Bruce Law Firm June 2017

Bruce Law Firm's online newsletter for June 2017

June 2017

Life With the Bruces

Family is the most important thing in my life. My wife, Ashley, is a lawyer as well, and we married in 2012 after I swore I would never marry a lawyer. Now, Ashley and I are the proud parents of two beautiful children: Russell, 17 months, and Ruby, 5 months. Ashley and I met after law school, studying for the bar exam. At first, Ashley didn’t want anything to do with me — she refused to give me her phone number — but she eventually came around after I invited her out for sushi, which I later learned was her favorite food … lucky guess! While I practice divorce law, Ashley is a highly accomplished bankruptcy and business lawyer. She actually just went back to work recently after having Ruby, and she is nothing short of Superwoman. It’s amazing watching her balance her professional life and our life as a family. I am eternally amazed by and grateful for her.

The newest addition to our family, Ruby

are older. When I was growing up, my family had many Rottweilers, so I’m hoping that’s the breed we end up deciding on.

Being a dad is one of the greatest things in the world. My kids are still very young — both are under 2 — so most of my free time is spent changing diapers, feeding hungry tummies, and taking naps. I have so much fun with my kids already, and I am really looking forward to the days when they are both walking and talking. For now, I’ll savor the attempts to crawl and the milky burps. Until recently, I served on the board for the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA). I am passionate about marine conservation, and the CCA helps protect our coastal states by advising and educating the public on conservation of marine resources. I have always enjoyed saltwater fishing — it’s something I have always been able to share with my dad — and I am passionate about protecting our waters. After graduating from law school, a couple of my colleagues told me about the CCA and encouraged me to get involved. When the kids are older and my life is less hectic, I’m hoping to again have the chance to get behind a marine conservation group such as the CCA. Though my dad didn’t instill a passion for marine conservation in me, he did ignite the spark by teaching me all about saltwater fishing. Each year, my dad and I take a fishing trip — sometimes we will go to the Bahamas — usually targeting blue marlin. My dad taught me how to fish at a young age, and I am thankful that I can share this hobby with him today.

“I have so much fun with my kids already, and I am really looking forward to the days when they are both walking and talking.”

Chris, Ashley, Russell, and Ruby

Not only do we have two tiny tots in our house, but we also have a few pets. Ashley is a huge animal lover, and if we had enough space and time, our house would be filled with pets. Right now, we have a few cats, but I’m hoping that we can trade one of them out for a dog when the kids

~ Chris Bruce

(561) 810-0170 • 1

Summer Reading for Busy Families Audiobooks Inspire a Love of Stories in All Ages

DIVIDING YOUR ASSETS The math behind divorce In an ideal world, you and your spouse both receive half of your “marital net worth” in a divorce. You’d add up your money and property and other assets, subtract your debts and liabilities, and each get half of what’s left. Property owned before the marriage, liabilities incurred outside the marriage, and assets kept separate from the marriage don’t count. Usually the best way to accomplish this is to have an appraiser come and value all your assets; obviously, it’s easy to divvy up a bank account. But it’s harder to put a price tag on other assets, and an appraiser is a neutral third party who will do a good job. That takes care of one issue — determining value. Another issue is determining whether an asset was acquired within a specific date range and is thus a “marital” asset or not. If not, it’s not subject to the divorce proceedings. If so, it’s added to the list and will be divided equally — or at least, its value will. And another issue is figuring out whether an asset exists outside the marriage or not. Under Florida law, all assets are marital unless proven otherwise. This is where it helps to have an attorney! Divorce can be one of the hardest experiences of in life. Don’t go into it blind, alone, or without a plan. Head to brucepa.com/free-divorce-book to download our firm’s free divorce strategy book. Then, give us a call at (561) 810-0170 for help. We’re here for you.

Summer reading lists are always popular, but most families rarely have time to have dinner together, let alone sit still reading for hours. Luckily, the ever-growing popularity of audiobooks means you don’t have to wait for school to start again for your kids to get back into literature. Here are a few great audiobooks you can introduce to your family this summer.

FOR THE LONG ROAD TRIP “The Bad Beginning” (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket, read by Tim Curry When a terrible fire destroys the Baudelaire mansion, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny find themselves orphans and are sent to live with the terrible Count Olaf. Convinced their awful new guardian is only after their fortune, the Baudelaires must use their intelligence and skills to stick together and (maybe) overcome their sad circumstances. Fans of the Netflix series will love to hear the story that started it all! Who knew such an unfortunate series could mean fun for the whole family?

Does a friend or client have divorce questions? our divorce strategy book can help!

FOR FAMILY BONDING “Half Magic” by Edward Eager, read by Words Take Wing

A beloved family favorite since it was first published in 1954, “Half Magic” tells the story of siblings Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha, who discover a magic wish- granting coin. They soon realize the coin only grants half of what they wish for, and an unplanned vacation to the Sahara, followed by chaos in King Arthur’s court, is just a one of the hilarious misadventures this family must overcome together.

The book can be downloaded for FREE at www.BrucePA.com/free- divorce-book If your friend or client lives in the South Florida area we will send them a hard copy of the book in the mail upon request.

FOR SOMETHING ENTIRELY NEW “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown, read by Kate Atwater

When lonely robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she finds she’s trapped on a wild island. Struggling to survive and befriend the island’s hostile animal inhabitants, Roz must eventually face her mysterious past, which threatens to tear her home apart. This brand-new book is a stunning tale about the environment, technology, and the wonder of being alive.

These are just a few of the many titles your family can enjoy this summer. Find even more by visiting Audible.com or checking the audiobooks catalogue on iTunes.

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Divorce Proceeding Tips No. 1: There Are No Divorce Miracles Your divorce should be one part of a comprehensive plan for improving your life. If you want to build a successful business, you don’t simply hope it will grow spontaneously; you develop a plan and execute it. Similarly, you should develop a vision for how divorce will lead to a better life for you. The best-case scenario starts with finding the mindset needed to promote change and having at least a basic understanding of the life you want to live. Without developing this confidence and vision, you can get divorced, but you probably will not do so smoothly. You need to be assured that divorce is one step in a larger plan, not a cure-all. We’ve been through countless divorce proceedings and can assure you it doesn’t work that way. In upcoming issues you’ll hear more tips for getting the most out of your divorce proceedings, but remember that without being proactive, you won’t get the happiness and relief you are looking for. Too many people think a legal document will provide them happiness, but life is a lot more complicated than that.

To put it gently, divorce is not an easy emotional experience. When you’re going through a divorce, you’re probably miserable, and you want it to be over as soon as possible. Despite these feelings, which are perfectly understandable, you won’t get the outcome you want from your divorce without preparing for it. If you don’t want to end up even more despondent after the divorce process, you need to take the time to develop a plan. The first piece of advice that we give clients is that there are no divorce miracles. If you expect the process to unfold on its own and end up with the most beneficial result for you, you’re dreaming. Divorce court is not a place where outcomes magically appear. A judge’s signature is not the instant cure for everything making your life difficult.

Dad’s Whiskey Burger

have a LAUGH

Celebrate Dad all month long with a burger he’s sure to love!

ingredients:

4 (6–6 ½ ounce) hamburger patties

2 large Vidalia onions, peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced

• • • •

¼ cup whiskey

• • • •

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat

4 strips bacon

1 teaspoon salt 4 hamburger buns

8 thick slices American cheese

Directions:

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove and cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat. 2. In a large skillet, combine olive oil and bacon fat, then add onions. Cook over low heat. Add salt and turn onions often for 30–40 minutes until caramelized. 3. Place whiskey and chopped garlic in a shallow dish and add hamburger

patties. Marinate for 15 minutes, then flip and marinate another 15 minutes. 4. Grill burgers over medium-high heat until cooked to desired doneness. 5. Add two slices of cheese to each burger in the last minute of grilling. 6. Put hamburgers on buns, then top with a large spoonful of caramelized onions. Top with bacon.

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1601 Forum Pl. Ste. 1101 West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Life With the Bruces page 1

Audiobooks Your Family Will Love Dividing Your Assets? page 2 Divorce Proceeding Tips Dad’s Whiskey Burger page 3 How to Journal Without Journaling page 4

Dear Diary ... How to Journal if You Don’t Like Journaling

Journaling is both a chance to organize your thoughts and an opportunity for therapeutic release, but traditional journaling isn’t for everyone. If you hit a wall every time you try to put pen to paper or worry you’ll have to burn your journal when you’re done, there are other ways you too can enjoy the benefits of journaling.

favorite quotes, you’re able to capture those feelings and reflect on why they resonate with you. Include quotes from historical figures, books, song lyrics, something you heard waiting in line at the coffee shop, or some of the “darndest things” your kids say.

GO DIGITAL

WRITE LETTERS TO YOUR KIDS

Apps like Day One for iOS or Journey for Android are perfect for recording your thoughts quickly. Journaling apps are as easy as scrolling down social media, but can be locked for your eyes only. Integrate written segments with photos to create entries you can reflect on from your phone, tablet, or computer. There are as many reasons to journal as there are options for alternative journaling. Whatever you decide, just make sure it’s something you’ll enjoy doing every day. Happy journaling!

Framing journal entries as letters to children can help provide a starting point for you. Many parents journal like this with the intent of letting their kids one day read the letters, but that doesn’t have to be your end goal. Nor do you have to write to your kids. You can address your letters to your spouse, a close friend, your mother, or even a loved one who’s passed away.

RECORD QUOTES

Quotes are special because they capture a profound feeling in just a few words. By recording some of your

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