Tag: <span>Alimony</span>

How Much Does Divorce Cost?

January 6, 2022
by Briana White

So here you are. You’ve decided to get a divorce, but now you’ve got questions—a lot of them. Like, “Where do I even start?” and, “Should I hire an attorney?” and, perhaps the most worrisome of all, “How much does divorce cost, anyway?”

Unfortunately, while a lot of these queries have straight forward responses, the answer as to how much your divorce will cost is a little less than satisfactory. In a nutshell?

We don’t know.

The varying details between divorces make it virtually impossible to predict someone’s eventual bottom line. On the bright side, our team has seen enough breakups to know which divorce types are most likely to break the bank, and how you can be financially savvy.

Here’s what you need to know about how much divorce costs in California, and what Maples Family Law can do to work within whatever budget you have.

Breaking Down the Cost of Divorce

You can’t keep down the cost of your divorce without first knowing what the costs are. This is especially important, considering how widely the arc of our divorce cost pendulum can swing.

For example, in California, you can technically get a bare bones divorce for nothing more than a filing fee of $435 (assuming no one fights back, and there’s nothing to argue about, that is). Realistically, however, it’ll probably be a lot more, with some divorces easily racking up more than $50,000 for the same breakup.

The first step to curbing these numbers is knowing where the costs are coming from.

In general, there are four main areas that will keep you up sweating dollar signs at night:

Your attorney’s initial retainer.
Your attorney’s billable rate.
Paperwork filing fees.
Expert witness rates.

Here’s a quick peek at how each of these break down.

1. Attorney Retainer

A retainer is a large payment that you submit to your attorney, at the onset of your case. This money both reserves your attorney’s services, and acts as a kind of savings account, from which your attorney will draw from to pay expenses, as your case proceeds.

In California, an initial divorce retainer can range anywhere from $3,000-5,000. Your attorney will use this money to pay for things like:

Their own billable hours;
The billable hours of any staff who work on your case;
Filing fees for documents submitted to the court;
Compensation for any outside experts you call upon; and in some cases,
Office expenses relating to your case.

Different firms all have their own system of billing, which is why you should always take the time to thoroughly review your retainer contract, before signing anything. That way there won’t be any surprises.

2. Attorney Hourly Rate

In California, most divorce attorneys charge an hourly billable rate. This amount typically ranges between $250-$400 an hour, and will vary based on where you live, and who you hire.

“But wait!” you might be thinking. “Didn’t I already pay for my attorney? Wasn’t that what the retainer was for?”

Sorry, but no.

Remember, a retainer is just a reservation fee—an initial deposit, so to speak. While this money will go towards paying for your divorce, the biggest mistake you can make is in assuming that it will cover your whole divorce.

In reality, you’ll almost certainly have to replenish this account several more times, before your case is over. (Especially when you consider that the average price tag on a California divorce is a cool $17,500.)

3. Filing Fees

California might have some of the highest filing fees in the nation, but $435 to submit an initial divorce complaint suddenly doesn’t seem like very much, when you consider how much you’re going to spend, overall.

If you and your spouse file for an uncontested divorce, then this initial filing fee might be the only payment you’ll make. However, since this type of divorce doesn’t work for most couples, it’s much more likely you’ll have other filing fees crop up, as your divorce progresses.

The good news is if you’ve retained representation, then your attorney will take care of this cost for you (using funds from your retainer account). If not, you’ll be responsible for this cost—as well as the other logistics of filing for divorce—on your own.

4. Expert Witnesses

Depending on your situation, you may need to hire an expert witness.

The cost of these professionals will swing dramatically, depending on what you need them for, and how much time they put into your case. Most work on an hourly rate, and—similar to attorneys—will require an initial retainer.

The most commonly used expert witnesses in divorce are forensic accountants. These professionals can be used to:

Track down undisclosed assets;
Determine marital lifestyle for alimony;
Conduct a business valuation;
Prove ownership of separate property;
Trace bitcoin blockchains; and,
Uncover inconsistencies in bookkeeping.

These retainer fees typically start between $3,000-5,000, but can potentially be more, depending on the breadth and scope of the project.

Tips for Keeping Divorce Costs Low

By now, you’ve probably realized that the easiest way to cut down the cost of divorce, is to just skip the attorney altogether. After all, we lawyers easily have the highest price tag, so… it only makes sense, right?

Wrong.

Before you let these numbers scare you into a hasty, D.I.Y. divorce, remember that divorce laws are incredibly complex, and self-representation comes with a high likelihood of error. These mistakes can be incredibly costly—sometimes impossible—to reverse. Meaning that it’s almost always better to simply hire the attorney, and get it right your first time around.

If finances are a concern, there are much less riskier ways to cut costs during divorce. Here are just a few:

Educate yourself about California divorce laws (the library is a great resource).
Do your own legwork (such as gathering documents and making copies for your attorney).
Email your attorney, don’t call—calls take up more time, and time equals more billable minutes.
Utilize legal assistants and paralegals as much as possible; they have a significantly lower billable rate and are almost always just as smart as your attorney.
Negotiate calmly, and compromise liberally.
AVOID LITIGATION AT ALL COSTS.

That last point is really important.

Hands down, the single biggest thing you can do to avoid high divorce costs, is to avoid court, altogether. Instead, opt for an alternative method of dispute resolution, such as mediation, or collaborative divorce.

Not only will these types of divorce save you a lot of time and money, but they’re also more flexible. This gives you the ability to set your own terms, rather than having them decided for you by the whims of an outside judge.

Do You Have More Questions About the Cost of Divorce in California?

While divorce might not come cheap, it also doesn’t have to be as bad as you might be thinking. With a little bit of planning, the right divorce type, and a willingness to compromise, it’s more than possible for couples to keep costs reasonable.

If you have more questions about how much divorce costs in California, and what this process might look like for your situation, we want to hear from you. Call the Maples Family Law team at (209) 989-4425, or get in touch online, and let us help you get divorced within whatever budget you have.

family-law

Intro to Mental Health and Divorce

August 24, 2021
by Briana White

Those who are impacted by mental illness—whether personally, or indirectly, through a loved one—know that these unique issues don’t respect boundaries. The effects of mental illnesses (such as anxiety, depression, OCD, and addiction) stretch across every aspect of life, affecting everything from the everyday, to the atypical, including divorce.

Which is why it’s so important to address how mental health and divorce interact. Not just in terms of how these issues might impact your split, but in how divorce, itself, might affect you.

In this article we’ll introduce some of the biggest questions that often arise when mental health and divorce collide, and outline how the right attorney can help you navigate these complex matters during your California divorce.

Mental Illness and Filing for Divorce

Many clients wonder whether the mere existence of a mental illness—either in themselves, or their partner—will prevent them from securing a divorce.

The answer is a firm no.

While “insanity” is a legitimate defense to criminal charges, it will not prevent you from getting a divorce from a mentally ill spouse. This is because family law (including divorce) falls under civil court jurisdiction, not criminal court. Hence, the same defenses don’t apply.

California courts will never force you to stay married, just because your spouse suffers from a mental illness.

Mental Illness and Marriage Annulment

Mental capacity is a key element to negotiating any valid contract, and this includes a marriage contract. This essentially means that both parties know what they’re doing (getting married), and that they are both old enough to make that decision (in California, eighteen).

Without this mental capacity—say, if you’re too drunk, too high, or underage to know what you’re doing—it’s possible to get a marriage annulled. And it’s definitely possible to see how a mental health crisis might prevent someone from having adequate mental capacity for marriage.

However, in order for an annulment to stick, you can’t have gotten better after the marriage. Hence, if the individual had a mental illness, but then recovered and lived freely in a marital relationship afterwards, then a judge will not annul the marriage.

Mental Illness and Grounds for Divorce

Mental health issues often come up when couples cite their grounds for divorce.

In legal speak, your “grounds” tell the judge why you want to get divorced. Grounds are a required part of your divorce complaint, and in some jurisdictions, can be used to assign blame to one spouse for breaching the marriage contract.

Grounds that request some kind of guilt be placed on one party or the other are called “fault” grounds. Grounds that do not attempt to assign blame are called “no-fault” grounds.

California is a solidly, no-fault divorce state, meaning judges will not consider fault when dividing marital assets or alimony. Instead, couples filing for divorce must choose between one of two no-fault divorce options:

Irreconcilable differences
Incurable insanity

1. Irreconcilable Differences

Irreconcilable differences essentially mean that you are no longer able to reconcile with one another, and want out. When filing this way, neither party needs to back up this claim with proof, and no one is held liable for the breakup.

Because it’s so quick and painless, this is by far the most common grounds cited for divorce in California.

2. Incurable Insanity

Incurable insanity, on the other hand, is rarely cited as grounds for divorce, since the burden of proof is so high. In order to file under these grounds, you must show that your spouse lacks legal capacity.

Legal incapacity occurs when someone doesn’t have the mental wherewithal to make decisions, and may manifest as:

An inability to stay alert and attentive;
An inability to process information (such as memory or communication);
A detachment from reality (such as the existence of delusions or hallucinations); or,
An inability to control mood and affect.

Not only must you provide proof from multiple physicians that these elements exist, but these experts must also testify that your spouse is unlikely to ever recover. Which—considering the unpredictable nature of mental illness—is a very difficult diagnosis to procure.

Furthermore, when mental illness really is that severe, your judge will need to assign your spouse a guardian, who will look out for their interests during divorce process.

Because of all these complexities, most couples choose to simply file for irreconcilable differences, instead.

Mental Illness and Child Custody

Mental illness does not directly influence decisions about child custody. However, depending on the condition—as well as the severity of the symptoms—it’s possible that mental health could still indirectly influence custody.

This is because in California, custody decisions are made according to the best interest of the child. Here, everything from primary residence, visitation, and child support are determined based on which outcome will serve a child’s long-term health and happiness the best. This is done by weight a number of individualized factors, including:

The child’s age and preference (if old enough);
The child’s health and need for stability;
The child’s relationship with each parent;
Each parent’s ability to care for their child; as well as,
Any history of domestic violence, abuse, or neglect.

As you can see, while mental illness isn’t a direct consideration, it can still significantly contribute to many of these factors. Especially when it comes to violence and neglect, or if the mental illness prevents the parent from providing a stable home for their child (such is often the case with drug and alcohol abuse).

Regardless of the circumstances, the court will put the child’s needs above all else, while maintaining parental rights as best as possible within that scope.

Mental Illness and Property Division

Since California is a no-fault divorce state, it’s unlikely that mental illness will have any impact on the division of marital property.

California is a community property state, which means that anything acquired after marriage belongs to both spouses equally—regardless of whose name is on the paycheck, deed, loan, or card. Hence, without fault to influence this decision, all of this shared property will be divided equally, upon divorce.

Mental Illness and Alimony

In some cases, mental illness affects a spouse’s ability to hold down a job, post-divorce. These individuals may struggle to make ends meet, and to maintain their marital standard of living, once divorced.

In these situations, the court may require the stable spouse to make spousal support payments to help out. Though, the court is highly unlikely to require this when the mental illness is related to alcohol or drug abuse.

Mental Health During Divorce

When it comes to divorce, it’s not just about how preexisting conditions can affect your breakup. It’s also about the way the breakup affects your mental health.

Divorce is an extremely stressful and emotional process—even for people who don’t have mental health problems. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re mindful of your own equilibrium throughout the entire divorce process.

For some people, maintaining good nutrition, getting enough sleep, and exercising are adequate. Others might benefit from therapy. Parents, especially, shouldn’t neglect themselves in this regard, since it’s difficult to support a child’s emotional needs when you aren’t taking care of yourself.

If you need additional resources, your attorney can assist you in finding qualified therapists and programs that can help your family through this transition.

Divorce Attorneys in California

Whether you are dealing with your own demons, or the mental illness of a loved one, mental health struggles are never easy. That’s why it’s important to have an attorney understands your needs, and can address your unique needs.

If you have more questions about mental health and divorce, we want to hear from you. Call Maples Family Law at (209) 989-4425, or get in touch online, and let us help you navigate these matters with the sensitivity and gravitas you deserve.

Spousal Support

Can Spousal Support be Garnished?

January 26, 2021February 1, 2021
by Briana White

As everyone with children knows, raising kids is a full-time job. Because it requires so much mental and physical energy, it’s not uncommon for one spouse to temporarily set aside career aspirations, and devote all his or her available attention to homemaking tasks. While this can be a great solution for some families, the downside is that the employability of the homemaker invariably suffers.

To make up for these career sacrifices, California courts will often include a provision for spousal support in divorce orders. This money is meant to compensate a homemaker for their considerable, non-monetary contributions to the family, and aid them in getting back into the workforce. And, since it’s an official court order, refusing to pay spousal support could put you in dire straits.

In California, spousal support can be garnished from wages. When this happens, your employer would be legally required to make payments before giving you your take home pay. Here’s a little bit more about how spousal support is garnished, some of the other consequences of not paying alimony, and why it’s really not a good idea to default on these payments.

Determining Spousal Support in California

To start off, spousal support, or “alimony,” is by no means a foregone conclusion in divorce. In determining whether or not these funds are needed, California courts will review a number of different factors, some of which are:

The standard of living in the marriage;
Marketable skills of both spouses;
How much the homemaker’s income has been impaired by unemployment;
If the homemaker helped contribute to the career spouse’s education (and by how much);
The homemaker’s ability to get employment without hurting the interests of dependent children;
Obligations and assets of both parties (including separate property); and
How long the marriage lasted.

Since these situational factors differ from couple to couple, so does the need and amount of spousal support in each situation. A homemaker who is independently wealthy, for example, probably doesn’t need help getting back into the workforce—even if they took a significant amount of time off work. In contrast, a parent who has spent the entirety of the marriage helping his or her spouse build a career (at their own expense), would have a much greater need for spousal support upon divorce.

Duration of Spousal Support

In California, a good rule of thumb is to assume spousal support will last half the duration of a marriage under ten years. So, if you were married eight years, you’ll probably be required to pay support for about four. If the marriage continued for six, then three years is a good estimate.

For couples that endured longer than ten years, things become more unpredictable, and in these cases, it’s common for judges to order spousal support for an indeterminable amount of time. When this happens, the paying spouse would have the burden of proof to eventually show that funds were no longer needed. In general, however, “lifetime” support is quite rare, and payments usually only last as long as it takes for the homemaker to become self-sufficient.

Collecting Spousal Support: Easement of Assignment

Not only can spousal support be garnished from wages, but it’s actually standard procedure to do so. This is because in California, every order of spousal support comes pre-packaged with an Easement of Assignment, eliminating much of the collection hassle.

An Easement of Assignment—a fancy way of saying “wage garnishment”—is a legal document requiring a person’s employer to pay a certain amount of money to someone else, before giving them their take home pay. To activate your Easement of Assignment, simply fill out the necessary forms (including attachments), and turn them into the county clerk for signatures. Once the documents are returned, you can then serve them to your ex’s employer, who will then have ten days to begin taking out the necessary funds.

This process might sound invasive, however, it’s actually quite efficient. By doing so, California courts not only decrease payor default, but also ensure that funds are available to the supported spouse regularly and on time—a win-win for both sides.

Easement of Assignment Not Required

While convenient, California does not require spousal support to be garnished from wages. So long as neither party is on public assistance, payors can request that their Easement of Assignment be put on hold, until (if ever) it’s needed. This hold can always be reversed if necessary, so payors shouldn’t view this as a way to negate spousal support obligations.

Help from Local Child Support Agency (LCSA)

Unfortunately, collecting spousal support isn’t always as easy as filing an Easement of Assignment—especially if your ex doesn’t have full-time employment. While it’s always possible to recover funds on your own, the time, expense, and headache might not be worth the effort, especially when someone else can do it for you.

In California, the Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) can help you recoup unpaid or delinquent support payments. Their services are available for both spousal support and child support at no charge to you, and aside from being free, the benefit of using the LCSA, is that they have many resource at their disposal that aren’t available to you.

To secure payments, some of the things the LCSA may do, are:

Report missed payments to credit reporting agencies;
Deny your ex a passport renewal;
Place a lien against their property;
Suspend their state-issued driver’s license;
Intercept tax refunds to deduct payment;
Use the Financial Institution Data Match to find assets, and retrieve money from what’s available;
Subtract funds from disability and/or unemployment benefits; and, even,
Claim lottery winnings—if your ex happens to be lucky enough to get the winning ticket.

Since their services do not cost you anything, it makes a lot of sense to use the LCSA, rather than trying to get your ex to cough up the cash on your own.

Penalties for Failure to Pay Spousal Support

The consequences for not paying spousal support go beyond garnished wages. As you can see, not making these payments could affect credit scores, mess with bank accounts, keep you from traveling, detrimentally affect tax filings, and—in some cases—could even hold you in contempt of court.

Being held in contempt is a criminal offence. Under these charges, if someone can prove that you withheld spousal support funds intentionally, you could be slapped with jail time.

If You Can’t Pay, Notify the Court Immediately

Of course, life is unpredictable, and things can happen that make it difficult or impossible to make payments. The court understands these situations arise, and when they do, it’s important to notify them as soon as possible. Sometimes couples can come together and figure out an alternative payment schedule on their own. If not, however, you may still be able to file a motion to modify with the court.

One thing is clear, though, with so many negative consequences for withholding spousal support, there’s never a good reason to ignore payments.

California Spousal Support Attorneys

If you are struggling to collect spousal support from your ex, or, if you don’t agree with an order of spousal support, we can help. Call us at (209) 989-4425, or get in touch online to schedule your consultation, and together, we can explore options that will address your individual needs, without detrimentally effecting your own interests.

Divorce

How Infidelity Affects Alimony in California

July 27, 2020
by Anna Maples

Most people are probably already familiar with the term, but to kick things off right, let’s start with the legal definition of adultery, which is: any consenting sexual relationship where at least one of the parties is married to someone else.

Historically, punishments for this behavior were swift and harsh, ranging anywhere from torture to mutilation, and in some cases, even death. Not to mention a hefty dose of social isolation and religious shunning for many. The brunt of all which was—unsurprisingly—borne by women. While men occasionally faced fines or punishments, as a whole, their consequences were relatively minor.

Luckily, over the past century or so, most countries have done away with such extreme measures. However, while relationships and sexuality are seen much differently than they were in the past, it may be surprising to hear that adultery is still a criminal offense in some states, including Idaho, Mississippi, Virginia, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and others. And while these laws aren’t often enforced, it still makes adultery a pretty valid concern for those individuals dealing with divorce.

Here’s what you need to know about how the law handles adultery in California.

What is the Law on Adultery in California?

Adultery is not against the law in California, neither is it technically “illegal,” since divorce is a civil proceeding, not a criminal one.

As to how it affects divorce, California is a no-fault state. This means, that a couple doesn’t have to do anything more than cite “irreconcilable differences” for a dissolution. Being a no-fault state also means that courts can’t consider fault when making major decisions about property and child custody.

The only way adultery might affect the financial outcome of a divorce proceeding, is if the injured party can prove that the cheating spouse blew through shared income or marital property on the affair. If they can, a judge would probably order that money to be reimbursed to the family pot before divvying it out. Proving this can sometimes be tricky, though, especially if the cheating spouse didn’t leave a paper trail.

Can I Sue My Spouse for Cheating in California?

As satisfying as that would be, the short answer is: no.

In days gone by, there used to be ways for an injured party to bring a suit against the homewrecker in the adulterous duo. These were usually filed by the husband against the wife’s lover for compensation of lost affection. While there are some exceptions, most states have done away with these “alienation of affection” or “heart balm” suits, and the closest you can get to suing a lover in California is if the situation was so bad, that there was actual harm. (Say, if Handsome Homewrecker was stalking or threatening you.) But even then, those wouldn’t so much be “adulterous homewrecker” charges, as they would be a case of simple battery and assault.

Who Pays for Divorce if There’s Adultery?

For this question, we again refer back to California’s status as a no-fault divorce state. Remember, in these jurisdictions, cheating isn’t grounds for divorce, and neither can it be used to determine the split of assets. So, as you might guess—regardless of who was unfaithful—both parties are required to fit the bill for their own attorney’s fees.

Can a Cheating Spouse Get Alimony?

Absolutely.

Alimony, or “spousal support,” is basically financial aid given by a “supporting spouse” to a “dependent spouse” after a divorce, upholding the idea that financial reasons shouldn’t be the reason people stay in an unhappy marriage. Ergo, cheating doesn’t really come into play here. This situation most often arises with women, who frequently put careers and personal pursuits on hold in order to support a family, which of course, then hinders her marketability for jobs post-divorce.

The only way adultery might come into play in regards to alimony, is if the cheating spouse is living with his or her lover, or getting other financial help from the new relationship. In that situation, the savvy attorney might argue there’s less need for financial support, thus possibly reducing the price tag of alimony.

How Long Do You Have to Pay Spousal Support in California?

Since spousal support is based entirely on a couple’s individual situation, it’s difficult to say exactly how long alimony payouts will last. When deciding amount and length, courts will look at a few factors, including:

Duration of the marriage;
Standard of living during the marriage;
The supporting spouse’s ability to pay;
Age and health of the respective parties; and
What marketable education and job skills the dependent spouse has.

Obviously, these factors rely heavily on personal circumstances, and as a result, the verdicts will vary. While they are being determined, a judge will often order temporary support payments, which are made to the dependent spouse while the case is pending.

Does Infidelity Affect Child Custody in California?

As a no-fault divorce state, California does not consider adultery when determining the best interest of a child. This is because courts recognize the importance of children having healthy relationships with both parents, and want to facilitate that whenever possible. Hence, the only way an affair might hurt a custody arrangement is if the cheating spouse’s actions are somehow detrimental to their parenting. (Say, if they were neglectful, or the new relationship was causing harm to the child in some way.) Otherwise—however unsavory—adultery doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent.

In short, while being an at-fault state does make some things simpler, divorce is almost always messy and complicated. If you have more questions about how infidelity affects alimony in California, or want to talk about your specific situation, please reach out to us at (209) 989-4425, or get in touch online to schedule a consultation. Divorce is emotional, especially when infidelity is involved, but together, we can help give you the best shot at rebuilding a bright future.

Divorce

7 Divorce Tips for Moms

May 6, 2020August 10, 2020
by Angie

If you’re a mother who’s considering divorce, you’re facing some unique challenges. Check out these divorce tips for moms to find out what lies ahead – and prepare yourself for a successful outcome.

7 Divorce Tips for Moms

Check out these seven divorce tips for moms, and then read on to get answers to some of our most commonly asked questions.

#1. If you need spousal support, ask for it.

Many working and stay-at-home moms are entitled to spousal support (more on that later), so if you need it, don’t be afraid to ask for it.

#2. Try to work with your spouse to reach agreements about your children.

When you and your spouse can work together – even if your children can’t see that you’re doing it – you’re setting a good example. You’re also more likely to be reasonably satisfied with the outcome when you both have a hand in creating it.

Related: 13 co-parenting rules to live by

#3. Learn about co-parenting, and encourage your ex to learn about it, too.

Co-parenting is good for your kids; it’s the act of working with your spouse to continue to parent your children. (But if you can’t co-parent because your ex is too uncooperative, don’t stress it. Things will work out just fine – trust us.)

#4. Get everything in writing.

When you communicate with your ex, try to keep it in writing – especially if you two don’t get along very well. When you have a series of emails, you have a paper trail you can fall back on if your ex says one thing and does another.

#5. Don’t talk about your divorce (or your ex) in front of your kids.

Your kids know you’re getting divorced, and it’s definitely fine to answer their questions in age-appropriate ways. However, don’t call your mom, your best friend or your therapist in front of them – they’re not emotionally equipped to handle it.

#6. Don’t try to mediate between your kids and their other parent when there’s a disagreement.

If your children and your ex have a disagreement or dispute, don’t try to be the middleman. It’s between them, and you should support your children without trying to mediate.

#7. Expect your kids to feel confused, guilty, sad or abandoned.

Kids deal with divorce differently based on several factors, including their ages. It’s normal for children to feel confused, guilty, sad or abandoned – and it’s up to you to reassure them that you love them. Another thing to consider: Many children benefit from talking to a divorce therapist.

Divorce Tips for Moms: FAQ

We get a lot of questions specifically from moms, so check out these FAQ – and if you don’t see an answer to your question here, call us at 209-395-1605 to schedule a consultation with a Stockton divorce lawyer.

Related: Child custody in California

How Do Stay-at-Home Moms Get Divorced?

If you’re a stay-at-home mom who wants a divorce, you need to know that it is entirely possible for you to leave your spouse and get a fresh start. You’ll have to:

Get financial records, such as bank statements, asset statements, tax returns and other documents
Think about how you’ll divide your assets (California is a community property state)
Talk to an attorney about spousal support and having the court compel your ex to pay your legal fees
Learn about child support in California
Make a concrete plan before you take any major steps

How Do You Get Divorced When You Have No Money?

For many moms who have no money, divorce seems out of reach – but there are still a couple of options. First, you can file for divorce on your own, without an attorney. You may also be able to get the judge to agree that your spouse should pay your legal fees, which can happen when one spouse was the primary earner and the other doesn’t have the financial resources to pay an attorney.

What Are My Rights as a Mother Going Through Divorce?

In California, mothers and fathers have equal rights during a divorce. With that said, you have the right to:

Ask for physical custody of your children
Ask for legal custody of your children
Receive child support if you are the custodial parent
Ask for spousal support if you need it

What Does a Wife Get in a Divorce?

California is a community property state, which means everything that you and your spouse acquire during your marriage belongs equally to both of you. Some property is separate, though – if you or your ex brought it into the marriage, it’s generally yours to keep. Still other property is a mix of separate and community. Here’s an example: Let’s say you bought a house a few years before you married. You continued paying on the house even after you got married. Because you continued to pay for it once you got married, it’s part separate, part community. Your lawyer can help you figure out how to divide the house (or its proceeds, should you sell it).

Can a Stay-at-Home Mom Get Alimony?

Many stay-at-home mothers are entitled to alimony in a divorce. Usually, a judge will look at several factors when determining whether to award spousal support – including whether the supported spouse (in this case, the stay-at-home mom) can support herself. Usually, courts award alimony for a set period of time – typically how long it should take for the supported spouse to become self-supporting.

Can I Be a Stay-at-Home Mom After Divorce?

Realistically, it would be difficult for a person to be a stay-at-home mom after divorce. When the courts award spousal maintenance, it’s with the intention of the supported spouse becoming self-sufficient within a reasonable period of time. That means you would need to take the time you’re receiving alimony and work toward earning a degree or learning new job skills so that you can support yourself. However, if you can get your ex-spouse to agree to pay you a significant amount of spousal support with an agreement that you’ll remain a stay-at-home mom, it may be possible.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer to Get More Divorce Tips for Moms?

If you’re a mom considering divorce, or if your spouse has already filed, we may be able to help you. Call us at 209-395-1605 to schedule your consultation with an experienced Stockton family law attorney today.

Spousal Support

What is Considered Income for Spousal Support?

December 7, 2019August 12, 2020
by Angie

If you’re like many people going through a divorce in California, you need to know what is considered income for spousal support. That’s true whether you’re likely to have to pay spousal support (commonly called alimony) or whether you’re likely to receive it.

Usually, the court awards alimony to the lower-earning spouse. It’s a way to level the playing field so that the lower earner has time to get on his or her feet and become completely self-sufficient.

When a judge awards spousal support, he or she must consider the paying spouse’s income.

But what is considered income for spousal support? Here’s what you need to know.

What is Considered Income for Spousal Support?

Judges will only award spousal support when one spouse makes a significant amount more than the other does. The alimony must be fair and reasonable to the lower-earning spouse, but it has to be something that the higher-earning spouse can actually afford. That’s why the courts consider income as a major factor.

Income for spousal support includes all sources of money that a person receives, whether it’s through a paycheck, through stock dividends or through another source. Generally, everything that you’d pay income tax on when it’s time to make a payment to the IRS counts as your income.

What About Imputed Income?

If the person who is supposed to pay spousal support is working a job that pays less than what he or she could earn – especially if the person is doing it purposefully to avoid paying spousal support or child support – the courts can figure out an amount based on a higher figure. That’s known as imputing income for support, and it means that the court will attribute income to a person who hasn’t actually earned it.

Here’s an example: Your ex takes a $20 per hour job as a mall security guard, even though he or she is an established draftsman or engineer who was previously employed in a large firm (and made more than $20 per hour). The court may use the salary from your ex’s previous job to determine how much support he or she should pay. That’s imputed income that your ex could reasonably earn, as shown by his or her prior employment history.

Here’s another example: Your ex has been earning $90,000 per year in a long-term job. However, that job requires a lot of travel. Your ex quits and takes another job making just half of his or her previous salary – and then says that spousal support is unaffordable. The judge in your case will want to know why your ex quit the stable, long-term job, and you’ll have a chance to explain that it was completely voluntary. In a case like that, the judge could impute income, resulting in a spousal support payment comparable to what you’d receive if your ex still had the $900-per-year job.

A Word on Spousal Support AS Income

When someone receives spousal support, he or she must count it as income when filing federal and state tax returns. According to the IRS, alimony needs to be included in a person’s income if the two parties involved meet the following conditions:

The spouses don’t file a joint return with each other
The payment is in cash (including checks or money orders)
The payment is to or for a spouse or a former spouse made under a divorce or separation instrument
The divorce or separation instrument doesn’t designate the payment as not alimony
The spouses aren’t members of the same household when the payment is made (this requirement applies only if the spouses are legally separated under a decree of divorce or of separate maintenance)
There’s no liability to make the payment (in cash or property) after the death of the recipient spouse
The payment isn’t treated as child support or a property settlement

As a side note, if you pay spousal support, the IRS says “Alimony is deductible by the payer spouse.”

Do You Need Legal Advice on What is Considered Income for Spousal Support?

If you need legal advice, such as what is considered income for spousal support, or if you want to find out whether you’ll have to pay – or be entitled to – spousal support, we can help. Call us at (209) 989-4425 or get in touch with us online to schedule your consultation. We’ll help you with every aspect of your divorce, from child custody and child support to property division.

Divorce

If I Get Remarried, Do I Still Have to…

December 1, 2019August 12, 2020
by Angie

“If I get remarried, do I still have to pay alimony?”

This is a pretty common question – and it’s one there’s a definite answer to.

Yes, you still have to pay alimony to your former spouse if you get remarried. Here’s a closer look at what alimony is, why you pay it, and when you can stop paying it.

If I Get Remarried, Do I Still Have to Pay Alimony?

When you remarry someone after a previous marriage, you’re still obligated to pay alimony to your former spouse. (Only if you have a court order, though – otherwise, you aren’t legally obligated to pay spousal support.)

However, if your former spouse remarries – the one to whom you’re paying alimony – your obligation most likely ends.

What is Alimony?

Alimony, which is technically called spousal support, is money one party to a marriage must pay the other party. Spousal support can change hands for a short period of time, or the paying spouse may have to pay the receiving spouse until one passes away. When a court orders spousal support, these are the factors the judge must consider:

Each party’s earning capacity
How much the supported party contributed to the supporting party’s education, career or licensure
The supporting party’s ability to pay
Each spouse’s needs based on the standard of living established during the marriage
Each spouse’s assets and obligations
The duration of the marriage
Each spouse’s age and health
Evidence of a history of domestic violence or criminal convictions
Tax repercussions for each spouse
The balance of hardships to each party
The ultimate goal that the supported party will be self-supporting within a reasonable amount of time
Any other factors the court feels are just and equitable

Spousal Support: Why One Party May Have to Pay

Spousal support is typically only meant to help the lower-earning spouse to get on his or her feet. A judge may order it for a few years or longer, depending on the amount of time it should take for the other party to become self-sufficient.

In cases where one spouse stayed home to care for the children and the home while the other was the only income-earner, the court may award the stay-at-home spouse alimony so that he or she can gain the skills necessary to get a job and be competitive in the labor market. Likewise, in cases where one spouse stayed home to “hold down the fort” while the other went to school or furthered his or her career, the judge may order spousal support.

How Long Do You Have to Pay Alimony?

You have to pay alimony for as long as the judge orders it. Most spousal support orders come with conditions that will terminate spousal support. For example, if the receiving spouse remarries, he or she won’t be entitled to spousal support payments any longer; there’s a new spouse in the picture who can contribute to that person’s income.

“But if I get remarried, do I still have to pay alimony?” If that’s what you’re wondering, the answer is yes. Your remarriage doesn’t have any bearing on your former spouse’s needs. You must still pay alimony until your court order terminates it (such as when the supported spouse gets remarried or dies, or when the court ordered it for a specific period of time and that time expires).

You can ask the judge in your case to modify your spousal support order, though, even if none of the conditions that would ordinarily stop alimony payments have been met. You must show the court that circumstances have changed significantly. For example, if your income changes drastically and you can no longer afford to pay, you can petition the court to change your order. If the supported spouse moves in with someone, or if he or she starts making a lot more money, you can also ask the court to change your order. Your best bet is to consult with an attorney if you want to change the amount of spousal support you must pay.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About Spousal Support?

While you can call us to ask, “If I get remarried, do I still have to pay alimony?” and we’ll be happy to hear from you, please know that the answer is yes. You still have to pay alimony if you get remarried. Otherwise, you can talk to us about changing your spousal support order, or get legal advice on whether you’ll have to pay alimony as part of your divorce – just call us at (209) 989-4425 or get in touch with us online to schedule your consultation. We’ll help you with every aspect of your divorce, from child custody and child support to property division.

Divorce

Divorce Advice for Stay-at-Home Moms

September 27, 2019August 13, 2020
by Angie

If you’re a stay-at-home mom who’s facing divorce, you probably have a lot of questions. While most of them can be solved during a consultation with a Stockton divorce attorney, here’s a quick peek at a little divorce advice for stay-at-home moms.

Divorce Advice for Stay-at-Home Moms

Being a stay-at-home mom is wonderful – but it can be incredibly scary when you choose to (or when your spouse files for) divorce. When you don’t have your own source of income, or when you’re not sure what the job market holds for you, it can all seem overwhelming. However, you can follow these five tips to help make things easier on yourself:

Gather financial documents.
Find out what your assets are worth.
Get familiar with your credit score.
Plan to return to work.
Think about asking for alimony.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these so you can be as prepared as possible.

#1. Gather financial documents.

Pull together all the financial documents you have. One of the best pieces of divorce advice for stay-at-home moms is to keep records of everything – including things like:

Pay stubs
Loan and mortgage documents
Insurance policies
Bank statements
Investment account statements
W2s from previous years
Tax returns from previous years

When you have as many financial documents as you can get, keep them all organized in a folder. Later, if you choose to ask the court for alimony, you may need to provide proof of your family’s income – and your spouse may not be as truthful as you will.

#2. Find out what your assets are worth.

Maybe you want to continue living in your marital home after the divorce. That’s fine, but no matter what you intend to do, you need to find out how much it’s worth. That’s because divorce is financially tough on many couples – and you may not be able to keep it. It’s often a good idea to get the house appraised before your divorce so you know how much it’ll be worth if you have to sell it, and so you can prepare to divide the cash or come up with the remainder of what you owe.

If you have other assets, you should also find out what they’re worth.

#3. Get familiar with your credit score.

Use a site like CreditKarma to keep up with your credit score. You may need to apply for credit during or after your divorce, and the better your score is, the more likely you are to get favorable rates and terms. If there are things you need to fix on your credit report, now is the time to do it.

#4. Plan to return to work.

Another great piece of divorce advice for stay-at-home moms is to start planning to return to work. While a judge may award you alimony (commonly called spousal support), it’s not likely to last forever – and even if it would last forever, it may not be enough to support yourself in the lifestyle you want. A lot of stay-at-home moms end up going back to work during or after divorce, and you may be one of them. Brush up your resume and start looking at jobs that are available – and remember, even if they’re outside your field, they’re still worth considering when you really need to work.

#5. Think about asking for alimony.

You don’t have to ask the court for alimony, but your Stockton divorce attorney might suggest that you do. If the judge sees that you’ve been out of the workforce for a significant amount of time, and that you’re unlikely to be able to return to work right away because you need to get current on your skills, he or she may order your spouse to pay alimony. There are never any guarantees on how a judge will rule, but if you can show a need, the judge in your case may agree that you need – and deserve – spousal support.

Are You a Stay-at-Home Mom Considering Divorce?

If you’re thinking about divorce, or if your spouse has already filed, we may be able to help you. We’ll give you more specific divorce advice for stay-at-home moms, plus case-specific advice that helps you in your unique situation.

Call us right away at (209) 546-6870 or get in touch with a Stockton divorce attorney online to schedule a consultation today.

Divorce

Is Adultery Illegal in California?

July 12, 2019August 4, 2020
by Angie

Is adultery illegal in California? Many people whose spouses have cheated ask us that question – and the short answer is no. Adultery isn’t illegal in California, but it can affect some aspects of your divorce.

Here’s what you need to know.

Is Adultery Illegal in California When it Comes to Divorce?

Divorce is a civil proceeding, not a criminal one – which means you can’t say that adultery is “illegal.” However, it can make an impact when you divorce a cheating spouse.

Where is Adultery Illegal?

Most laws prohibiting adultery are gone, but in a few states, there are still laws on the books. They’re generally unenforced because they’re archaic, and many include language like “criminal conversation.” (They used that term because it was too risqué to say “sex.”)

States with laws against adultery, as of this writing, include:

Alabama	Arizona	Florida	Georgia
Idaho	Illinois	Kansas	Maryland
Massachusetts	Michigan	Minnesota	Mississippi
New York	North Carolina	Oklahoma	South Carolina
Utah	Virginia	Wisconsin

In most of these places, the laws are unenforced and haven’t been updated in years. For example, if you’re actually prosecuted for cheating on your spouse in Maryland, the fine is a whopping $10. However, in other states, such as Massachusetts, Idaho and Michigan, adultery is a felony.

If Adultery Isn’t Illegal in California, What Impact Does it Have on Divorce?

While California is a no-fault divorce state – meaning that you don’t have to give the courts a reason (like adultery) in order to get a divorce – it can have a small effect on your divorce. However, that only applies in very specific situations.

A judge cannot make your spouse pay you extra alimony, for example, because he or she cheated during your marriage.

The only time it matters to the court that you were married to someone who was unfaithful is if your soon-to-be ex-spouse spends money on a paramour or the affair directly affected your children (other than by causing your divorce, that is).

Money and Affairs: Adultery Isn’t Illegal, but it Can Be Costly

If your spouse blows your family savings account on a girlfriend or boyfriend while you’re married, you have every right to be angry – and you may have legal recourse, because there’s a good chance that some of that money belonged to you. You and your spouse equally own the money that came into your marriage while you were together (with the exception of gifts and inheritances intended only for your spouse).

Although the judge can’t order your spouse to pay you extra alimony or give you more property, he or she can make your spouse reimburse your marital estate. However, you’ll have to prove what your spouse spent and that he or she spent it on an affair partner. That might be easy to do if you have credit card bills and other ways to build a paper trail, but it can be nearly impossible if you don’t.

If your spouse did spend your money on his or her affair partner, make sure you let your attorney know.

What About When Legal Adultery Affects Your Kids?

It’s extremely unfortunate that your spouse’s cheating ended your marriage, but it won’t have any effect on child custody.

Unless, of course, the affair changed the cheater’s fitness as a parent. For example, if your spouse engaged in sexual acts in front of your kids, or if he or she worked with the affair partner to disrupt your relationship with them, you could have legal recourse.

Is Adultery Legal in California? No, But You Don’t Have to Stay With a Cheater

While adultery isn’t illegal in California, it’s the cause of many marital break-ups. If your spouse cheated on you and you want to explore your options, we can help you.

Call us at (209) 989-4425 or get in touch with us online to talk to a lawyer who can help today. We’ll help you with every aspect of your divorce, from child custody and child support to alimony and property division. We can also refer you to a divorce therapist who can help you work through the emotions you’re experiencing.

Divorce

LGBTQ Divorce: 5 Things You Need to Know

June 7, 2019August 13, 2020
by Angie

If you’re like many people, there’s a lot you don’t know about LGBTQ divorce. Is it the same as every other divorce, or are there nuances that make it different (or that would make your case harder)?

These are five things you need to know about LGBTQ divorce – but if you have more questions, or if you need to file, call us right away at 209-546-6870 to schedule a consultation with an experienced LGBTQ divorce attorney in Stockton.

LGBTQ Divorce: 5 Things You Need to Know

In the majority of cases, LGBTQ divorce is just like every other divorce. However, there are some things that can make it more complicated (again, like all other divorces), including issues like alimony, child custody, and the division of business assets. Here are five things you need to know about LGBTQ divorce:

If you have children, you’ll have to work out a custody arrangement.
One of you may be entitled to alimony.
You may need to hire a professional to value your business.
If you lived together long before you were married, it could affect what you’re entitled to.
If your child was born before you were legally married, you may encounter complications.

Let’s take a deeper look at each of these.

LGBTQ Divorce Fact #1: If you have children, you’ll have to work out a custody arrangement.

Like all parents, if you have children, you’ll have to work with your soon-to-be ex-spouse to work out a custody arrangement. In the vast majority of cases where parents work out an arrangement that’s fair to the kids, the courts will sign off on it.

LGBTQ Divorce Fact #2: One of you may be entitled to alimony.

Depending on the circumstances of your marriage, one of you may be entitled to receive spousal support. You or your spouse can ask the court to grant it, and it’s up to the judge in your case to decide – unless, of course, you work together to reach a fair amount that the judge agrees to. The courts decide how much spousal support changes hands based on several factors, including:

The supported spouse’s marketable skills, and whether there’s a job market for those skills
How long the supported spouse was unemployed in order to contribute to domestic duties in the marriage
How much the supported spouse contributed to the other spouse’s education, training, licensing or career advancement
Each spouse’s age and health
Documented history of domestic violence by either spouse
Tax consequences for both spouses
Other factors the court deems necessary

LGBTQ Divorce Fact #3: You may need to hire a professional to value your business.

If you own a business that you need to divide during your divorce, it’s probably in your best interest to work with a professional to value it accurately. The form of the business you own – whether it’s a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation – has an effect on how it’s divided. For example, a sole proprietorship is divisible when you divorce, but other types of companies are more nuanced and probably require professional help.

LGBTQ Divorce Fact #4: If you lived together long before you were married, it could affect what you’re entitled to.

Traditionally, California courts have ruled that spousal support lasts for about half the length of a marriage if the marriage lasted less than 10 years. Unfortunately, though, current California residents who were together for a long time but couldn’t marry in their own state – like Texas, for example, until 2015 – have been married for far less than 10 years but together for longer.

In cases like these, it’s often best to work with a divorce mediator who can help you.

Related: What is divorce mediation?

LGBTQ Divorce Fact #5: If your child was born before you were legally married, you may encounter complications.

If you have a child who was born before you were legally married to your spouse, you probably need to establish parentage (if you haven’t already done so). This is necessary if you’re going to work out custody and child support, and it’s something you’ll have to talk to your Stockton divorce attorney about if you’re a divorcing parent – particularly if you’re not biologically related to your child.

Do You Need to Talk to a Stockton Divorce Lawyer About LGBTQ Divorce?

When you and your spouse are splitting up, it’s rough – but we can help you through the legal side of it. Call us right away at 209-546-6870 to schedule a consultation with an attorney, whether you’re just thinking about divorce, you’re completely ready to file, or your spouse has already filed. We may be able to help you get the best possible outcome.