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Economic concerns are a part of almost every divorce case.  I have practiced family law in Michigan for almost thirty years now and the anxiety that surrounds the issues involving money seems to get more intense every year as more people seem to be on the edge these days.  This blog is written to generally address the issue of how the bills should get paid while a divorce is pending in the State of Michigan.  Every case is different and nuanced, if you have questions regarding a potential divorce in your life, please do not hesitate to schedule a consultation by clicking on this link or calling (248) 609-4123.

How Are Bills Paid During A Divorce In Michigan?

There is an old saying in the family law system that goes "you are married until you are divorced".  This means that even though a divorce has been filed, until the judge signs a judgment of divorce, you are still married and the government will continue to treat you as a married couple.  The result is that most bills are considered marital bills and they should be paid in the same way they were while you were married just as if neither spouse had filed for divorce.  This is true whether one spouse earned the majority of the income and was responsible for payment of essentially all the bills or the parties both earned similar incomes and contributed equally to the payment of bills, and anything in between.  This is how the court will say the bills should continue to be paid until there is a judgment of divorced signed by the judge and entered into the court record..

That answer begs the question, how do I force the other side to pay their share of the bills?  Typically when you file a "Complaint For Divorce" in the State of Michigan, you can get an "Ex Parte Status Quo Order".  These orders typically provide a list of the bills that the parties have to pay, including mortgages, utilities, internet, credit cards, etc., and state that the parties shall continue to pay the bills as they did during the marriage.  Typically this constitutes both parties continuing to deposit their pay into the joint account and pay the bills out of that account.  if one of the parties fails to continue to hold up their end of the bills, then we file a motion to have that spouse held in contempt of court for violating the court's order.  The court will then order that spouse to comply and if they do not, the court can order them to pay the other spouse's attorney fees, fine them or even put them in jail.

This blog was written to generally address the issue of payment of bills while a divorce is pending in Michigan.  If you have concerns about a potential divorce or you have been served with a Complaint for Divorce, please contact us to schedule a consultation by clicking on this link or calling (248) 608-4123.