Though very few people think it will ever actually happen to them, roughly 50% of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. The divorce process is something that can incredibly complicated. When your children or other dependents are involved in the process, things can become even more difficult.

If you are in the process of getting divorced, you will almost certainly need to find a divorce lawyer. Though you are legally allowed to represent yourself, having a lawyer is the surest way you can get what you believe you deserve and avoid legal penalties.

Because divorce is so common, you will have many divorce lawyers to choose from. Even if you are in a rush to get your divorce finalized, it is still important to take the time to find someone who will be able to actually help you. Fortunately, finding a divorce mediation and custody lawyer who can meet your needs is something you can easily do.

How to begin looking for a divorce and custody lawyer

The number of available divorce lawyers in your area can sometimes be overwhelming. There are several things you can do to discover those who might be a good fit.

• Asking your friends for referrals
• Asking other lawyers for recommendations
• Social media (LinkedIn is particularly useful)
• Reading customer reviews
• Looking elsewhere online
• Responding to advertisements/other forms of marketing

Once you have a shortlist of a few attorneys that you are considering using, asking questions can help you determine which one you should actually use.

• What is your approach to this case?
• What is your experience with cases like these?
• How much do you charge?
• Why should I choose you to be my attorney?

Though choosing your attorney is just one part of the divorce and custody mediation process, once you find one, you will likely be relieved. It is important to try to find someone who will be able to clearly walk you through every step of the process along the way.

The benefits of divorce mediation

Most people who decide to mediate their divorce are typically glad they did. Mediation is usually much less hostile and less problematic than other settlement options might be. Additionally, mediation can provide you with numerous other benefits.

• Mediating in private can spare your children the stress of being involved in a trial
• Mediation is a more cooperative, mutually beneficial approach
• Mediation can often save both parties a significant amount of money
• Mediation usually produces more balanced and objectively fair outcomes

Many couples prefer to mediate their divorce because it creates a situation in which neither party is necessarily the “bad guy.” However, even if your marriage something you hope to end amicably, there are still many important things you will need to discuss with your spouse.

Understanding your specific situation

Every couple is different and, naturally, the divorce process for each couple will vary from couple to couple as well. When comparing different divorce mediation and custody lawyers, you will want to be looking for someone who has difference to your own.

Before you even begin the interviewing process, you will want to make a list of the “clear” facts relating to your case.

• How many years were you married? Were there any prenuptial agreements involved?
• How much property is at stake? Who is claiming what?
• What do you believe you deserve?
• Are there children involved? What is your proposed custody situation?
• What mediation method are you most comfortable using?

Each of these variables can influence the case strategy your attorney will decide to use. The best divorce and custody attorneys are the ones who will be upfront about their approach, their expectations, and what they plan to do with your case.

Creating a timeline

The best divorce lawyers will also be able to help you organize a clear timeline regarding your marriage. By organizing all of the events that are relevant to your case in a clear, readable way, it will be much easier to argue about what you are entitled to.

There are numerous dates that could potentially be relevant.

• The first time you met
• The beginning of your relationship
• Engagement
• Marriage
• The birth of your children
• Buying property
• Moments of significant conflict
• Deciding to get divorced

Some couples who are getting divorced will try to do so using a single lawyer. This can often be sufficient. Other couples will want to hire separate lawyers, which can also be quite effective. Regardless of the approach that you think is best for you and your spouse, having a clear timeline will make the entire process much easier.

Preparing for mediation

The mediation process has multiple different components. Usually you will begin by meeting with the mediator and identifying each of the contested issues at hand. Then, both spouses will have an opportunity to negotiate and propose possible solutions. Once both parties find a solution they believe is fair, your attorney(s) will draft an agreement.

Though you and your spouse may be making the strongest effort you can to keep things civil, mediations can sometimes be rather emotional. Properly preparing for these meetings is important because it is easier to identify solutions when you are the most level-headed you can be.

In addition to developing a timeline, you and your attorney will want to prepare a proposal stating what you believe you deserve. For example, if you are hoping to have joint custody of your child, the preparation process might involve creating a hypothetical custody schedule.

Being aware of common issues

Though every divorce will be unique to the individuals involved, there are some issues that emerge more often than others. With a good divorce mediation and custody lawyer, you will be prepared to address each of these issues well before the formal mediation begins.

• Deciding where your children will live (and where they will spend holidays)
• Deciding what to do in the event either party remarries
• Deciding what to do in the event either party moves
• Child support, childcare, and health insurance
• Education, life insurance, long-term financial planning, and wills
• Other issues specific to your situation

The best attorneys will help you do multiple things in order to help you prepare for when these problems inevitably emerge. They will begin by asking you what you are hoping for. They will also be able to explain to you how past situations similar to yours have ended. They will then be able to help guide you and find more creative, agreeable solutions.

Once you are able to clearly understand what is involved in the divorce process, you will be better equipped to begin looking around for an attorney. Though the divorce process and custody mediations can both be incredibly difficult, having a proven attorney by your side can give you the peace of mind you need.

Buying a car is no longer a complicated process. It is about setting your priorities right and engaging the right people to get value of your money. The UK market is improving by day; technology and internet makes the process more efficient and safe. Unlike before where dealers were in full control of the business, consumers have a role to play in determining terms of sales today. The price and services rendered are based on customer preferences because of the increasing competition across the world.

Research

Actually, if you are conned in the digital era while buying a car, you are partly to blame. There is more than enough information and guidance on how to purchase a car. At least you should approach the right people. Take time to research before making any payment. Online reviews on car dealers offer insight on how to proceed with your transactions. It also exposes you to the common risks hence making a decision on who to engage.

Customer reviews, both complements and complaints are available free. Such are integral in making a decision about a car seller to approach. Mersea Car Sales is one of the best places you can buy a car because it adheres to the regulations. Car sale is dependent on proper management and coordination of issues in society. As the dealers strive to make the most out of their advertisements and quality services, customers should be keen on nature of marketing and products presented to them.

Check on fundamentals

Buying a car is an interesting experience only if you do it right. It can be the worst decision that you will live to regret because it involves your money. To be safe, work with a reputable car dealer that not only sells cars but helps in choice of a suitable car as per your preferences and needs. Some car dealers will sell you a car and not bother several weeks later if the car develops a condition. These are some of the things you should consider when going to a dealer.

Dealership is the trend and safe way of approaching car business. However, you should go beyond the general dealership idea and get a specific auto dealer that offers relevant services. You should be looking at future of your car because you will always need repair and maintenance. It is important to be particular with the person working on your car features. In experienced engineers with little knowledge about a specific car brand and its features can worsen the condition, which will cost you more in the long run.

Therefore, buying a car goes beyond used/new, it goes beyond the price. While these factors are crucial, consider future conditions of your car. You need to establish a long-term relationship with a car dealer. Make the company your consultant for any issues that arise. Solutions from an original car dealer are reliable and permanent.

Writing essays may not be everybody’s cup of tea. It is true that there are those who are skilled and competent enough to write great and impressive essays but others are not good in this line of work.

Some individuals are not good at writing essays, and they usually experienced difficulties in completing their papers. Even the best students feel exhausted in writing quality essay paper and don’t have the energy to finish it. In times like these, individuals can consider using the service of professional essay typer.

How Can Professional Essay Typer Help You?

These days, it’s quite challenging to find a reliable essay writing service. Some companies offer such a service, but their staff can hardly deliver high quality papers. That being said, it pays to commit with professional essay typer that knows precisely what content or information to input in your paper. From simple essays to dissertations, Professional Essay Typer can provide you with excellent topics and papers that you need.

Reasons Using Professional Essay Typer Makes Sense

Essay writing service is one of the highest in demand services today. These services are designed to help those who find it hard to deal with writing. There are lots of good reasons using professional essay typer makes sense. This helps you find the most relevant data to offer solid arguments and gives the necessary help on an essay that you need, and you will get excellent paper for sure.

More other reasons to use professional essay typer are as follows:

• Round the Clock Support

Even during urgent hours or even in the middle of the night that you have forgotten about writing an essay, you can depend on professional essay typer. This will do the work for you. Just leave all papers to this professional typer and all works will be handled professionally.

• Timely Delivery

You will never have to worry about the deadline or final submission date because professional essay typer will be completed and delivered in a timely manner.

• Free Essay Revision

If you think that your paper still needs more works or improvement, professional essay typer provides free essay revision. This will work on your paper until it becomes perfect.

• 100% Plagiarism-Free

Copy pasting is out of the question; professional essay typer performs expert research and delivers original contents.

• Top Quality Papers

Professional essay typer has the perfect writing style that will surely improve your grades.

Your Trusted Professional Essay Typer Unveiled

If you need personal and professional essay typer, Essay Bot is a highly considerable option to take. This is an exclusive essay writing assistant especially powered by artificial intelligence. Given the drafts and title of essays, Essay Bot will help clients generate, paraphrase and complete sentences with the aid of artificial intelligence.

Essay Bot is an ideal option if you are in need of professional essay typer. This will never fail to give you excellent results when it comes to essay writing tasks. 

One of the most exciting times of each holiday season is getting to redesign to your personal—or even professional—lighting display. Your holiday lights display is an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your unique personality, decorative creativity, and, of course, your overall love for the holiday season.

It seems as if with each passing year, there are typically more holiday decorations available for you to choose from than ever before. Because you obviously cannot choose every decoration to be included in your particular display, this means that you will have to be very selective when making your final decisions.

One of the most important decisions you will need to make this year is the specific type of holiday lights that you will choose to use. Over the past few years, LED Christmas Lights have become quite popular among ordinary consumers and professional decorators alike. These lights are known for their general ease of installation, their delightful aesthetic appeal, their relative affordability, and the distinct possibility of adding a personal touch.

Within the world of LED Lighting, many people have decided to forego the more traditional “string lighting” option in favor of using LED Cluster Lights. These lights are often considered to be an excellent alternative due to their unique shape, distribution, appearance, and style. In this article, we will closely examine everything you need to know about LED Cluster Lights. We will also help you brainstorm which sorts of displays may be best for your home.

What is the difference between LED Cluster Lights and ordinary LED Lights?

The holiday lighting industry has been aggressively moving towards the use of LED lighting technology as a whole. While the benefits of LED lighting (mentioned above) are quite obvious, choosing the exact form of LED lights that are best for your display poses an additional challenge.

Traditionally, Christmas lights are evenly spaced a few centimeters or more apart. However, as time has gone on, many professional and amateur decorators have realized that this specific orientation is certainly less than ideal. Because many people prefer for their lights to be concentrated—in other words, “clustered”—at the end of the strings, the emergence of LED Cluster Lights is something that appears to be quite natural.

Essentially, the difference between LED Cluster Lights and their more formal alternatives is that cluster lights are bunched together in order to create a distinctive aesthetic effect. Due to the consequences of bundling, these lights are able to concentrate the effects of their lighting and create a unique visual experience that you are unlikely to find elsewhere.

What are the benefits of choosing LED Cluster Lights?

Though ordinary, linear LED Christmas Lights certainly have their merits—and are, in fact, the best-selling lights on the market—there are several different reasons that someone might consider using LED Cluster Lights instead.

• Creating a much more “natural” feel—resembling trees, icicles, etc.
• Concentrating light where it needs to be the most
• Avoiding wasting space (bulbs will be placed directly after one another)
• Creating a lighting display in the most efficient way possible

These are just a few of the reasons that many people consider using LED Cluster Lights. Depending on the specific type of holiday lighting display that you are attempting to make, you may want to consider combining multiple different types of LED holiday lights or even customizing the use of certain colors.

What are some of the possible uses of LED Cluster Lights?

Due to their uniquely concentrated nature, LED Cluster Lights can be used in a variety of different ways. For example, the specific shape of these lights is exceptionally conducive to imitating the natural form of a Christmas (coniferous) tree. Whether you are installing these lights on a pre-existing tree or attempting to create a tree-like appearance of your own, LED Cluster Lights may be the most realistic option that you currently have available.

These lights can also be used to help complement various different natural components of your overall Christmas display. Battery-powered cluster lights may be exceptionally useful for illuminating a wreath without the hassle of ordinary wires. Other natural effects that you might consider using include hanging “icicles” from your roof or adding general lighting clusters to any of the trees in your yard.

LED Cluster Lights can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments. Scattering them throughout your home—above your fireplace, along your staircase, in your kitchen, and various other locations—can create an incredibly powerful aesthetic effect. Even if it is no longer the holiday season, these lights are an excellent option for parties or various other gatherings.

What should I think about when shopping for different LED Cluster Lights?

The development of the LED holiday lighting industry has enable consumers to have a number of different options. Taking the time to think about the specific type of cluster lights that will be most appropriate for your display will certainly be quite beneficial.

• Wires: black, green, and white are the most common options available.
• Colors: rainbow, red and green, and white are the most popular. Many online providers will allow you to create a customized color scheme that satisfies your personal taste.
• Wired or wireless: this will depend on where the lights will be and the various power sources (outlets) that you have available.
• Bulb Variety: there are many different types of LED holiday bulbs. For LED Cluster Lights, 5mm Wide Angle Conical Bulbs and T5 LED Lights are among the most common options available.
• Accessories: there are many different accessories available that can help complete your display. In addition to LED Cluster Lights, you may want to consider purchasing icicle lights, net lights, fairy lights, snowflake lights, or various others.

The more you can think about your specific display in advance, the easier it will be once you begin the process of shopping around online.

Conclusion

The benefits and potential uses of LED Cluster Lights are abundantly clear. Because these lights can concentrate their energy where it is needed the most, easily adapt to both indoor and outdoor spaces, and be used for seemingly any holiday lighting display, there is no surprise that they have become incredibly popular over the past few years.

If you’re looking to become one of the most successful investors out there, then this guide is what you should be reading. It includes all the dynamics that you should know regarding stock options vs RSU. Over the last decade, some of the biggest players in Silicon Valley have been taking full advantage of company stock incentives like stock options and restricted stock units.

As a way of maintaining the loyalty of their employees, the companies operating in Silicon Valley are making use of these equity compensations to improve their employee benefits and mind you, it’s very cost-effective.

Most of the savvy investors now think that Facebook has contributed to the increased popularity of RSU stock options in the financial world. Under a $4 billion valuation, Microsoft decided to invest $200 million in Facebook back in 2007. Given the high valuation, it became hard for Facebook to make loyal employees. This was until they offered them appealing RSU agreements.

Based on our own experience and what we hear from the trading community, chances are high that you have no idea what a restricted stock unit is. We have outlined, in this guide, all you need to do to profit from investing in restricted stock units.

What Are Restricted Stock Units?

Basically, a restricted stock unit is a grant of company stock whose ownership is transferred to you once it has been vested. We know that all these new technical terms might cause a slight scare in you but don’t worry; we’ll take it slowly until you get it all.

For the purpose of making this conversation about what is RSU stock option lighter and more interactive, let’s bring in our imagination and basically follow the well-known Millennial generation storyline.

Suppose a guy named Joe just started working at a big company. The company deals with technology and is publicly traded. Joe has been awarded shares that he can’t sell, at least not yet. These shares that Joe gets are what we are referring to as restricted stock units or RSU.

The grant date is the exact day that Joe receives these shares. If Joe desires to sell his shares, certain conditions must be met first. This is attributed to the vesting schedule that the company has decided on before Joe can release his shares.

The company has two methods through which they can create this vesting schedule:

● Gradual Schedule – This is a type of vesting through which the employee can get small portions of his shares over a timeline of 3-5 years. Say for instance the company follows a 5-year schedule, then Joe will get a fifth of the shares per year.

● Cliff Schedule - In this type of vesting, it’s possible for Joe to receive all the vested shares after a predetermined service period. Typically, he will receive his shares after he has worked in the company for a certain number of years. The number of years will be determined after Joe’s compensation package has been fully negotiated.

For both the tech company and Joe, this is a win-win situation. For one, the tech company will be assured that Joe will stick around for a long time. This translates into more outcome from the company and ultimately more profits will be made.

On Joe’s side, motivation will not be an issue. He will be assured of a bigger paycheck once his shares are vested and sold. He will also be under the obligation to stay with the tech company for the specified vesting period to win those shares.

An RSU stock option is made restricted by the need to vest it.

Once Joe has the shares in his name, he can decide to either sell them or hold them if he is of the opinion that the price will go up. He can also do a combination of the two.

RSUs, just as the name suggests, are just a restricted certificate of stock or a restricted form of shares. They are also referred to as restricted securities or letter stock in financial terms.

What Are Stock Options?

A stock option is basically a contract between two parties which allows the buyer to either buy or sell underlying stocks within a specified period of time and at a predetermined price.

An option writer is the seller of the stock option. The seller is usually paid a certain amount of money from the contract purchased by the buyer of the stock options.

There exist two types of stock options:

● A stock call option that gives the buyer the right to buy stock. However, he’s not obliged to do so. When the price of the underlying stock rises, the stock call option increases in value.

● A stock put option that gives the buyer the right to short sell the stock. When the price of the underlying stock drops, a put option increases in value.

You will find that investment bankers usually buy both types of options either individually or as a combination so that they can employ certain trading techniques, as well as a covered call.

Most households have a scrambled Rubik’s Cube that has never been solved. Use the Rubik’s solver to calculate the solution in only 20 steps!

How RSUs Work

Let’s get back to Joe and assume that he has been given 1,000 shares, each valued at $10. Joe goes ahead and agrees to a 4-year vesting period. This means that at the end of every year he will be receiving 250 shares for the 4-year vesting period.

At the end of the first year, the price of one share goes up to $11. His 250 shares are now worth $2,750 ($11*250 shares.)

Now assume that at the end of the second year, the price of one share goes down to $9.50. The now vested 250 shares are worth $2,375 ($9.50*250 shares.)

Please keep in mind that the major difference of RSU, when compared to stock options, is that despite the stock price is lower than that at the grant date, the value of your shares is evaluated according to the current market price.

At the end of the third year, once the third quarter of Joe’s shares is vested, the stock price has shot up to $15. Therefore, the price of his shares will be $3,750 ($15*250 shares.)

We are now in the last year, and the final 250 shares have been vested. The price has appreciated to $20 per share. The final shares are now worth a total of $5,000.

From the calculations, the resulting profit (or new income) from the first 1,000 shares of RSU will amount to $13,875.

Once again, let’s cut through the same example and see the difference between RSU and stock options. 

As opposed to receiving RSUs from your employer, you get 1,000 shares in stock options. Taking all things to be equal as in the example above, you will receive $20,000 at the end of the 4-year period (1,000 shares x $20)

The Difference Between Stock Options and RSU

The major difference between the stock options and the RSU is that RSUs limit the downside. However, they also put a limit on the upside. Stock options, on the other hand, maximize the upside.

The RSUs are advantageous since there’s a way through which you can structure them to give you all the benefits of stock options. From this perspective, given both RSUs and stock options, RSUs are more flexible than stock options.

The third major difference between the two (RSU and stock options) is their method of taxation. The RSUs are taxed by the regular income rates. On the other hand, the taxation of the stock options is more complex.

Options vs. Restricted Stock Units

As part of your compensation plan, companies can settle on either options or restricted stock units. Stock options are just another form of equity compensation (quite common, actually). It’s an agreement that gives the terms that a buyer should comply with to purchase some shares at a particular price. The hope here is that the company’s value will increase over time, as will the shares.

There will be no losses for you if the share price depreciates since you don’t own the shares after all. The only option available to you is to buy them.

Look at it like free pizza!

If, however, the share price appreciates, you have the potential for profit as well as the upside advantage. You will not lose anything if the price drops.

There are two types of stock options:

● Non qualifies options

● Incentive stock options (ISO)

While we may not feel the need to delve deeper into the two types, we will just lay the foundation for you that will enable you to build a base that will be instrumental in building wealth.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Restricted Stock Units

There’s usually too much confusion on the advantages of RSUs. We are, therefore, going just to give you the pros and cons of RSUs.

Here are the main benefits of restricted stock units:

● Both the company and the employee have the same objective; to see the company succeed.

● The employee will be earning extra cash for his work.

● The higher the price of the stock goes, the more your profits will increase.

The restricted stock units also have their cons:

● Restricted stock units are taxed based on the income.

● You face the risk of earning less money if the stock price goes down.

● You also face the risk of losing your vested shares if you’re terminated.

A Primer on Equity Compensation

The number of instruments used for incentives in equity has steadily increased over time. With more choices, comes more complexity. The advantage with this is that there will also be more choices.

Below, we have outlined some of these instruments:

● Stock Options - They give you the right to purchase a company’s stock sometime in the future at a price that will be set now. You might be set to make huge profits in the future if high-growth companies can very well surpass their current value by great lengths. Once you exercise your shares, you become an official company shareholder.

● Restricted Stock - This is just stock on which restrictions have been placed, and payment isn’t really necessary. In most cases, it’s just normal stock that has been vested. The holder cannot sell this stock until it has vested. If one is terminated, the company reserves the right to repurchase all the unvested shares. A restricted shareholder is officially a shareholder in the company.

● Restricted Stock Units - They are a commitment by the company to give some shares after a certain period of time. Payment isn’t usually required. Some conditions have to be met, however, before the holder of the shares can be handed the predetermined value. A settlement of the same might be in the form of the stock or the cash value of the shares. Once a holder receives the stock, they are now officially a company shareholder.

● Stock Appreciation Rights - These are cash or stock bonuses based solely on the performance of the company’s stock over a certain period of time. A holder of such is not an official shareholder.

● Phantom Stock – It’s cash or stock bonus that signifies holding a company’s stock over some time. It is, however, not stock, so one isn’t really a stockholder.

● Profits Interests - They are basically a claim to an LLC with an increase in value over time. Their availability is limited to LLCs. Public companies employ most of these tools while private corporations use only restricted stock and stock options.

Conclusion

If you’re an investor, you need to ask yourself if you would one day go out there and purchase these stocks if you weren’t employed by a particular company. In most cases, emotional attachment to your company might arise, and this might create a bias in you regarding the price of a stock.

An instance may occur where the company you work for, if it’s a startup, especially, increases the stock price significantly. If it one day becomes a giant in its field and you never sold your shares, you stand the chance of making millions.