What is Bifurcation?
Divorce can be an arduous process that becomes more and more complex depending on the number of community assets a couple has to divide as well as child custody and support issues they must resolve. The process may involve many sessions of mediation and time-consuming negotiations to work out an agreement that satisfies both parties and ensures the best interests of the children. California is one of a handful of…
Read MoreHow Are Rental Properties Divided in a Divorce?
No one enters into a marriage believing it will end in divorce but unfortunately, some married couples decide to end their union for a variety of reasons. While California is one of the states in the U.S. with the lowest divorce rate, divorces still occur throughout California, giving rise to many questions about the division of property and other assets during divorce, including questions about dividing rental properties. How are…
Read MoreAre Secretly Recorded Conversations Admissible During a Divorce in California?
California is known as a “no-fault” divorce state, meaning that, by default, dissolving the marriage does not require proof of wrongdoing. Despite this, some individuals seeking certain outcomes from their divorce may seek to submit evidence to help bolster their claims in court. Not all items obtained throughout an individual’s attempt to get a divorce or marriage dissolution are admissible in California family court. Individuals wanting to submit any materials…
Read MoreDoes Separation Always End in Divorce?
If you are contemplating a legal separation from your spouse, you may be curious about the risks and benefits of living apart. For instance, will legal separation automatically lead to divorce? While everyone’s marriage is unique, studies show that less than 15% of couples reconcile after a separation. Both spouses must work together to mend a marriage. Whereas only one spouse must choose divorce to terminate a legal union. What…
Read MoreConsequences of Marriage Abandonment in California
Most couples enter into a marriage with the best of intentions. However, maintaining a marriage requires open communication and the ability to compromise through the best and worst of times. When one spouse abruptly leaves the other, the remaining spouse must resolve any marital questions and decide how to move forward with their life. What is Marriage Abandonment? Marriage abandonment also called desertion, is when one spouse leaves the marriage…
Read MoreCan a Divorce Cause a Nervous Breakdown?
Any major life change can induce anxiety or mental crisis. Such significant life events include: Having children Moving to a new town Starting a career Losing a loved one Divorce can be so much more. Divorce is one significant life change with the ability to manifest the feelings associated with nearly all significant life events at once. Along with anxiety, divorce leaves its sufferers insecure, lonely, and in the grips…
Read MoreIs California a Community Property State?
California is a community property state. In community property states, any property acquired by spouses during a marriage is considered marital or community property. Absent a written agreement like a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement; all community property is subject to equal division by the court. To divide community property, the court totals the net worth of the community assets and subtracts the community debts from that amount. The remaining asset…
Read MoreHow are Financial Investments Divided in a Divorce?
How financial investments are divided in a divorce depends upon the state in which a couple divorces. In California, financial investments are divided according to California’s laws governing community property. Any assets acquired during the course of a marriage in California are considered community or marital property and are divided equally upon divorce. Financial investments may be excluded from statutory division in a divorce if another arrangement is specified in…
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