If you are facing a divorce, it’s important to have a decent handle on what lies ahead. While your divorce will follow its own path – and you are sure to face surprises along the way – the divorce basics remain the same for everyone. If divorce is on your horizon, don’t put off consulting with an experienced Manassas divorce attorney who will help you forge ahead in pursuit of divorce terms that support your parental and financial rights.
The terms that need to be negotiated for every divorce include the following (as applicable):
If you and your soon-to-be-ex can find common ground on each of these matters that apply to your situation, your divorce will not require the court’s intervention (other than for finalization). If you aren’t there yet, however, don’t despair – you have options that include having your respective divorce attorneys skillfully negotiating on behalf of terms that uphold your best interests.
There are also options like mediation – a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) – available. Further, even if some of your divorce terms remain unresolved, the more that are taken care of, the fewer the court will need to determine on your behalf.
In Virginia, your marital property (those assets you acquired over the course of your marriage) must be divided equitably in the event of divorce. Equitably translates to fairly within the context of your marriage, and because the stakes are often high, negotiating terms that you are both willing to sign off can be very complicated.
Child custody refers to legal custody that pertains to decision-making power and to physical custody that pertains to how you and your ex will split your time with your children. Both legal and physical custody can be either sole or joint, but the court is generally loath to completely deny a parent visitation (without a compelling reason for doing so). Physical custody can range from one parent becoming the primary custodial parent while the other parent has visitation to both parents splitting their time with the children nearly equally or exactly equally.
Child support payments help to ensure that both parents continue to uphold their financial responsibilities to their children. Child support payments are based on each parent’s income and the number of nights each parent has custody of the children. There are additional factors, however, that can come into play in the calculation of child support, which is generally determined in accordance with exacting state guidelines.
Spousal support only plays a role if one spouse experiences a financial downturn upon divorce and the other has the financial ability to help offset it.
The driven Manassas divorce attorneys at Virginia Family Law Center have the experience, resources, and skill to help you. To learn more, please don’t wait to contact us today.
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