Two Olympic stars have been burdened by divorce and the devastating effects of not having a well planned marital settlement agreement. Despite their personal family upheavals, Gabby Douglas and Ryan Lochte have risen as champions during the recent London Olympic games. Lochte has taken over the title of the world's greatest swimmer and Douglas has created world history as the first African-American to become the individual all-around and team competition gold medal winner during the same Olympics.
Recently the media has focused on the tough childhood Gabby Douglas has endured. Her mother has struggled to pay bills, and her father has not been financially responsible for the well-being of Douglas. He does claim that he "Skypes" her and give her moral support, however. At the Olympic trials, Douglas reported that she hasn't seen her father in two years.
Natalie Hawkins, Douglas' mother, had filed for Chapter thirteen bankruptcy in order to save the family home. This mother of four has an income of $30,000 a year and has expenses such as her daughter's training and her own current divorce, which is not final yet. Hawkins has only two assets, her home and a 2007 car.
As resilient as Douglas has been throughout most of the Olympics, she did admit that she was physically and emotionally exhausted. The exhaustion may have been apparent as Douglas performed below her ability on the uneven bars. One can only imagine if Douglas would have had a flawless performance if her parents would have already worked out a supportive martial separation agreement, and added a parenting plan to the agreement which fully supported their child.
Lochte's mother has had her own challenges in trying to keep her family together and safe. She currently owes over $240,000 plus interest to the bank for their home, and CitiMortgage has filed a lawsuit against Lochte's parents. In addition, Ilena Lochte lost her job after the divorce was filed in 2011.
The burden of providing financial security for their families has rested heavily on the shoulders of these two Olympian champions. Many of these situations can be avoided. Parents can take significant measures to not place their children in compromising situations and create a sound marital settlement agreement for the safety and future well-being of their children.
Contact Attorney James Cairns for a free consultation about a marital settlement agreement that can help provide stability for your family. Attorney Cairns can get you started with an uncontested divorce and a marital settlement agreement right away. He will send you a free questionnaire which will guide you through the process of negotiating your marital settlement agreement.
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