Redwood City Family Law Blog

Not everyone simply earns a paycheck for the work they do. You may be one of the numerous employees here in California who earns your income through other means. Yes, you get a paycheck, but you get more than that.

If you end up going through a divorce, you will need to divulge all your sources of income. Since California is a community property state, those other sources will more than likely end up as part of the marital estate.

Family law judges in California and around the country may modify child custody arrangements when doing so would be in the best interests of the child. Sometimes, custody arrangements are revised because custodial parents have problems with drugs or alcohol or enter into relationships with toxic or dangerous individuals, but judges could agree to a change in living arrangements simply because the child involved has decided that they would rather live with the noncustodial parent.

Custodial parents often feel hurt or betrayed when their children tell them that they would prefer to live with the parent's former husband or wife, but it is important for them to keep their emotions under control and understand how difficult it must have been for the child to broach the subject. Divorce can be very hard on children, and acting hurt or reacting with anger or bitterness in these situations could cause long-term damage to parent-child relationships by making the child less likely to discuss sensitive issues in the future.

Going through a divorce can be a messy process financially. The parties are forced to navigate through the state law labyrinth, choosing beneficiaries and divvying up their assets; it can be complicated and expensive to untangle the couple's finances. The average cost of a divorce in California is the highest in the country, according to a study conducted by Nolo Research, but there are some things a person can do to keep the costs down.

Handling the bank accounts should be among the top priorities. The majority of couples have one or more jointly held bank accounts. The parties should begin by listed out every account they're tied to, without regard for how it is held. Once the list is complete, joint accounts should be noted. Couples who are on good terms can close the joint accounts with a quick trip to the bank. Couples who are not on good terms will likely have to wait for the divorce settlement to be finalized.

When a California couple with children begins experiencing marital difficulties, there is typically a great deal of thought about what's best for the family. If the conclusion is that divorce makes the most sense for all under the circumstances, it is natural for both parents to focus on the legal issues such as community property, separate property, property division and spousal support. Of course, the issues of child custody and support are at the forefront; although the settlement of these issues is part of the divorce process, the welfare of the kids as they transition from one family home to two separate residences is of the utmost importance.

Believing that the children will be better off after the divorce is finalized and the conflicts are over may be true, but children are extremely vulnerable during the process. Family relationship experts stress the importance of several considerations that parents should keep in mind. First, consistency of lifestyle, routine and activities should be maintained as closely as possible. It is natural to seek comfort in the familiar when there is turmoil in part of one's life.