You and your spouse likely accumulated a lot of property together while you were married. Now that you have decided to divorce, there may be disagreement about who takes ownership of joint assets. Forty-one states are equitable distributions states when it comes to marital property and nine follow community property laws. However, deciding on what is equitable is often open to individual interpretation. Also, what is legally equitable is usually not equal. An experienced family law attorney can assist you with navigating this common legal issue so you and your future ex-spouse can get on with your lives. Determining Marital and...

Many people going through a divorce or child custody situation in which child support is involved think that the support amount is determined by the courts through a formula, and that both parties have no choice but to accept the outcome. However, this is only half true.   Depending on your state, there likely is a specific worksheet that the courts use to determine the initial child support obligation. Influencing factors include: how much both parents have been making, including any bonuses or overtime pay; health insurance costs, out-of-pocket medical expenses, any childcare expenses; and who gets the federal tax exemption. Once...

Going through a divorce is hard, and the myths swirling around the process make it even harder. Misconceptions are often spread by well-meaning friends and family that are trying to help but end up doing just the opposite. If you're considering divorce, it's important to separate fact from fiction so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family. Here are five common misconceptions about divorce. 1. Half of All Marriages End in Divorce Half of all marriages end in divorce is a statistic that hasn't been true for decades. Divorce rates hit their peak in the 1970s and 1980s and...

If you're facing a divorce, you already know you'll have to speak with a lawyer to determine your custody arrangements and alimony payments, but what about dividing your assets? While you might think that division of assets is a fairly simple process, the truth is that things can quickly become complicated if you live in a communal property state. This is because in a communal property state, everything you and your spouse own is considered joint property. If you have a boat, a car, or even a business, this may be considered to be shared property. If you're new to...