Redwood City Family Law Blog

Pets are such an important part of so many people’s lives that the companionship and emotional support they provide can be very strong. Because of this, having a pet is very popular. Sixty-eight percent of households, which equates to 85 million people, have a pet. It is estimated that in 2018, Americans will spend over $72 billion on their pets.

Since pets are such an integral part of the lives of so many people, it is interesting that when it has come to divorce, pets have always been treated as property with no consideration for the well-being of the animal. As of January 2019, that is no longer the case in California.

For parents in California who are going through a divorce, the thought of losing time with and access to their children can be the most devastating aspect of the end of a marriage. While almost all people who divorce will have less time with their children after a divorce, joint custody is a growing standard endorsed by many courts as well as child psychologists and development experts. While in the past, some experts argued that infants and toddlers in particular needed to spend most of their time with their mothers and even argued against overnight time with their fathers, this view has long since been discredited.

So long as abuse and neglect are not factors, outcomes for children are generally better when both parents share joint child custody and parenting time. While there may be individual families who need different options for an array of reasons, younger children in particular may benefit from a standard 50/50 joint custody schedule, given their less intense educational program. Under this option, each parent will usually spend a week with the children with the children switching homes on a weekend day.

A credit card company is not bound by a divorce decree. Therefore, California divorcees may find it more difficult to get rid of joint debt than to separate from their actual spouses. Ideally, individuals will take steps to divide this debt prior to getting a divorce. This could mean paying the joint balances together or transferring a portion of the debt to credit cards in each person's name.

It is also a good idea to cancel any cards that have a former spouse's name on them. Doing so reduces the chances of negative credit consequences if that person fails to pay his or her part of that debt. It could also prevent an individual from taking a credit hit if a former spouse decides to file for bankruptcy related to that joint debt. In most cases, it is possible to come to an agreement about joint debt by working with a mediator or financial planner.

When people in California consider divorce, some of the most common issues that can lead to the end of a marriage are financial. Indeed, 59 percent of divorcing couples say that financial issues played at least some role in the split, according to a study by Experian, the credit bureau. In addition, 20 percent said that finances were a major issue, and 26 percent said that credit scores and handling of credit were a major obstacle in the relationship.

For couples who are embarking on married life and want to avoid divorce, setting financial priorities together and sharing information can be key to avoiding these issues further down the line. People who have similar attitudes toward saving and spending may be more compatible with one another because both partners will be on the same page about how to handle financial issues and problems that arise.