Many Michigan couples sign prenuptial agreements before they wed. Most such agreements serve their intended purpose very well: reducing the amount of stress and acrimony if the couple decides to terminate their marriage. Occasionally, however, one spouse discovers that the prenuptial agreement is unfair; perhaps a term regarding spousal support deprives one spouse of necessary income or one spouse hid…
In Michigan, child support orders are expected to be followed. That means the parent who has been ordered to make the payments must do so on time and in full. The receiving parent might not know what options are available if the payments are late, there is underpayment or they are not paid at all. One way to get the…
Parents in Michigan want what is best for their children. However, if those parents have gone through a divorce—or if they have never been married at all—either way, they may need to develop child custody and child support arrangements that are designed to be implemented in the “best interests” of the children. A “parenting plan” is a big part of…
Michigan couples who are getting divorced will hear many terms they might be relatively familiar with as the case moves forward. When child custody is being addressed or there is an outright dispute, the child’s “best interests” will come to the forefront. While the term may sound self-explanatory, there are specific details that the sides should understand from the start.…
A high-asset Michigan couple who has decided to dissolve their marriage must face the difficult issue of valuing their assets so they can be divided equitably. For these couples, valuing the family home can be the most difficult issue in the division of their assets. Not only is the family home perhaps the couple’s single most valuable asset but it…
If you have been married for many years or even decades, the idea of divorce might not be on your radar. Still, an empty nest or differing goals later in life can strain a marriage. The divorce rate of those aged 50 or older is climbing according to some attorneys and researchers. Those going through a late in life will…
There are a lot of facets to parenthood, but in the eyes of Michigan law, parenthood is a legal relationship. Under the law, parents have rights and responsibilities toward their children. Biological parents who live with their children may not have to think about them very often, but the legal aspects of parenthood become clear when the parents split up…
Generally, under Michigan law, any property acquired by either spouse during a marriage is considered to be marital property. Even if a banking account or some other asset is in one spouse’s name, the other spouse generally has some property right to it. This only becomes an issue if the couple decides to divorce. During a divorce, couples need to…
When parents separate, they will likely go from living in the same house together with their children to living in different homes. Two separate homes can make it more challenging for the child to spend quality time with both parents. This is especially true if the child’s parents live hundreds of miles apart. Possible scheduling options for long distance parents…
We all have the best intentions when it comes to providing our children with all their needs as they grow up. For some parents, this includes paying what they owe in child support. However, you cannot always predict your financial future and there may come a time when you are unable to meet your child support obligations. If these delinquencies…