BGS Litigation Attorney Joan M. Quade Featured in MNCREW Profile
February 11, 2013 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.MNCREW (Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women) is a professional association of women in Minnesota’s commercial real estate industry. It was founded in 1995 and now has more than 200 members. These members practice in all areas of the commercial real estate industry including development, appraisal, finance, law, leasing, brokerage, title insurance, marketing, architecture, property and asset management. BGS Litigation Attorney Joan Quade has been a member of MNCREW since 1999. This February, Joan’s Member Profile was featured in their online newsletter and contains information about her career path and practice, as well as backgrounds on her achievements both personal and professional. The article can be read in full at February MNCREW Newsletter. Congratulations Joan!
Read MoreHow Can I Protect Myself Financially During a Divorce?
February 11, 2013 | Elizabeth A. SchadingWhile divorce will undoubtedly change your financial position, there are ways that you can reduce the financial danger, especially if you and your spouse have racked up lots of debt. As we covered in a previous article, debt can become a very sticky situation during a divorce. These steps will help you avoid making the situation worse. Start by checking your credit. It’s common for divorcing spouses to discover that there are debts they never knew existed. You and your divorce attorney can’t devise a strategy if you don’t know the full story. Pull a copy of your credit report so you can obtain a complete financial picture. If possible, it would be a good idea to discuss closing credit accounts with your spouse before cutting off your shared lines of credit so that you do not increase the rancor between you by placing your spouse in an embarrassing situation where he or she tries to swipe a credit card that no longer works. Unless unavoidable, you should avoid taking out any new debt, as well, even if it is only in your own name. Some who are divorcing will find that bankruptcy is their only option for securing a fresh start and a secure financial future. It’s sometimes a good idea for…
Read MoreWhat Happens to Debt During a Divorce?
February 7, 2013 | Elizabeth A. SchadingDuring a divorce, many people focus on the assets that are acquired during a marriage without giving very much thought to the debts. The division of debt during a divorce can be a very sticky issue that will have a great impact on your financial future. While we can’t tell you who will have to pay for what, we can tell you that the courts use the principle of “equitable distribution” as their guideline. That means the court will look over the total story of the debt and that debt’s place in the marital partnership while reaching a decision about who might ultimately be responsible. That might include whether the debt was taken out before or after the marriage, whose name the debt is in, what the debt was used to purchase, whether the other spouse knew about the debt or not, and a host of other factors. “Equitable distribution” does not mean that you will necessarily feel that the distribution of the debt is fair. It’s quite possible, for example, to end up footing half the bill for something that your spouse never even told you about simply due to a host of other factors that impact your case. It may feel unfair to you, but remember that you are in the…
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