Category Archives: Family Law
The Financial and Emotional Costs of a Divorce
In Florida, the average cost of a divorce is about $15,000. But the average cost of a divorce is like the average cost of a house or a car. There is so much difference between the low end and high end that an “average” figure is almost meaningless. Nevertheless, a divorce almost always costs… Read More »
Classifying and Dividing Property in a Florida Divorce
Like most other jurisdictions, the Sunshine State is an equitable division jurisdiction. A divorce property settlement must divide property in such a way that the divorce is not an unfair financial burden for either spouse. Property division begins with property classification. On its face, Florida’s property classification rule is rather straightforward. Debts or assets… Read More »
Classifying and Dividing Property in a Florida Divorce
In some states, divorce almost always results in a 50-50 property division. But Florida is different. The Sunshine State is an equitable distribution state. The marital estate, which includes both debts and assets, must be divided equitably. That’s not necessarily the same thing as an equal division. Furthermore, in Florida, a divorce cannot be… Read More »
Top 10 Property Division Factors in a Florida Divorce
Most jurisdictions, including Florida, are equitable division states. The marital estate, which includes both assets and debts, must be divided in such a way that the divorce is not an unfair financial burden on either party. There is a strong informal presumption that a 50-50 division fits the bill. But an equal division is… Read More »
Practical Timesharing Solutions in a Changing Environment
Spring 2020 coronavirus restrictions might be ending, but the changes this virus wrought might have been permanent. These changes include the way we work and the way families interact with one another. Traditional habits, such as 9-to-5 workdays and every-other-weekend timesharing arrangements, might be on the way out. In many cases, these changes were… Read More »
Calculating the Amount and Duration of Spousal Support Payments in Florida
Many marriages, but certainly not all of them, end in divorce. Many marriage dissolutions, but certainly not all of them, involve spousal support payments. Florida has a rather broad alimony law, but nevertheless, judges only order these payments in limited circumstances. That’s especially true of long-term alimony. Obligors (people who pay support) and obligees… Read More »
Top Five Property Division Factors in the Sunshine State
Like most other jurisdictions, Florida is an equitable division state. Marital property must be divided in such a way that the divorce is not an unfair financial burden on either party. There is a presumption that a 50-50 division satisfies this requirement, but that’s only a presumption. If there is substantial evidence of inequality,… Read More »
How Much Does a Port St. Lucie Divorce Cost?
The average financial cost of a marriage dissolution is around $20,000. However, this figure is highly misleading. There’s a big cost difference between Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’ divorce and an abandonment divorce where the couple has no debts or assets. So, in terms of financial cost, the only honest answer a Port St. Lucie… Read More »
Top Seven Alimony Factors in Florida
In some states, alimony determinations are usually like child support determinations. Financial guidelines usually dictate the amount and duration of payments. But the law in the Sunshine State are different. They are quite subjective, as outlined below. As a result, an effective Port St. Lucie divorce attorney is vital, whether you are an obligor (person… Read More »
From Green to Grey: Color Changes in Over-55 Divorces
In ye olden days, many couples over 55 whose marriages fell on hard times obtained “Irish divorces.” They remained legally married but lived separate lives. These separate lives often included separate households, a situation which created the married-filing-separately provision in the tax code. Recently, however, divorce’s moral acceptability reached an all-time high. So, many… Read More »
