Michigan Family Law Blog

Michigan Parenting Plan Guide We all want to make sure our children are not hurt by a divorce, separation, or breakup.  Michigan courts also want to do their part to make sure that parents get quality time with their children because it is believed that the children, absent a valid reason like s...

Michigan Divorce Lawyer for Divorces Across State Lines Sometimes spouses live in different states. Various reasons exist for these living situations to occur. It could be work-related or it could be because they have separated. It happens often when couples live on the border of another state, ...

Emergency Child Custody Lawyer in Michigan You never want to be in a situation where your child is at risk of harm from the other parent. But it can happen.  Harm materializes in different ways, from physical violence to kidnapping to parental substance abuse. In Michigan, options are available ...

When spousal support, also known as alimony, is court-ordered, it has to be paid. Failure to pay spousal support has its consequences. If you are the one ordered to pay, you may have an option: you can file a petition to modify spousal support based on changed circumstances. If you are the one ow...

The rate of divorce has increased over the years, but that does not make the dissolution of a marriage in Michigan any easier. When a marriage ends, you have decisions you need to make that will affect your future and the future of any children you may share with your ex-spouse. Getting the right...

Ending a marriage later in life carries with it some considerations that are not necessarily present when you divorce earlier. In Michigan, things like healthcare, insurance, business interests, retirement savings, estate planning, taxes, and Social Security can get complicated. You want to make ...

Alimony, also referred to as spousal support, is a series of payments made by one spouse to the other spouse during or after their divorce. Like many ongoing obligations after a divorce, spousal support payments can be modified when certain facts and circumstances exist. You must follow the prope...

Our child custody lawyer in Oakland County answers frequently asked questions that we receive from new clients.  There is a lot of misinformation about child custody which causes confusion and misunderstanding by the public.  State law vary significantly or subtly on child custody. This blog addr...

Divorce Lawyer in Michigan for Business Owners When a couple divorces in Michigan, their debt and marital property – the property they have accumulated and shared during their marriage – is subject to property distribution. In Michigan, the court will split the martial property in an equitable o...

Divorce is hard enough, but dividing marital property can be even more so. First, we have to identify what is considered marital property, and that can be a contentious process, especially if there's been any commingling of funds between separate property and marital assets. Then, valuation of th...

If you are thinking about divorcing your spouse, the financial aspect may be your greatest concern because no matter your income level, your financial situation can take a hit when you divorce. Spouses who didn't work or worked less while married financially dependent on the other spouse. The cou...

When preparing for a wedding one of the last things people want to think about is the reality of future finances and how to protect one's assets with a prenuptial agreement.  It is wise at the very least to meet with a family law attorney to explain the legal and financial ramifications of marria...

Getting a prenuptial agreement or at least meeting with a family law attorney to find out what you are getting into, is a very good idea.  A prenuptial agreement can protect property that you own before the marriage, including inheritances and it can protect your own income and guard against pote...

Some people seem to think that alimony is no longer an issue in divorce cases but in reality alimony, also known as spousal support is alive and well in Michigan.  Alimony is based upon a variety of factors but the biggest are really the length of the marriage, the education level of the parties,...

Divorce is a stressful process for anyone to endure.  There is uncertainty about the future as it relates to most aspects of one's life, including their financial future, division of property, alimony, debt division, custody, parenting time and child support.  Many people wonder where they will l...

It is always a difficult decision to file for divorce.  It can affect every aspect of one's life including their children, their home, their retirement and their financial stability and there is a sincere fear or concern about the unknown outcomes of the case.  This fear of the unknown can be com...

There are so many questions that face a person who is considering divorce or separation.  Those include questions about all aspects of their future, including child custody, parenting time and support, alimony, division of property, how debts will be handled, future financial stability and where ...

Divorce is one of the most difficult things a person may have to face in their life.  It can affect every part of one's life, including their relationship with their children, their savings, home and retirement plans and their ability to support themselves.  Often one person does not want the div...

There are many issues that one must face in a divorce that include division of property and debt, division of retirement funds, alimony, custody and child support to name a few.  Some of these can continue to be issues after a divorce is finalized.  Issues revolving around alimony, child custody ...

Going through a divorce can be the most difficult time a person will have to face during their lifetime. It will have an effect on every aspect of a person's life, their financial security, their home and their family all must be addressed.  If a divorcing couple has children, the most important ...

There are many issues that may come up when one is considering a divorce or faced with a spouse that is considering divorce.  Divorce will affect every aspect of one's life including some of the biggest financial transactions one will ever have to handle, including division of retirement accounts...

When one is facing a divorce in Michigan, there are so many different issues to consider, from custody to alimony, property division to debt division, it can be difficult to focus on specific concerns.  While almost all property that is earned by either spouse during a marriage is considered mari...

I have been a divorce attorney practicing in Michigan since 1996.  There has always appeared to be some question from the public about whether retirement accounts or pensions are subject to division in a divorce.  There are also often concerns about the tax consequences of dividing these accounts...

When one is facing a divorce or separation, there are many issues that one must consider.  There will almost always be division of property and debt, if there is a disparity in income, then there may be alimony issues and if there are children, then custody, parenting time and child support are i...

There are many different issues that one may encounter in a divorce case.  There are many issues that are serous and some that are not as serious, so it is important to prioritize your needs and wants and what issues are more important than others.  It does not pay to become bogged down in issues...