When you come to the conclusion that your marriage is failing, the future may look a lot like a giant question mark. What next? How do you proceed? In California, you have a few paths that you can take: divorce, legal separation, or annulment. Annulment only occurs when your marriage was never legally valid to begin with -- for reasons like incest, bigamy, fraud, or force -- so in today’s blog post we’ll focus on the Read More

During the divorce process, certain decisions are made, such as who will own which assets, and whether or not either spouse will need to make payments to the other. While the division of assets is permanent, court orders for support are typically modifiable depending on the different circumstances that may arise after divorce. When the divorcing couple has children together, the courts often order the noncustodial Read More

Getting a divorce is like coming to the end of one chapter in the book of your life, and beginning the next. With the right attitude and a little bit of effort, you can ensure that this new chapter is your happiest yet. You’re the author of your own life, so enjoy this opportunity for a fresh, new start.  What can you do to ensure happiness in your post-divorce life? At KL Family Law, we’ve watched countless Read More

During a divorce, California courts often order one ex to pay the other spousal support or child support. Spousal support payments are intended to help a disadvantaged divorcee (for example, if you have put your career aside for many years to care for the home and family while your spouse has been the breadwinner) maintain their lifestyle and continue to live comfortably. Meanwhile, child support is generally paid by Read More

If you were later asked to summarize the first few days and weeks after divorce, you’d probably say, “Same, but different.” You may be living in the same home, working nine to five for the same employer, and attending the same gym or book club every week, but other routines and responsibilities have changed.  This feeling is completely normal. You were married when you bought that house, started that job, or Read More

Divorce is upsetting for everyone involved. Children have an especially difficult time dealing with the stress of their parents’ divorce. It can negatively impact their behavior, their academic performance, and their mental and emotional health. The stress on children can even be so great that it impacts their physical health. During a divorce, it’s easy to feel like the painful toll on your child is inevitable Read More

Calculating child support in California is a bit of a complex process. In order to ensure a fair amount is ordered, the judge will take several factors into consideration before running the numbers through a calculator. Here are five of the factors the courts consider when determining child support amounts. 1. The parents’ incomes The judge will want to know how much money you and your former spouse are making. Read More

As parents considering divorce, you and your spouse have many decisions to make. One of the most important decisions you’ll face is about crafting your parenting plan. When you and your spouse realize that you are headed for divorce, you need to sit down to create a parenting plan immediately. By creating your parenting plan early on, you increase the odds that your child will have a smoother transition with the Read More

As a divorcing parent in California, you have probably heard the term, “in the child’s best interests.” It’s a phrase with a comforting idea. However, as a parent at the mercy of the court, the vague verbiage behind this kind sentiment can be confusing. Here’s what the court means when they refer to “the child’s best interests.” All states have different philosophies and ways of making decisions when it comes to Read More

Premarital (also known as prenuptial) agreements have a bad reputation. People think of them as an unnecessary document that could only help wealthy people. This is just one of many lies people believe about prenups. The truth is, if you’re thinking about marriage, you should also be thinking about premarital agreements. Here are five popular ideas people believe about premarital agreements and what makes them Read More