Getting a divorce is an emotionally difficult and legally complex process. You have to address numerous financial and familial issues through negotiation or in litigation, if out-of-court options fail. It is easier to navigate the process of a divorce with skilled Riverside divorce lawyers. A lawyer can also help you protect your financial interests and your rights.
Protecting Your Interests With Zitser Family Law Group, APC
If you are getting divorced in California, you are likely exploring your options. If you are a high-net-worth individual, your divorce may be even more complicated than others. As a result, you will need the help of a Riverside Divorce Attorney who understands the stress of a high-net-worth divorce and can protect you and your assets. Zitser Family Law Group, APC has over 20 years of helping high net worth clients in California through their divorces and all that comes after. Contact our team of dedicated and experienced attorneys to learn more about the ways we can help you.
Our Divorce Services
If you are a high-net-worth individual, you likely know the risks of your divorce. California divides assets through equitable division, which can lead to great losses. As a result, you will need the assistance of a skilled attorney. That being said, Zitser Family Law Group, APC has years of experience supporting high-net-worth clients in California through a wide range of divorce-related issues, including the following:
- Alimony
Alimony is also called spousal support and is a payment one spouse makes to another. Often, it is a monthly payment, but it may also be a lump sum payment.
Alimony may be awarded during the divorce process if one spouse has the financial need and the other spouse has the ability to pay support. Alimony can also be awarded as part of the divorce decree. The court determines whether to award this support, how much to award, and for how long, based on the income and separate financial resources of each party, and how long their marriage lasted.
Working with an experienced family lawyer helps you negotiate alimony, whether that is receiving a fair amount in support or ensuring you are not paying more than is necessary.
- Annulments
An annulment is often considered a type of divorce, but is very different. While a divorce ends an existing marriage, an annulment states that the marriage should not legally have existed and is invalid. There are several reasons that a marriage may be invalid.
A marriage may be void, meaning it is always illegal, for reasons such as bigamous or incestuous marriages. A marriage may also be voidable, meaning it could be legal but its circumstances made it illegal. This could include marriage entered into under duress or fraud, while one party lacked capacity, or marriages where one party was underage and did not have approval for the marriage.
Annulments are often faster than getting a divorce, which can be beneficial for many individuals. However, the court can only divide marital property and award alimony in specific circumstances. If there is no putative spouse, then the court cannot take these actions, which can leave a spouse in financial hardship. It is important to discuss your options with an attorney and determine whether an annulment or a divorce is right for you.
- Business Valuation
A business is a complex and often high-value asset that must be addressed during the division of a couple’s marital assets and debts. The business must be professionally appraised to determine its value and ensure fair negotiations. Professionals must also determine whether the asset and its interest is separate or community property. If the business or its interest is community property, then both spouses have equal rights to that. This can change property negotiations significantly.
- Gray Divorce
A gray divorce is a divorce between spouses who are retired or are 50 or older. It is important that these couples find legal support with relevant experience that will understand the unique goals and financial circumstances of a gray divorce. Spouses often have higher value and a greater number of assets, including retirement accounts. An attorney must know how to navigate these more complex assets.
Spouses may also be focused on the inheritance rights of the rest of their family and how they and their family will be supported during their end-of-life care. These unique priorities should be understood by their legal support.
- High Profile Divorce
A divorce is uniquely complex when a couple has celebrity status or high net worth. These divorces can draw a lot more media and public attention, which can increase the stress and frustration for couples, their children, and the rest of their families. When high-profile couples get a divorce, their legal support needs to know how to address their case with care, skill, and discretion. The divorce should be negotiated out of court to protect the entire family.
High-profile divorces also tend to have unique financial needs. One or both spouses may have high net worth, meaning the divorce must address the high standard of living that both parties and their children are accustomed to. It is more common that these devices have prenuptial agreements. If there is no marital agreement, it will take a lot of time to categorize and appraise all assets.
- Post-Judgment Modifications
After a divorce is finalized, there are several court orders, including division of property, child custody, child support, and alimony. These orders are all enforceable. If they are not followed, a spouse could be held in contempt of court. However, not all the orders are permanent. Some court orders can be modified when a family’s life changes significantly. If the change means that the court orders no longer are beneficial to a family, they should be modified.
If you have experienced a significant change in your life, such as the loss of income, new expenses, or changes in your child’s basic needs, an attorney can help you determine if you should modify court orders.
- Preparing for Divorce
Preparing for the divorce process can make it proceed more easily and help spouses know what to expect. Spouses can prepare by gathering the necessary financial information and other documents that are needed for divorce discovery.
- Property Distribution
Spouses have equal claim to the majority of the assets and debts that they obtained from the date of their marriage to the date of their separation. This is called marital or community property. There are some exceptions, such as gifts or inheritance given only to one spouse. This is considered separate property, as well as any assets each spouse obtained prior to or after their marriage.
Separate property is not divided. Marital property is divided 50/50 if the court is responsible for the division of assets. This does not mean every asset is divided in half, but that each spouse retains an equal value of marital assets. This makes the valuation of these assets very important. Couples can also divide assets outside of court, and the court will approve the agreement if it is fair.
There are some issues that can complicate the categorization of assets, such as the commingling or transmutation of separate property. Financial professionals such as forensic accountants are useful for determining whether assets are separate or community.
- Separation
Legal separation is a slightly different process to divorce. Couples may use legal separation as the first step in their divorce process, especially if they do not meet the specific requirements for getting a divorce. Couples can also use legal separation as the last step. Legal separation allows spouses to divide their assets, determine custody, and take other legal actions used in divorce. However, they remain legally married.
Family Law Services
After a divorce, it is common for family law issues to arise. If this occurs, you will need a skilled attorney on your side. Some of the issues that may come up include who will get to keep the children, whether child support is in order, and more. Zitser Family Law Group, APC, is proud to help you through various family law issues, including the following:
- Adoption
There are several types of adoption, including private agency adoption, foster care adoption, independent adoption, adult adoption, international adoption, and step-parent adoption. Each type of adoption may have unique requirements and guidelines, so it is much easier to navigate with a skilled legal professional.
- Child Custody
Child custody is part of divorces where spouses have children, and when unmarried parents separate. Decisions about child custody are determined based on the child’s best interests. Both legal and physical custody must be determined. Legal custody is the parental right to make decisions for their child, and physical custody is where a child lives. Either type of custody may be joint or sole. If parents can’t reach an agreement, the court will decide on custody arrangements.
- Child Support
Child support is necessary when parents have a custody arrangement. This support ensures that both parents have proportional responsibility for the child’s financial care. If one parent has a higher income than the other parent, they may be responsible for child support payments. If one parent has less parenting time with their children, they may pay child support. The amount of support payments relies on both of these factors and the child’s needs.
- Domestic Violence
When an individual or family is suffering from domestic violence, they need to take action to protect themselves, their rights, and their family. Domestic violence can influence several aspects of family law cases, including divorce. An attorney is crucial to help individuals protect themselves.
- Parenting Time
Parenting time is part of determining custody. Parents are encouraged to make a parenting plan outside of court, negotiating specifics such as pick-up and drop-off times and places, how to reach important decisions together, and how to inform each other of emergencies or changes in plans. A parenting plan must be in the child’s interests.
- Paternity
A child’s paternity can be established through a voluntary process or through the court. Parents should establish the legal and biological parents of the child through the court if they are uncertain about the child’s parentage or if either parent refuses to agree to voluntary paternity. Establishing paternity ensures both parents have rights and responsibilities to their child, and gives a child more support in their life.
- Prenuptial Agreement
Prenuptial agreements are contracts that partners negotiate prior to marriage, and then go into effect when the couple marries. They outline the obligations and abilities of each party to specific assets and debts during their marriage, including which property is separate or community. Prenuptial agreements can also divide assets in a divorce. This can make property division much simpler and easier to navigate. It can also add complications if the agreement is poorly made.
- Move-Away Cases
Move-away cases happen when one parent wants to relocate with their children, either in the same state or to another state, and the other parent disagrees. Move-away cases also happen if the move will change the custody order. The court will determine if the move is in the child’s interests. A skilled family lawyer can help parents argue for or against the necessity of a move.
Contact a Riverside Divorce Attorney
Here at Zitser Family Law Group, APC, we understand that there are few things more important than a positive divorce or family law agreement, which is why we are dedicated to effectively guiding our clients through all of their family law matters. From the moment you step into your office, you will understand that our firm truly cares about you, that your case is in good hands, and that you will never feel alone through every step of the process. Our team of dedicated attorneys is here to protect you, your family, and your assets. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with our firm so we can hear your goals and determine the best strategy possible to help you reach your goals.
