The Catorce Group PLLC

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The Catorce Group PLLC

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Minnesota Law Firm focused on Estate Planning and Family Law with over 20 years of experience. Offices located in Edina and Mankato Minnesota.

Our goal is to help families protect what matters most, plan for the future, and stay out of court.

10/09/2026

⚖️ FAMILY LAW FRIDAY FUN FACT

Does Minnesota law automatically favor mothers in custody cases?

No. When a Minnesota court decides custody and parenting time, it must focus on the child’s best interests. The court cannot prefer one parent over the other solely because that parent is the mother or the father.

Instead, the court considers factors such as:

• The child’s physical, emotional, educational, and developmental needs
• Each parent’s history of caring for the child
• The child’s safety and stability
• Each parent’s ability to provide consistent care
• The effect of the proposed arrangement on the child’s relationships, school, and community
• Each parent’s willingness and ability to cooperate and support the child’s relationship with the other parent, when appropriate

One important distinction: when parents were unmarried at the time of the child’s birth and there is no custody order, Minnesota law generally gives the mother sole custody until a court issues an order. Once the court is asked to determine custody, however, the best-interest factors apply without a gender preference.

Questions about custody or parenting time in Minnesota? The Catorce Group can help.

📞 952-233-8794
🌐 thecatorcegroup.com

This post provides general information about Minnesota law and is not legal advice.

10/02/2026

⚖️ FAMILY LAW FRIDAY FUN FACT

“It’s in my name” does not necessarily mean “it’s all mine” in a Minnesota divorce.

Property acquired by either spouse during the marriage is generally presumed to be marital property—regardless of whether the house, vehicle, bank account, retirement account, or other asset is titled in one spouse’s name or both names.

There are important exceptions. Property may be nonmarital if, for example, it was:

• Owned before the marriage
• Inherited by one spouse
• Given specifically to one spouse by someone other than the other spouse
• Acquired in exchange for another nonmarital asset

A spouse claiming that property is nonmarital will generally need documentation showing where it came from and how it was maintained. The name on the account or title is only part of the story.

Questions about how property may be classified or divided in a Minnesota divorce? The Catorce Group can help.

📞 952-233-8794
🌐 thecatorcegroup.com

This post provides general information about Minnesota law and is not legal advice.

09/25/2026

⚖️ FAMILY LAW FRIDAY FUN FACT

In Minnesota, child support does not necessarily end on a child’s 18th birthday.

For child-support purposes, Minnesota law also includes someone who is:

• Under age 20 and still attending secondary school; or
• Unable to support themselves because of a physical or mental condition.

The language of the existing court order and the family’s circumstances still matter, so parents should not assume that child support automatically stops when a child turns 18.

Questions about when child support ends—or whether an existing order should be modified? The Catorce Group can help.

📞 952-233-8794
🌐 thecatorcegroup.com

This post provides general information about Minnesota law and is not legal advice.

09/22/2026

After more than 20 years as an attorney, these are five things I wish everyone knew before they needed a lawyer.

Some of the biggest surprises start with everyday assumptions: “My will covers that.” “My spouse can handle it.” “I already signed a trust.”

The details matter—and understanding them now can make a difficult time easier for the people you love.

Take a look at the five points below. Which one surprised you most?

If you’re wondering whether your plan covers what matters to you, let’s talk.

🌐 thecatorcegroup.com
📞 (952) 233-8794

09/18/2026

⚖️ FAMILY LAW FRIDAY FUN FACT

In Minnesota, “custody” and “parenting time” are not the same thing.

Legal custody concerns who makes major decisions for a child, including decisions about education, health care, and religion.

Physical custody concerns the child’s routine daily care and where the child lives.

Parenting time is the schedule that determines when each parent spends time with the child.

Understanding these differences can make custody discussions—and court orders—much clearer.

Have a question about custody or parenting time? The Catorce Group is here to help.

📞 952-233-8794
🌐 thecatorcegroup.com

*This post provides general information and is not legal advice.*

09/14/2026

📱 TEXT LIKE A JUDGE WILL READ IT.

One of the simplest—and most important—pieces of advice I give family-law clients is this:

Before you send a text, email, or co-parenting message, imagine it being enlarged and displayed in a courtroom.

Would it make you appear calm, reasonable, and focused on your children? Or would you wish you could take it back?

A few practical rules:

• Pause before responding when you are angry.
• Keep messages brief, factual, and respectful.
• Focus on the children—not the other parent’s character.
• Avoid sarcasm, threats, insults, and long emotional arguments.
• Address the issue once. You do not need to win the conversation.

You cannot control what the other person sends. You can control the record you create.

Good communication does more than reduce conflict. It can protect your credibility and help demonstrate that you are capable of making thoughtful, child-focused decisions.

What is the best advice you have received about communicating during a difficult divorce or custody matter?

If you are navigating a Minnesota divorce, custody dispute, or parenting-time issue, The Catorce Group provides clear advice, practical solutions, and strong advocacy.

📞 952-233-8794
📧 [email protected]

This post provides general information and is not legal advice. Every family-law matter is different.

09/11/2026

Today, we pause to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and to honor the courage of the first responders, service members, families, and countless others whose lives were forever changed.

We remember the lives. We honor the heroes. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/09/2026

Your $500,000 life insurance policy could leave your family $252,000 short.
Not because you failed. Because your life kept growing after you bought it.
You bought life insurance because you wanted the people you love to be protected.
That matters. I mean it.
But a policy can keep doing exactly what it was designed to do while your life changes around it. Your income grows. Your mortgage changes. Children arrive. A marriage ends. A new relationship begins. The person you named years ago may no longer be the person who should receive the money today.
And even when the beneficiary is right, the amount may no longer match the job you expect the policy to do.
This week’s article walks you through a practical life insurance estate planning checklist. You’ll see how to review the coverage amount, beneficiary form, trust coordination, guardianship planning, and the larger Life & Legacy Plan that tells the money what it is meant to make possible.
The policy provides the money. The plan helps the money reach the right people, with the right protection, at the right time.

Read the full article:
https://www.thecatorcegroup.com/post/what-families-need-life-insurance-beneficiary-review

09/07/2026

Today, we celebrate the hard work, dedication, and contributions that strengthen our families, businesses, and communities.

Wishing you a safe and relaxing Labor Day from The Catorce Group.

Guiding You. Protecting What Matters.

09/04/2026

"My friend keeps saying they'll do their estate plan 'someday.' How do I get them to take it seriously?"
In my experience, "someday" usually means one of a few things: they think it doesn't apply to them yet, they don't want to think about death, or they've never had a lawyer they actually trusted enough to call.
This week's article covers all three, and what actually works.

Address

200 Southdale Center
Edina, MN
55435

Telephone

+19522338794

Website

http://thecatorcegroup.com/

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