree of Divorce upon showing changed circumstances. NRS 125.150(8) (Ritchie imputed income retroactively back to 2017).

The only change in circumstances is the substantial increase in Ghibaudo’s income. Alex’s income increasing x 3.

The Court may consider, among other factors, a party’s earning capacity, not just income, when determining a fair and equitable alimony award. NRS 125.150.

Ghibaudo and I participated in a settlement conference and agreed on all terms, At any time any party could petition the Court for a divorce.

September 17, 2020, JUDGE RITCHIE REDUCED MY ALIMONY RETROACTIVELY DUE TO MY DISABILITY. 

  1. My disability was never mentioned in the settlement conference and agreement.
  1. My disability is NOT mentioned in Divorce Decree. Why? Because it’s nobody’s business.
  1. Judge Ritchie used the required Financial Disclosure Form (FDF) questionnaire against me. The FDF asks two questions under penalty of perjury.
  2. Do you have a disability? Yes
  1. If yes, please provide supporting documentation. I provided the same documentation supplied to the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) required by the Disability Resource Center (DRC).

On 8/21/2020— An email from STATE elect Steven Wolfson to me confirming that Child Support Enforcement is pursuing the suspension of Alex Ghibaudo’s Law License for failure to pay child support.

  1. Judge Ritchie never enforced any provision in my Divorce Decree in six (6) years.
  1. Refused to enforce child support
  1. Refused to enforce health insurance for Ghibaudo’s daughter, EVER.
  1. Refused to enforce Marital Debt.

On 9/26/2020—Shipp, Ghibaudo, and Bekish created a Facebook account (“Hekela Koa”). The newly aligned trio created seven (7) Facebook accounts for inflicting emotional and mental distress upon me through relentless cyberstalking, cyberbullying, harassment, and other unlawful, actionable acts on a criminal and civil level. AGAIN, the Henderson Police Department did Nothing to protect or secure my 14th Amendment due process or any of my civil rights. Multiple breaches of their express duty to the public to protect and serve ALL victims, not just selectively.

On 10/19/2020–Cease and Desist letter was mailed to Elske Shipp and Heather Bekish from Chris Reade Esq. The letter went ignored and the harassment continued.

On 1/11/2021— Chris Reade Esq. filed TPO against Alex Ghibaudo for threats against Tara Kellogg and family members.

  1. Ghibaudo said he would physically, financially, and personally “fuck Ms. Kellogg up” and would make her wish that she were dead.
  1. Ghibaudo doubled down on his threats and said he would take out his frustrations on Ms. Kellogg physically and her family, whom Mr. Ghibaudo alleges was behind Ms. Kellogg’s litigation.
  1. Ghibaudo said he would retract the physical threats if Ms. Kellogg agreed to “specific settlement terms in good faith. This physical threat by Ghibaudo, in exchange for a compromised civil settlement, is unequivocally clear, blatant, and illegal extortion, in which the County D.A. and various STATE courts of competent jurisdiction deliberately turned yet another blind eye to STATE-LICENSED Ghibaudo’s criminal conduct.

On 1/11/2021—An Email from STATE appointed Assistant Director Suzi Truby (Child Support Enforcement) to my Attorney Chris Reade informing Mr. Reade that Assistant District Attorney Adam Hughes will not suspend Alex Ghibaudo’s Law License for failure to pay child support after all.

Note: STATE attorney Hughes had no discretion or authority to make such a unilateral move outside his scope of authority. This decision came after Hughes spoke with STATE Bar counsel Phil Pattee, and was told by Pattee that Hughes had no such authority to suspend GHIBAUDO’s law license even though the STATE statute clearly says otherwise.

On 1/19/2021—I drove to the Henderson Police Station at 225 E Sunset Rd. The previous police reports made at my home were fruitless. As such, the “trio’s” threats and harassment increased exponentially because the Henderson Police Department enabled their misconduct towards me and essentially encouraged it by their non-action.

Upon request, I provided a detailed police report, including violations of the protective order issued on 1/11/2021. Police Officer Hendrickson “conveniently,” said the TPO does not mention/cover social media. Therefore, the threats, harassment, and stalking continued and increased substantially, even though clear and unambiguous NEVADA STATE STATUTES are in place that say otherwise.

Hearing February 3, 2021: 

Attorney Chris Reade filed a motion for an order to show cause, attorney fees, and costs.

Ghibaudo failed to pay 39 months of court-ordered support out of 40 months. Monies paid to enforce divorce decree $300,000.00, Ritchie – Denied.

Hearing June 2, 2021- Clark County Family Court Judge Arthur RITCHIE THREATENS ME!! 

Ritchie – that should Plaintiff attempt to enforce this Court’s prior orders or her awards of support Plaintiff would be acting at Plaintiff’s own risk.

On 7/16/2021–Email correspondence between Chris Reade Esq., and Alex Ghibaudo Esq., and cc’d to my dad, Dr. Joseph Kellogg.

The emails said as follows:

  1. “If your client refuses this reasonable request (continuance), I will seek sanctions and attorney fees. When Ritchie denies it because he’s covering your client, because he’s white like you all are, I will appeal it. (Alex calls Ritchie Racist).

“If you think this is a fucking game I’ll play and mine will be to drain those ghoulish parents of hers (Tara’s) of every fucking penny he may have…you listening Joe? (Tara Kellogg’s father, Dr. Joseph Kellogg). Do you want to reconsider or not? Respond.

  1. “By the way, tomorrow every single unflattering picture of hers (Tara) is going up and I will tell the story publicly. It’s all coming out now. Fuck this, I will not be extorted by a POS.”
  1. “Just keep getting that retainer refreshed because this won’t end anytime soon so long as your old POS daughter keeps playing her stupid fucking games old man.

Just wait till I tell the world what a piece of shit you and your family are.

  1. Chris Reade Esq. emailed me the following:
  1. “He is high as a kite, But Tara, if you don’t think this email accusing Ritchie of racism is not an exhibit, you are grossly mistaken. WTH was he thinking?
  1. “He also indicated that he intends to vexatiously drain your parents. That’s an abuse of process that he just admitted to.”
  1. Email dated August 12, 2021. In the email from Ghibaudo to Shipp (Ghibaudo’s girlfriend) and cc’d to Bekish (the disgruntled ex-girlfriend of my boyfriend Mike A/K/A Hoyt Torrey).
  1. The email directs Shipp and Bekish to create another fake Facebook account or send disparaging, deplorable, disgusting flyers to my neighbors sent anonymously.

The intent is: “I aim to force this bitch to kill herself.” 

  1. To date, Ghibaudo, Shipp, and Bekish have created seven (7) fake Facebook accounts to stalk, harass and threaten me to “the point I kill myself” (as intended by the email I provided you from Alex and cc’d Elske Shipp (Ghibaudo’s girlfriend) and Heather Bekish (the disgruntled ex-girlfriend of my boyfriend Mike A/K/A Hoyt Torrey).
  1. Ghibaudo’s threats throughout the years must be taken seriously. Ghibaudo has a long string of severe DV arrests and convictions against me and his current girlfriend.
  1. In 2020, Ghibaudo disseminated my bank statements and deposition to his minions and many others.
  1. Ghibaudo makes physical threats directly to my 80-year-old dad, Dr. Joseph Kellogg.
  1. Ghibaudo threatens my dad with his intent to continue litigation indefinitely. (Emails in my possession).
  1. TPO sought and received by attorney Chris Reade against Ghibaudo. (See TPO in my possession).
  1. Phil Pattee enables Alex (Read the Chris email about the 3-inch binder BS).
  1. The State Bar runs unchecked in Clark County (DA Wolfson does not want to “get involved”).
  1. Ghibaudo and Shipp commit perjury (See perjury folder in my possession). Discuss the videotaped lying testimony by Alex and Shipp vs. the phone records exposing those lies.

Here, the courts, DA, or state Bar have done zero. about it.

On August 12, 2021, an email authored by GHIBAUDO (on his business letterhead, no less) to SHIPP and BEKISH read verbatim in its entirety as follows:

“Heather, are you opposed to starting another Facebook page about them both? I can feed you all sorts of information and shield and protect you from any kind of liability. My goal is to utterly destroy both of them. I’m not fucking around with these pieces of shit anymore. One idea I like is to print out pictures of the two of them together, attach them to his disbarment doc, and distribute them to her entire neighborhood; all, of them. I’m willing to mail it if we cannot get in.

“I AIM TO FORCE THIS BITCH TO KILL HERSELF.” 

SHIPP, BEKISH, and GHIBAUDO admitted to their goal and purpose of accomplishing the above-discussed objectives and admitted the same in writing and orally.

On 8/16/2021— STATE-backed judge Ritchie required an unprecedented, improper, unfounded, abnormal, and unheard-of two-day Evidentiary Hearing on a Writ of Execution/Writ of Garnishment.

On August 17, 2021, Ghibaudo changed his LLC to defraud me in violation of NRS 89.022.

From 2018 through 10/2021, I, Tara Kellogg, filed twenty-eight (28) police reports for continued threats, harassment, and stalking with the STATE approved Henderson Police Department.

  1. ALL police reports were closed without investigation (blatant breach of duty).
  1. Seven police reports were left blank.
  1. Eight Police reports had basic information incorrect, such as my name.
  1. On 10/03/2022, Officer Eric Bohn from the Henderson Police Officer reopened my case(s) and forwarded it to the Cybercrimes Unit.
  1. In March 2023, Detective Vargason from the Henderson Police Department (Cybercrimes Unit) contacted me three (3) months after I provided:
  • The flash drive included threats, harassment, relentless stalking, grotesque, deplorable, vile, repugnant photos of me, including my name: Tara R. Kellogg, Tara Rae, Tara Rae Kellogg
  • My sworn declaration/affidavit.
  1. Detective Vargason dared to inquire how long it would take to view the flash drive (as if he did not want to be unduly burdened from doing the exact job he is paid very well for).
  1. I was incredibly insulted by Detective Vargason and “matter of factly” assured him that the length of time it might take him to do his job would be substantially less time than it took me to put all of the “nightmarish documentation together for him (unpaid no less).
  1. I contacted Detective Vargason approximately one (1) month later for an update. Not surprisingly and conveniently, Detective Vargason “did not see any crimes, harassment, stalking, threats, etc”. Although, the last email I received from Ghibaudo specifically stated, “I aim for this Bitch to kill herself.” There is Nothing to see here, I guess (unbelievable).

On November 23, 2021– Ghibaudo was exactly three years (36) months behind in his court-ordered-support obligation.

Jonathan (JK) Nelson said, Ms. Kellogg is continually prejudiced by your failure to act.

Ritchie set an Order to Show Cause for February 2022. Why?? Because Jonathan Nelson was spot on!

Michancy Cramer said in Open Court, “Tara can go sleeping around with half of California. 

Ritchie said NOTHING!!

Ghibaudo held in contempt. However, Ritchie emphatically refused to implement a $500.00 fine for each month Ghibaudo failed to pay support or incarcerate Ghibaudo for failure to pay Court ordered support for a whopping 39 months.

Instead, Ritchie held me in contempt for sharing hearing videos (currently on appeal).

Ghibaudo disseminating my bank statements and other financial docs, deposition, etc., from the evidentiary hearing from May 2019-September 2020. This can be proven.

Ritchie decreased my alimony retroactively and substantially. Ritchie declared that I do not have a disability. However, my disability was never mentioned in the settlement conference or the Divorce Decree. Why? Because it’s nobody’s damn business.

When did this Family Court Judge become a medical doctor?

Ritchie was seeking any reason to decrease my alimony by any means. I stupidly answered honestly on an FDF, “Do you have a disability? Under the Penalty of Perjury, I answered yes.

(Although, it’s nobody’s fucking business) The question further asked me to provide documentation. Thus, I logged into My UNLV account and provided the same documentation I had provided the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at UNLV.

The letter from my psychiatrist and the document from the Social Security Administration. I have the evidence to support this as well.

Ritchie discriminates against people with disabilities, and he is sexist and racist.

Judge Arthur Ritchie, needs immediate removal from the bench before continuing the mountains of destruction, and he MUST be stopped.

On 1/27/2022—Tara Kellogg was ordered to be present for a Deposition at Ghibaudo’s office by Ghibaudo.

Such an order was inherently dangerous since it put me at severe risk of having to be in the same room with an individual who had been arrested and/or convicted more than 30 times for assaulting me in the past.

Including two acts of strangulation. The STATE discovery commissioner ruled against me and my legitimate safety concerns in favor of being unreasonably placed in danger at Ghibaudo’s office. What is so outrageous here is that this was during the height of COVID when such depositions were routinely conducted by” bluejeans” for far less.

Thus, I employed a retired Metro Police Officer to accompany me during the “ridiculous” seven hours Ghibaudo kept the deposition going for his amusement (like a cat taunting a defenseless mouse).

Additionally, Ghibaudo refused to allow the former Metro officer in his office. Ghibudo said, “I hate fucking pigs.” I was terrified the entire time and was legitimately convinced he would kidnap or kill me based on his past actions and current physical threats.

In 2022, GHIBAUDO and SHIPP signed me up for many services and contact lists without my consent. For example, SHIPP signed me up for a job search service that resulted in several unwanted calls and voice messages. SHIPP has no right, privilege, or reason to be concerned about my unemployment status or personal life.

On 2/11/2022–GHIBAUDO and SHIPP created a Facebook account under the name of Lisa Jakobsen (“Jakobsen Account”). The Jakobsen account was created solely to harass, threaten, insult, intimidate, ridicule, defame, stalk, and other legally impermissible behavior toward me.

SHIPP has admitted to being the creator of the Jakobsen Account, and GHIBAUDO admitted to several threatening, harassing, stalking posts (I have the text messages confirming such for evidence provided by Heather Bekish in a lapse of Judgment on her part).

I made countless calls to the Henderson Police Department and numerous Police reports that fell on deaf ears yet again. Shocker. I am now a prisoner in my own home because no one at the STATE LEVEL is doing an iota of what they are required to do by law to protect and serve me as a daily, never-ending victim of this trio.

On 2/12/2022—Again I filed a police report for threats and harassment. Please note that I had a previous appointment with my physician on Friday, March 24, 2023. The appointment was to renew my Disabled Placard. My doctor determined that I will no longer require renewal of the disabled placard. My physician determined that I was “completely disabled.”

The Henderson Police Department is one of the NEVADA STATE agencies that have actually and proximately caused by Federally recognized SSA disability and damages (in which compensatory and punitive damages are highly warranted in Federal Court). The police failed to do a simple investigation. Had the Henderson Police Department (an agent of the STATE OF NEVADA) done a sliver of work between 2018-2023, my future would look drastically different for the better.

However, they chose to do NOTHING instead but ensure the aforementioned “trio” continued to haunt me daily with their antics and with unfettered discretion.

The Henderson Police Department would rather have me employ an expensive PI and do an investigation on my own than do their actual job.

However, “but for” the Henderson Police Department’s willful, intentional (or at the bare minimum, wanton and reckless negligence) over the years, I would not be disabled (ACTUAL DAMAGES) at this point in my life. I would not be diagnosed with PTSD. I would not be depressed every hour of every day, I would not have debilitating anxiety and a life not worth living, as my psychiatrist astutely diagnosed).

Further, I have now developed a reasonable fear toward STATE law enforcement and elected officials based solely on the prolonged mistreatment and injustice I have been forced to endure needlessly for over eight years. I have had to learn “the hard way” that these institutions seemingly are not in place to protect me in the least, especially if a STATE licensed attorney is the criminal hell-bent on seeing me ultimately “DEAD.” 

Click on this Powerful interview:

Tara Kellogg victim of Family Court Torture by Nevada Attorney Alex Ghibaudo & Judge Arthur Ritchie

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZEPuoPoB8U&t=1266s

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Confused man in gray turtleneck

Why Women File For Divorce More Often And Men Are Clueless

Confused man in gray turtleneck

 

I read a comment by a man in an article about women and divorce. You know,  some men don’t like women, they especially don’t like women who file for divorce. This was an Andrew Tate type man. I’m sure he is full of thoughts on the modern woman and has a longing for the good old days when women know their place.

Anyway, this man had it all figured out. He thought he did, anyway. For him, it was all about money. Men work themselves half to death but can never satisfy a selfish woman.

“So, if he works long hours to get the house the new car, and sends the kids to expensive schools because he is paying high property taxes. You are getting a divorce? And if he is not ambitious enough by killing himself to make more money to have a more luxurious lifestyle you are getting a divorce? So how come our grandparents were happy with the little they had but were happily married?”

I can tell, from reading that comment that he was the type of man who worked 6 days a week, 10 hours a day. He came home from work and sat in front of the television and waited for his wife to put dinner on the table.

After dinner, he plopped down in front of the television again while the wife got the kids bathed and ready for bed and then cleaned up the kitchen. This man is a knuckle-dragging neanderthal who believes that he did manly things like earn money and the wife did womanly things like run the household and raise the young’uns.

I can almost guarantee you also, that his wife worked too but since he made more money than her, her job was more of a hobby than an income-producing endeavor. She was tired, stressed, and overwhelmed and when she tried to share her feelings with him he tuned out. After all, life was good, so she really had nothing to complain about. She’d get over it.

Imagine his surprise and dismay when she filed for divorce and took her life into her own hands.

And then there was this comment…“If a victim or victim’s family member can forgive and even start a friendship with a rapist or murderer, there is always hope, there is always a chance of reconciliation. I know it is not easy, but it is POSSIBLE. Women are just less willing to practice forgiveness!”

This man thought that women should be willing to forgive men who did things that could be compared to rape and murder. “He beat you? Forgive him!” We all know who this man is, don’t we? He is a Christian man. In his eyes divorce is certainly not an act of faith and there is nothing more important to him than his FAITH. Certainly not his wife who, according to his biblical belief is inferior to him. He is a man, she is a woman! She is to stand by her man even if it is with bruises on her face.

Neither one of these men have an inkling as to why women leave a marriage. They have skewed opinions that keep them from having to take any responsibility and do any navel-gazing. They can keep on keeping on, making that next wife miserable cause it isn’t their problem.

But let’s talk about the reality behind that 73% of women who file for divorce and why they do it. And I want ya’ll to come back in a couple of weeks and read the comments left by men. This article will go right over their heads. And they can continue to take no responsibility for the state of their marriages.

8 Reasons Women File for Divorce More Than Men

Domestic Violence:

Domestic violence is a major reason why women file for divorce more than men. Women are more likely to experience physical and emotional abuse in their marriage and thus more likely to seek a way out.

Infidelity:

Women are more likely to feel betrayed by their partner’s infidelity than men. This feeling of betrayal can lead to divorce.

Lack of Intimacy:

Women are more likely to feel neglected if their partner does not show enough interest in them or fails to provide the emotional support they need. This lack of connection can lead to a breakdown in the marriage.

Empowerment:

Because of the educational and career trends noted above, women are more empowered to leave marriages that make them miserable. The shifts in educational and career status have liberated them. Women have become more independent and financially secure in their own right.  Regardless of the individual reasons that make them ultimately want to leave their marriage, empowerment is the reason they are able to leave.

Gender roles:

Gender roles also play a big part in men not leaving the marriage. Since women tend to do more shopping, cooking, and cleaning than men do, men have a greater lifestyle change if they leave the marriage. Men are not as motivated to leave the marriage even if they have strayed outside their marriage. This is partly about being able to “have their cake and eat it too” and partly because they are more complacent. They just won’t leave unless they are forced to.

Remember the movie, “When Harry Met Sally”? For part of the movie, Carrie Fisher’s character, Marie, is involved with a married man. In several scenes, she is talking to her girlfriends and feels that she is wasting her time. At one point, she tells her friend Sally (Meg Ryan), ”He just spent $120 on a new nightgown for his wife. He’s never going to leave her.” Sally tells her, “No one thinks he is ever going to leave her.” Marie says, ”You’re right, I know you’re right.” When Harry Met Sally Quotes

Financial Issues:

Women are often the ones responsible for handling the finances in a marriage, and so if the financial situation becomes difficult, it is more likely to be the woman who will take the lead on filing for divorce.

A woman is less likely to put up with a husband who doesn’t pull his weight, jumps from one job to the next, and leaves her feeling she is less than fanatically secure.

Unhappiness:

Women may be more likely to take action if they are feeling unhappy or unsatisfied in the marriage. Men often feel more pressure and are less concerned with their wife’s unhappiness. They have a “make it work” or stay in an unhappy marriage, whereas women may be more likely to take the initiative to seek a way out.

Women are often left with no other choice than divorce:

Men are notorious for leaving women and their children in a lurch. They abandon their families for the new flavor of the month or because they hit midlife and a crisis. They don’t have to bother with divorce because they know their wives will take care of that pesky task before she allows him to destroy them financially.

And there you have it, what women know, and men refuse to acknowledge.

The post Why Women File For Divorce More Often And Men Are Clueless appeared first on Divorced Moms.

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gray haired happy woman

When You’re Drunk in Love, But You Finally Came to Your Senses…After 30 Years

gray haired happy woman

 

“In sickness and in health…for richer or poorer…Until death do us part.”

People get married to grow old with each other. During their nuptials, partners exchange marriage vows and speak of a love that lasts forever. You say words full of promises to be there for each other no matter the circumstance. However, it’s not always the case. Couples can decide to part ways even after 30 years into their marriage.

Drunk in Love

Take the case of Bill and Melinda Gates. The couple, married for 27 years, shocked the world when they announced their split. But their separation isn’t special. Divorce after years of marriage is pretty common.

Why does this happen? Is it a trend or a pressing problem with ramifications for both parties? This article will discuss why the overall divorce rate for the older demographic is increasing over time.

What is Gray Divorce?

Gray divorce is also known as a “silver splitter.” It’s a legal separation between two older adults aged 50 and above. These couples have shared long-lasting relationships between 20 to 30 years together. Most involved in these divorce proceedings belong to the baby boomer generation and mostly have gray hairs. Hence, the name gray divorce.

The gray divorce rate going up is not news. It’s been going on for years. A 2012 study documented that marriage dissolution in people aged 50 and older doubled within 10 years. In 2010 alone, 25 percent of divorces belonged to the older age group.

Today, not much has changed. The latest report by the US Census Department highlighted that 34.9 percent of Americans filing for divorce in 2020 were 55 years old and older.

Interestingly, these older adults not only have to deal with financial constraints but also health concerns. Divorcing after years of marriage also means saying goodbye to a longer life. Studies have shown that married individuals have longer life expectancy than unmarried ones.

Three Reasons Why Even Long-Term Marriages End up in Divorce

Long-term marriages go through different stages of learning and relearning about each other. Couples discover new things about each other over the years of being together. In the course of their relationship, they may realize that they have different views on things.

There may also be some instances when problems can get out of hand. In such cases, the best course of action is to go their separate ways. While they grow together, it’s also possible for them to grow apart. Here are three common reasons why gray divorce happens:

Empty Nest Syndrome

As adult children seek an independent life by moving out, most couples find themselves spending more time with only each other. This constant exposure to each other’s presence can highlight the dynamics the couples share.

Married couples tend to focus more on their differences now that they no longer have children to look after. During all the years of marriage, most couples rarely spend time alone.

Going on dates and doing activities without the kids are a rarity. As their children are no longer there to mask marital neglect, the cracks of the marriage become more visible.

When they are in their midlife, couples may realize that both of them have changed. They no longer share the same passions and goals.

Financial Issues

Married couples will have to face several challenges as they work through their marriage. A significant one is financial issues. These monetary problems are more tolerable when both spouses have their sources of income.

However, there may be instances when these financial issues become a significant concern in the marriage. Many couples must rely on their retirement funds when they reach retirement age. Living on a fixed income means they must be more careful about their spending habits.

Financial conflicts can also arise from the so-called spender vs. saver dichotomy. This difference in mindset can cause a rift in the marriage.

For example, a partner stays at home with no income while the other continues to work. The other can feel guilty about not contributing financially. The other may feel more power in the relationship because they’re “providing” familial support.

Financial problems can also stem from addictions, often dragging on in the long-term. In such cases, most couples decide to start the divorce process by consulting a certified divorce financial analyst. This helps determine the appropriate spousal support.

Infidelity

Marital neglect is common in long-term marriages. Some couples become so used to seeing and being with their partners that they take each other for granted. It can result in a lack of romance, making them easily succumb to temptation. While there’s no excuse for cheating on a spouse, some partners may seek what their marriage lacks in other people.

According to psychologists, people cheat because they have emotional issues. They use cheating as a way to deal with aging. Starting an affair makes them believe they are still attractive to someone other than their partners.

Many divorcing couples go through bouts of infidelity several times throughout their marriage until they reach a breaking point. However, using infidelity as grounds for divorce can be tricky. While adultery is illegal in some states, it doesn’t hold weight in divorce proceedings. Talking to a family law attorney may be necessary in order to understand your state’s divorce laws.

Divorce After 30 Years: What to Expect

Starting a new life after a long marriage can be challenging but liberating. There are things you must know. Here are some of them.

Retirement and Divorce

Since gray divorce occurs when you’re in your retirement age, it’s essential to secure your finances, healthcare, and retirement accounts to shield yourself from physical and mental injuries.

Keep in mind that your divorce can impact your retirement plans. Ask your divorce attorney about the division of assets and alimony.

Think about your financial security. If you’re relying on monthly pensions, consider if it will be enough to support your needs. You must also look into your healthcare insurance.

If you’re looking to keep lawyers out of the divorce, it is possible to get divorced without hiring an attorney in some states like Texas. Before deciding whether to proceed with a DIY divorce, make sure to look into your state’s laws and consider the pros and cons.

Changes in Family Dynamics

Divorce means a change in the current family dynamics. Post-divorce, the family traditions that you’ve followed for years will change.

Children will end up choosing sides over trivial and important things. Though not always guaranteed, divorce can split the entire family. For example, children must choose which parent they will spend the holidays with. Ultimately, they may decide not to visit anyone at all. This may cause them to grow apart from you.

Older people divorcing doesn’t mean they won’t remarry. Remarried couples often have to deal with introducing their new relationships to their children.

Gray Divorce Is Not the End of Your Story

Divorcing later in life doesn’t mean that you’ve made a mistake. You got married because it felt right at that time. Several things can happen while you’re together that forces you to make the brave decision of accepting your reality.

Remember, divorce doesn’t mean your story is ending. It is the start of another chapter in your life.

The post When You’re Drunk in Love, But You Finally Came to Your Senses…After 30 Years appeared first on Divorced Moms.

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Woman holding out empty blue jean pockets

Women Continue to Suffer Financial Problems During and After Divorce

Woman holding out empty blue jean pockets

 

Family structures have changed drastically over the last several decades. In the past, men were more likely to be the sole or primary income earners for families, and women were more likely to be homemakers. However, this is no longer the case in the majority of American families. Women are just as likely as men to have full-time jobs, and in many families, both spouses share equally in earning income and managing household responsibilities.

Financial Problems During and After Divorce

However, despite these changes, many women continue to face disadvantages during divorce. Certain women are particularly likely to face financial difficulties, such as those who have remained home to care for children, those who earn less than their spouses, or those who have been victims of abuse.

Regardless of your individual situation, it is important to understand the best ways to mitigate the financial risks of divorce while ensuring that your rights will be protected in decisions about property division and other issues. This can ensure that you will be able to move on successfully and build a new life for yourself after ending your marriage.

Addressing the Gender Pay Gap

Despite increased awareness of the inequalities that women often face in the workforce, many women continue to make less than their male counterparts, even when they are doing the same jobs. This can affect women’s ability to support themselves after getting divorced, and it can lead to inequitable financial outcomes, even if a divorce settlement seems to be fair.

Unfortunately, there is little that can be done on the individual level to change policies regarding pay for women throughout the United States. While women cannot force employers to pay them more, they can advocate for themselves in the workplace, and if necessary, they may seek new employment that provides pay that matches their skills and experience.

You can also protect yourself by planning ahead for the loss of income you might experience after your divorce. This may include paying off as much debt as possible using shared family income, which can help limit your expenses following divorce. you may also seek out opportunities that could increase your income without a lot of time commitment (i.e. selling crafts, dog-walking, house cleaning, etc.). With the proper legal representation during the divorce process, you can ensure that every financial aspect of your case will be carefully considered, and you can work to negotiate settlements that will protect your financial interests.

When Women Are Left Out of the Loop

In some cases, women may face disadvantages due to not being involved in managing family finances. When husbands are primarily responsible for managing income, debts, and assets, wives may be unaware of the amount of income that is being earned, the expenses that are being paid, and the value of different types of property.

Husbands may have more involvement in managing retirement accounts and other assets that may be easy to hide during the divorce process. This lack of knowledge can put women at a financial disadvantage as they work to address the division of marital property and other issues.

Thankfully, these issues can be mitigated with the help of an experienced divorce lawyer. A lawyer can help you gain a full understanding of the extent of your marital assets, and if necessary, they can work with financial experts to discover any hidden assets and find the information needed to obtain a clear picture of your family’s financial situation. By fully considering all issues related to your property and finances, you can make the right decisions that will benefit you as you end your marriage.

Failure to Consider Issues Related to Financial Support and Property Ownership

Women may sometimes struggle financially after getting divorced due to a failure to fully understand how the decisions they have made will affect them in the future. In many cases, women will be able to have primary custody of the children they share with their spouses, and this will ensure that they will receive child support. If they earn a significantly lower income than their spouse or if they have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time while they were married, they may also receive spousal support (also known as spousal maintenance or alimony).

However, women may sometimes overestimate the amount of support they will receive, and these amounts may not be sufficient to fully meet the needs of themselves and their children. This can be especially true when a woman wishes to maintain ownership of the family home. The costs of home ownership can be significant, and they will include ongoing mortgage payments, property taxes, utilities, and maintenance.

Underestimating these expenses and relying on financial support from an ex-spouse that may not fully cover ongoing costs may lead to financial difficulties in the future.

Fortunately, you can avoid these issues by creating a workable post-divorce budget and finding affordable living arrangements that will allow ongoing expenses to be paid while also saving money and providing for the needs of you and your children.

Get Legal Help With Divorce-Related Financial Issues

The best thing that women can do to protect themselves financially during the divorce process is to secure representation from a qualified divorce lawyer. With the help of an attorney, you can make sure you fully understand your financial situation, and you can make decisions that will benefit you and your children as you move on to the next stage of your life.

Sources:

wtop.com/money/2017/03/mindful-divorces-financial-consequences/

www.fool.com/the-ascent/banks/articles/x-financial-challenges-women-face-in-a-divorce/https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2018/07/15/the-6-nasty-financial-surprises-for-divorcing-women/

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Money stuffed in a mattress

Where To Look For Hidden Assets During Divorce

Money stuffed in a mattress

 

If you are in the midst of the divorce process, you may be concerned about multiple types of financial issues. You will want to make sure you will be able to support yourself after you separate from your spouse, and you will also want to be sure you can receive a fair share of your marital property.

However, you may be worried that your ability to reach a fair divorce settlement will affect your spouse’s attempts to hide money or other assets.

This can be a significant concern for many mothers who are going through divorce. If you have been focused on childcare and other household responsibilities, you may not be as well-informed about your family’s finances as your spouse.

This can put you at a disadvantage, especially if you do not have all the information you need about your household income and expenses or the different types of assets you and your spouse own. If you are concerned that your spouse is attempting to hide assets, here are some tips on where you can look to uncover these issues:

Where to Look for Hidden Assets During Divorce

Tax Returns

Hiding income from the IRS can lead to serious penalties, including hefty fines or even prison time. Because of this, most people take care to properly report their income when filing their annual tax returns. Whether you and your spouse have filed taxes jointly or separately, you should be able to access the returns that were filed in the past.

By closely examining tax returns from the past five years, you can search for inconsistencies between the income that was reported to the IRS and the financial disclosures made by your spouse during the divorce process.

Checking Account Statements and Canceled Checks

You should be able to access information about any joint bank accounts you have with your spouse, and during the discovery process, you can obtain information about separately-owned accounts as well. By reviewing bank statements, you can determine how marital funds were used to make purchases, pay expenses, or transfer money to others.

Canceled checks can be very helpful, and they may show that your spouse made purchases that you were unaware of or attempted to transfer funds to friends or family members to avoid dividing them with you during the divorce process.

Savings Accounts

By reviewing statements for any accounts you and your spouse own together or separately, you can determine whether any unusual deposits or withdrawals were made. Large deposits may mean your spouse is concealing a source of income, such as dividends earned through ownership of stock. Unexplained withdrawals may be attempts to conceal assets that should be included in the property division process during your divorce.

Loan Documents

If your soon-to-be ex-spouse borrowed money from a mortgage company or bank, you can receive a copy of their loan application from the courthouse, as well as other documentation related to the loan. These documents will list all of the assets reported when applying for the loan.

The estimated values of these assets can give you a clear idea of what property should be divided during the divorce process, as well as the financial resources available to your spouse through any non-marital assets they own. All of this information can inform the decisions made during the asset division process.

The County Auditor

If your spouse has made any real estate purchases, the county auditor will have information related to any money that was taken from savings accounts and used to purchase real estate. You will be able to find any homes or land your spouse owns and ensure that the value of these assets will be properly considered when dividing your marital property.

Lifestyle Analysis

If you are uncertain about the extent of your family’s finances, you may want to consider the lifestyle of your soon-to-be ex-partner. Does their reported income match the type of clothing they wear, the car they drive, and the activities they participate in? If you believe their lifestyle is more lavish than their reported income could support, they may be hiding assets from you.

A forensic accountant may be able to help you analyze the information available to you and determine whether it matches up with the lifestyle of your spouse and your family. They can use the abovementioned methods and other techniques to uncover assets your spouse has attempted to conceal.

Get Legal Help Uncovering Hidden Assets

You may be able to work with accountants or other financial experts during the divorce process to uncover any hidden assets and gain a complete understanding of your family’s finances. However, your best resource is likely to be your attorney.

An experienced divorce lawyer can help you determine the best ways to search for hidden assets, and they can advocate on your behalf throughout the divorce process to make sure you will be able to reach a fair settlement. With the right attorney on your side, you can achieve an outcome to your case that will allow you to meet your financial needs in the coming years.

The post Where To Look For Hidden Assets During Divorce appeared first on Divorced Moms.

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Deal With Post-Divorce Conflict

6 Tips To Help Deal With Post-Divorce Conflict

Deal With Post-Divorce Conflict

 

If you are leaving a marriage that is full of conflict, that conflict will follow you into your post-divorce life. Divorce does not put an end to the crazy that went on during the marriage. You may no longer live in the same home but you can bet, if you were married to someone with anger management issues, you will continue to be the recipient of their anger after the divorce is final.

In some cases divorce can exacerbate the anger so for your sake it pays to have a plan for dealing with the conflict to come.

Even if you are lucky enough to have a civil relationship with your ex, there will be times when you don’t see eye to eye on issues such as child visitation, holiday schedules and such. Arming yourself with coping skills to use during periods of conflict is essential for those of you who have children and will be attempting to co-parent with your ex.

The following 6 tips can help you deal with post-divorce conflict that may arise

1. Try and respect your ex-spouse and his/her household. Find ways of being respectful rather than resentful. Do not personally criticize them, but don’t make excuses for their behavior either.

2. Live by the divorce agreement reached between the two of you or, handed down by a Judge that addressed financial arrangements such as child support, spousal support or division of property. Do not let your attitude towards it, after the fact; taint your relationship with your ex or your children. If you came to an agreement with your ex, live up to that agreement. If you have a court order, follow that order. No amount of anger over financial issues is worth contaminating your relationship with your ex or your children.

3. Hurt feelings from the past are the number one reason you and your ex engage in conflict with one another. Do your part by in keeping down conflict by letting go of the past and living in the present.

4. The two of you can make your children’s best interest common ground. If you are both focused on doing what is best for the children, there is less room for conflict. The bottom line, your children and their needs are more important than any anger either of you has toward the other.

5. Try seeing stressful situations from your ex’s perspective. Every situation will require some give and take and it is easier to give a little if you can view the situation from the other person’s point of view.

6. Always put your children’s needs before your own. You may not like your ex, may not want to be around him/her BUT your children love both parents and it fills their hearts to see each parent get along with the other. Parents who manage to put their children’s needs first during and after divorce help minimize the negative effects of their divorce on the children.

Effort on your part to build a new and productive relationship with your ex will help all involved in the healing process and move forward with their lives. If your effort is thwarted you should accept the reality of the situation…you do not have an ex that is interested in anything other than being angry.

Move on, cut ties, do not engage when your buttons are pushed and send him/her a clear and loud message…if you can’t behave reasonably, I will have nothing to do with you.

For your sake and the sake of your children though, you must put forth the effort to “get along.”

The post 6 Tips To Help Deal With Post-Divorce Conflict appeared first on Divorced Moms.

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woman in jeans holing out her empty pocket

How To Keep Financial Issues From Leading To Divorce

woman in jeans holing out her empty pocket

 

So, it didn’t work out the way you thought it would… you skipped the prenup, and now you have a painful mess.

But take heart, the re-marriage rate is about 50%, so here are some great tips to prevent money from being the AXE next time.

Why less money doesn’t have to mean more problems

We have been living in a financially inflated economy for over seven years. Though in some areas, there has been a significant uptick, some of that stress has seeped into our relationships, and that has led to a rise in divorces.

70% of married couples fight about money, which is more than they fight about household chores, kids, and who left the seat up.

Ironically, for some couples, these fights are actually a great chance to address some larger issues that they are facing.

Here are 8 actions that will keep financial issues from leading to divorce:

Accept that you have an issue.

Acknowledge with your partner that there is financial tension in your marriage and make a date to sit down together to discuss it. Make sure you have total privacy; don’t involve your kids, turn your cell phones off, and don’t have any other distractions.

Get organized.

Each of you should list your concerns, pet peeves, and things you’ve always wanted to say but were afraid to bring up. If you think your partner makes poor money decisions (or has unreasonable expectations of how you should spend money), this is the time to discuss it.

Be vulnerable

Nothing builds emotional intimacy better than you and your partner admitting your fears, where you ache, and what conflicts you struggle with.

Know what you want

At the end of the sharing, make a list of goals. They can be things like building a savings account together, agreeing to discuss all purchases over $300, or even taking a temporary position until you find a great full-time job.

Have fun

You married each other because you liked each other. Make a list of things to do together without the kids that are more fun than expensive. Focusing on each other is the best investment in your relationship.

Keep three accounts: “mine,” “yours,” and “ours”

Decide together how much should be contributed to each account. How much each of you brings home is fairly predictable, so you can create a budget and keep your commitments to each other. This will help build respect and trust between you.

Stay on top of the problem

If you struggle to pay off a debt, have a weekly update to stay accountable. This chat will keep you on track with your payments and ensure that important expenses, like your life insurance premium, don’t get ignored.

Build an emergency fund

This fund will keep the panic away when unexpected expenses happen — the dishwasher goes on the fritz, the transmission in your car needs to be replaced, your dog needs surgery, etc.

Make space for this in your budget, even if it’s a small contribution; the consistency of doing so builds self-trust and not panic when the bill arrives.

At the end of the day, you can manage the money issues in your relationship; you just need to be frank (without pointing fingers), committed, and mature. You chose to marry your partner for a whole range of reasons, but sometimes the road gets challenging.

But never fear; sharing the difficulty will make your relationship stronger.

The post How To Keep Financial Issues From Leading To Divorce appeared first on Divorced Moms.

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Lesser-Known Financial Risks for Couples Facing Divorce

Lesser-Known Financial Risks for Couples Facing Divorce

Divorce is difficult as it is, but it’s more important than ever before to look ahead to protect your own financial well-being.

The post Lesser-Known Financial Risks for Couples Facing Divorce appeared first on Divorce Magazine.

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New Year, New Way to Budget After Divorce: 5 Steps

New Year, New Way to Budget After Divorce: 5 Steps

There is an old adage that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Creating a budget helps you take control of your financial wellness, get a better grasp of your money, and learn how to manage your money better. 

The post New Year, New Way to Budget After Divorce: 5 Steps appeared first on Divorce Magazine.

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3 Financial Mistakes to Avoid When it Comes to the Cost of Divorce

3 Financial Mistakes to Avoid When it Comes to the Cost of Divorce

When a family goes through a divorce, they often become anxious over the costs associated with the process. This is understandable, given that they are going to have to maintain two households on the same incomes that previously supported one. Fortunately, there are some things all parties involved can do to keep their costs down […]

The post 3 Financial Mistakes to Avoid When it Comes to the Cost of Divorce appeared first on Divorce Magazine.

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