El Cajon Divorce Lawyer -- La Mesa Family Law Attorney
Michael Rehm -- (619) 787-3456
About 17% of La Mesa residents are divorced, as are about 14% of El Cajon residents. Both figures are above the California average.
Almost half of East County residents are married. Unfortunately, times of economic stress place a strain on marriages. While couples might survive a pandemic, not every marriage will survive.
A spouse who is contemplating divorce should obtain legal advice. Divorcing spouses need to make important decisions about child custody and their financial future. Planning ahead can make the transition to a single life less complicated.
El Cajon divorce and family law attorney Michael Rehm can ease the pain of a broken marriage. Attorney Rehm protects the rights of divorcing spouses and help our clients make parenting plans that serve the best interests of their children.
Parenting Plans in El Cajon Divorces
A parenting plan is an agreement made between separating or divorcing parents concerning child custody and visitation. A parent who has legal custody makes important decisions about a minor child, including educational and elective medical decisions. California courts prefer to award legal custody jointly to both parents if they are capable of making those decisions together.
Physical custody and visitation refers to the time a child will spend with each parent. A joint physical custody arrangement allows a child to spend roughly equal amounts of time living with each parent. Since most children are in school for most of the year, a joint physical custody arrangement is usually practical only if the parents live in the same school district after they divorce.
Even when one parent has physical custody, California law encourages agreements that give the other parent as much time with the child as is reasonable and practical. El Cajon Family Law Attorney Michael Rehm can help negotiate a parenting plan that meets the needs of the client and assures that the best interests of the child are met.
Financial Agreements in East County Divorces
Child support is governed by a formula that takes into account each parent's income and how much time the child will spend with each of them. Spousal support is awarded to spouses who need continuing support after a divorce. Spousal support is usually awarded temporarily until a spouse is able to earn a living, although it can be awarded permanently or until remarriage.
Property division begins by assessing whether property was acquired before or during marriage. Assets that either spouse acquired during marriage are regarded as community property and are divided equally.
Property acquired before marriage or after separation remains the separate property of the party who acquired the asset. However, assets that produced income or increased in value during the marriage might have characteristics of both community and separate property.
Placing a value on community property and deciding whether some of a spouse's separate property is subject to division can be challenging. Spouses need sound legal advice to protect their financial futures. La Mesa Divorce Lawyer Michael Rehm can provide this invaluable advice.
For more information on how Attorney Michael Rehm can provide reasonable, effective representation in the East County Court, call (619) 787-3456.
East County Family Law Resources: