Tips from Chandler family law attorney

If you are considering a divorce, you should know how it can impact your financial life. Divorce is both emotionally and financially stressful, so informing and preparing the process can help you be ready for any surprises that come your way. Here are some surprising ways divorce can affect your finances:

Your health insurance

Depending on how you have insurance while you were married, you may need to pay for your insurance you get divorced.

The Real-Life Costs Of Child Care

If you had children, you might be expected to pay child support or have child support, which may not cover all your expenses. A decrease in your finances can also mean fewer opportunities for your children to do activities like camp, sports, or music lessons.

Refinancing And Your Credit Score

The court tends to divide assets and debt between both spouses in the divorce process. The court will also probably indicate who is responsible for paying specific bills. If you are wondering how you can avoid this, just know it is not an easy process.

Your Retirement Plans

Many people do not realize that just because they earned the 401(k) through their job does not mean it is all their. Retirement plans are considered “marital property,” which means you and your spouse are both entitled to a portion of the money in this account during a divorce settlement.

Divorce is never pleasant, and you are not always going to be prepared for how life after divorce will affect you. And on top of the emotional strain, divorce can significantly impact your financial life as well. So, when you understand how divorce can affect you,  it can help make the process smoother. If you are interested in learning how Shaffer Family law in Chandler can help you throughout this challenging process, give us a call at (480) 470-3030. 

The choice to divorce is hard, but your choosing your legal representation should not be. Unfortunately, finding the best divorce attorney can be challenging, but it is essential to make sure your time, money, and trust are respected throughout the divorce process. Here are a few tips to follow to help find the perfect representation for your case:

Know what you want, and don’t settle

Go into the search process, identifying what level of support you need, and make a decision based on that knowledge. 

Look for an attorney who meets your conditions

Different divorce attorneys take different approaches to the cases they take on. You need first to decide what you want and how you would like the process to go. 

Do Your Research

It is essential to do research on which option best aligns with your goals carefully. It can help decide whether you want a collaborative process, mediation, or traditional litigation.

Stay focused on what’s important and let the other stuff go

Divorce is highly emotional, even when both parties are in agreement with ending the marriage. The right attorney will help you understand what is essential and what is not to make decisions that matter.

You may be able to legally prevent your ex from contacting your children under certain circumstances. In some cases, an ex is abusive or potentially dangerous, so keeping your children away from them may be necessary. While, in many cases, a child should have a relationship with both of their parents, there may be other situations when keeping an ex out of children’s lives is the better choice. But, legally distancing your ex from the children you share is not easy for us, and you should reach out for the help of an experienced family attorney.

Reasons For Keeping Your Child Away From Their Parent

If you want to stop your children from seeing their other parents, you need to have an appropriate reason and evidence. Granting one parent total control custody of their children is not very common, so you need to prove that the other parent is somehow unfit. These include:

·       Situations where the other parent is physically or sexually abusing the children or has a substance abuse issue.

·       Displaying neglect or engaging in criminal activity It could not be easy to completely prevent a parent from accessing their children in less complex situations. In most cases, the parent will be legally allowed visitation rights, though they may require supervision. If you are looking to make changes to your custody arrangement and want to stop your children from seeing their other parent altogether, you may be able to get legal help from the attorneys at Shaffer Family Law in Chandler. Give us a call today to examine your situation and why you wish to prevent the visits.

When you think of an abusive relationship, you may think of physical violence or emotional trauma. But people often experience financial abuse, which may result in long-term harm as the target of this behavior. Many people do not consider themselves victims of this type of abuse because their partner has provided them with a home and other needs. But, when it comes to money, you may feel like a prisoner because you cannot make decisions about household finances or plan for significant changes.

You are Unable to Earn Your Own Money

Financial abuse is all about having control over their spouse. Control over your ability to earn is what happens with this type of abuse. Many people are forced to quit their job. And while some people can still work, their spouse may control their access to the account where their money is deposited. This kind of behavior is more than about trying to save money. Many people do not have a choice in the matter: Their spouse may:

·       Monitor bank accounts

·       Use personal information to open credit accounts

·       Ruin their credit if you decide to leave the marriage

·       Ruined their confidence in money

·       Punish them for spending the smallest amount

·       Significant purchases are in their spouse’s name only

You may feel your spouse has the right to control where the money goes if they are the primary earner, or you may trust your spouse to manage the funds for the family. However, money management is not the same as financial abuse, which does not offer a person options or a sense of financial security. If you want out of your marriage, but you are experiencing financial abuse, give Shaffer Family Law in Chandler a call today at (480) 470-3030.

While divorce can conclude a problematic marriage, parenthood is still something you need to handle. No relationship ends when children are involved. Each parent shares an interest in the well-being of a child, and it has the equal right to participate in that relationship. A parenting plan can help.

A parenting plan protects the child while guaranteeing that parents share access, decision-making, and responsibility for their children. Joint custody means that both parents must participate equally to protect their children’s health, education, and wellness.  A plan depending on the cooperation and understanding of recently divorced people will someday require judicial intervention.

It is inevitable that at some point, the parents will disagree on something.  So, planning for that situation and providing clarity in advance can make things easier for everyone. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of having a parenting plan, give Shaffer Law Family a call today at (480) 470-3030.

For a lot of unhappy, married people in Arizona, divorce is the end of a past mistake. Like most things that end, there will always be sadness, but if you are like someone who has been suffering in a marriage, you will be relieved rather than heartbroken. All marriages reflect the two individuals in them, so not all divorces will be the same. However, there are some things attorneys advise you to do to ensure the divorce process is as smooth as possible.

Letting emotions fuel the fire

Divorce is a volatile situation. As hard as it can be, emotions should not dictate divorce negotiations. If you have problems maintaining a level head, enlisting the help of an experienced divorce attorney who will help you vent your emotions before negotiation proceedings are the best option.

Not being honest about finances

Finances are a significant part of the divorce process, and if you are not honest about debts and assets, it could make the process harder. Be upfront about things like budgets, expenses, and your lifestyle choice.

Holding onto the Past

Letting go is hard. It is a big thing when it comes to thinking about the future as single individuals. If you are looking for the help of an attorney specializing in divorce, give us a call today at (480) 470-3030.

Are you a victim of domestic violence and abuse? Violence against a spouse or partner is wrong, no matter the case. Spousal abuse is not only just physical abuse, but it can also be verbal abuse. When one spouse is calling you obscenities or hurtful names, this is considered verbal abuse. While it is harder for someone to be punished for verbal abuse (it is difficult to prove), it still causes great harm to the victim, and this behavior can be verified in many ways.

Furthermore, not everyone reacts the same way to verbal abuse – another can laugh off hurtful words to one person. So, this lack of a clear definition of verbal abuse can further complicate the efforts to address verbal abuse in your case. If a man, for example, verbally abused his wife in the past, it may be hard for her to prove it in court simply because she has tolerated it.

The only way that verbal abuse is likely to result in a penalty is if it occurs along with threats of physical abuse or if it is happening in front of your children. In this case, the judge could see verbal abuse as heightening the intensity of physical abuse, and both would be punished accordingly.

Preventing and addressing domestic violence is a very high priority in divorce cases and takes precedence over all family court systems. Help is available to you, and you do not need to remain silent and deal with the abuse. Remember, just because you do not have bruises does not mean that you are not hurting. The courts understand this and want to help you. If you want the assistance of a knowledgeable divorce attorney, give Shaffer Family Law a call at (480) 470-3030 today.

No one files for divorce just for fun. But very few people realize how traumatic divorce can be for themselves and their family. Ending a marriage can cause a lot of stress and you lot financially. For children, divorce can have serious effects on their physical health.

Studies have shown that children of divorced parents face a lot more challenges, compared to children from two-parent homes. They also deal with more illnesses, accidents, and injuries compared to kids who grow up with both parents in the home. While this can be somewhat misleading, the research shows that it is important for parents and extended families to continue to provide children with structure during and after a divorce.

Of course, divorce can have been beneficial as well. In some cases, divorces provide a child a way to get away from physically or emotionally abusive situations. Divorce can have a mixed effect on most children. Ending a marriage can ultimately be for the good, but you need to make sure your children’s needs continue to be met. A family law attorney can help a divorcing parent have a smooth experience to that they are less stress and can help ensure the well-being of their children.

Need help with your divorce case? Give Shaffer Family Law a call today at (480) 470-3030.

Divorce is a solemn and daunting experience. You will face intense pressure, anger, having to talk to your children, and anxiety about your future. During your divorce, you may face legal disputes, and while you may be troubled, having an experienced divorce attorney to guide you can help. A reliable attorney can help simplify your experience. However, concealing any information from your attorney compromise results in the proceedings.

You may feel the need to conceal problems such as infidelity or financial mistakes, or even the reason for your divorce. But lying benefits no one. Your relationship with your attorney, like your relationship with your doctor, will only be as effective as the amount of communication and trust you have with one another. At Shaffer Law Family, we want our clients to know that we are not your enemy – we are your ally. So withholding information from your attorney only hurts yourself. It denies you from having effective representation, and you will also be hurting your case.

If any dishonesty is found in court, do not expect the judge to think highly of you. You can face consequences that can influence property division and even the custody of your child. If you are looking for guidance during your divorce, give the attorneys at Shaffer Law Family a call today at (480) 470-3030. 

Before you and your significant other decide to get married, you must have some serious discussions about your finances. At Shaffer Family Law, we advise couples to consider a prenuptial agreement, especially if either of them has children, is going to get an inheritance, or has a business.

Not Just For The Rich

While family wealth might be more comfortable talking about it, prenups also protect people with considerable assets. They can help you figure out what happens to future investments and protect you from your partner’s debts.

They Take the Place of Most State Divorce Laws

No matter what your financial circumstance looks like, a prenup can allow you to take your financial future into your own hands. It is that or have your marriage dictated by state laws. A prenuptial agreement gives you the chance to develop regulations for your marriage without giving in to the customary rules that may not apply to you and your partner.

They’re Insurance for Your Marriage

Prenups are like insurance policies – something you hope you never have to use but are happy you have it if needed. Just like when you choose insurance, you need to consider the worst-case scenario. You and your partner should talk about different assets, how they will be joined and which will remain separate. You should also talk about whether income (and debts) earned during the marriage will be joint or individual and whether alimony will be paid if you end up divorcing.