INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FAMILY LAW
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3 Misconceptions About Divorce
When someone contemplates divorce , it seems that everyone gives his or her two cents . But rarely is this information helpful . These are just three of the common misconceptions about divorce : 1 . It MUST be very expensive !!!! Wrong ! A divorce , even when it involves a home , children , debt and other issues , does NOT HAVE to be costly . Two reasonable parties with reasonable attorneys can easily come to an agreement on all of the issues surrounding a divorce , such as dividing the marital assets and debts , securing a custody schedule and deciding appropriate child and / or
Cook & Associates Experience , Honesty and Results
Divorce | Custody | Support Alimony | Division of Assets / Debts
Cook & Associates 106 Arcadia Court 9380 McKnight Road Pittsburgh , PA 15237 ( across McKnight from the Outback ) alimony payments . Court intervention , along with its high costs , is unnecessary when the parties can agree . Not only will agreeing to reasonable terms save thousands of dollars but it will allow these parties , who are often parents , to maintain some semblance of a relationship for the sake of their children . Everybody wins !
2 . You should get precisely what your friend / sister / cousin / neighbor received . Wrong ! Everybody ’ s situation is different . Even if it appears that your circumstances are exactly the same as your cousin Michael ’ s , they are not . When your neighbor , Barbara , explains that she received the marital residence , all the bank accounts , alimony for 12 years and sole custody of the children , know that her outcome means absolutely nothing for your case . Nothing !! When the Court divides the marital property , it considers 11 different factors . It contemplates 16 factors for custody and 17 factors for alimony . Child support is based on a complex formula , which takes into account the incomes of the parties and many different expenses . When the Court applies all of these factors to different sets of circumstances , it is obviously going to come up with vastly different outcomes . And sometimes the Court had nothing to do with your fellow soccer parent ’ s “ good deal .” It could just be that his or her ex-spouse agreed to it . So , avoid non-legal divorce advice . Contact an attorney and find out your actual rights .
3 . The children have to be with one parent or the other . Wrong ! If there are two willing and able parents , and there are no major barriers such as great distance or drug abuse , the Court often awards equally shared custody to the parties . Many judges believe that it is in the best interest of the children to spend substantial time with both parents . And , the studies are showing that they are right . Children benefit from building solid relationships with both parents . And , though it might not seem like it at the time , most parents grow to enjoy having some kid-free time . If you get to a place where divorce seems like the only solution , contact an attorney and learn more about your rights .
Amanda C . Cook
( 412 ) 366-8980 www . pittlawyers . com
This Industry Insight was written by attorney Amanda C . Cook . Ms . Cook is a Senior Associate at Cook & Associates located in McCandless Township , PA . For over a decade , she has provided her clients with compassionate representation during the often difficult divorce , support and custody processes . Other areas of practice for Cook & Associates include estate planning and probate , real estate law and business law . For a free initial consultation , please call Ms . Cook today at 412-366-8980 or visit the website at www . pittlawyers . com .
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