INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FAMILY LAW
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3 Misconceptions About Divorce
W
hen 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)
(412) 366-8980
Amanda C. Cook
www.pittlawyers.com
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.
This Industry Insight was written by attorney Amanda C. Cook. Ms. Cook is a Senior
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