Leland Divorce Lawyers

Divorce and Child Custody Lawyers in Leland, Michigan

The divorce lawyers in Leland, Michigan are here to help you if you want to file for divorce or are thinking about divorce and want to explore your next steps. The decisions you make when you file for divorce can impact your family and your life for years to come. Getting divorced means dividing marital debts, dividing bank accounts, dividing property and assets, and it might even involve dividing retirement accounts and other investment assets. The choices you make now can have a big impact on your financial future. And while you might want to finalize your divorce as quickly as possible, doing so without first understanding your rights could lead to you giving up things that you might be entitled to receive, like part of a retirement account (even if it’s only in your partner’s name), or alimony, especially if you contributed to the marriage in other ways, like raising children or supporting your partner in school or in the military. Once you finalize your divorce, there’s no going back and changing a financial agreement. It’s essential you get your divorce settlement right the first time. The divorce lawyers in Leland, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group are here to help you navigate the toughest questions divorce can raise.

If you have minor children, you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll co-parent your children. In a divorce, these decisions are recorded in a parenting plan. A child custody lawyer in Leland, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group can walk you through what you need and help you create a parenting plan that’s in your children and family’s best interests.

Separation vs. Divorce

Separation is a little different than divorce. With separation, you and your partner remain married in the eyes of the law, but you might make formal decisions regarding dividing assets and debts or create a parenting plan if you have minor children and plan to live apart. Sometimes couples choose to separate instead of divorce for practical reasons. For example, one partner has a pending visa application that might be impacted by divorce. Or one partner relies on their spouse’s health insurance and has a chronic health condition. In these situations, if no one plans to get remarried right away, the couple might choose to separate rather than get divorced. You and your partner can still make formal decisions about splitting debts and assets and can still work out a co-parenting agreement if you will live apart.

Divorce ends your marriage, and all the legal responsibilities of marriage. After you get divorced, you or your partner can get remarried. A couple getting separated can theoretically just choose to live apart without having any formal agreement about finances, debts, or their children. (There are big risks to doing this, though; for example, if your partner gets into debt, and you are still married, without any formal agreement, you could end up on the hook for these debts). To finalize your divorce, a judge will require you to formalize agreements about how you divide debts, assets, and co-parenting. Divorce is a legal proceeding. Separation can remain a personal one.

Couples who want to get separated might still want to speak to a divorce lawyer in Leland, Michigan. A divorce lawyer can help you understand your rights and take steps to protect yourself financially. A divorce lawyer can also help you create a parenting plan if you have minor children. This can offer clarity going forward and can help prevent misunderstandings. If you plan to live apart, you might also need to seek child support. A divorce lawyer can help with this, even if you plan to remain married and only want to get separated.

Couples who want to get divorced might want to speak to the divorce lawyers in Leland, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group. If you’re not sure whether to separate or divorce or are thinking of separating for a “trial period,” you might still want to speak to a divorce lawyer, to help you take steps to protect your rights. Any decisions you make during your separation period involving child custody could potentially impact your divorce or a child custody battle in the future. Speak to a divorce lawyer today in Leland, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group. Our divorce law firm is here for you.

Child Custody Lawyer in Leland, Michigan

One of the most important things you’ll need to think about if you’re getting divorced in Leland, Michigan is child custody. To finalize your divorce, you’ll need to submit a parenting plan to the court. What should be included in a parenting plan? Here are some things to keep in mind:

• How will you share custody or split time with the children?
• Where will the children primarily live, if you plan to live apart?
• How will the holidays be shared and spent?
• How will the children get to and from visitations and who will pay for transportation, or will transportation costs be shared?
• How will major decisions be made?
• How will disagreements or changes to the plan be addressed?
• How will you communicate?

These are just some of the questions that can arise when a couple creates a parenting plan. Every family’s needs will depend on their unique situation. A parenting plan for a couple that lives in different cities will look very different than a parenting plan for a couple that lives down the street from one another. Couples with unique circumstances like military service might also have unique parenting plan needs. If you are leaving a relationship involving domestic violence, you might need additional support or may even seek sole custody. This is a situation where you’ll want to speak to a child custody lawyer, because seeking sole custody comes with risks and special considerations that you’ll want to consider.

If you are thinking of getting divorced, you might also have questions about child support. Child support is distinct from the parenting plan. Child support is determined based on formulas and how much each partner earns. Questions with child support can arise if a parent doesn’t report their full income. A child custody lawyer can help. Contact our child custody attorneys in Leland at Neumann Law Group today to learn more about how we can help you with child support, your parenting plan, and any child custody issues that can arise.

If you never married your partner or co-parent, you may still have child custody questions, especially if you and your co-parent will be living apart. The child custody lawyers at the Neumann Law Group in Leland, Michigan can help you with paternity and a parenting plan in these situations. Contact us today to learn more.

How to Contact a Divorce Lawyer or Child Custody Lawyer in Leland, Michigan

The divorce and child custody attorneys in Leland, Michigan at the Neumann Law Group can be reached at 800-525-6386. We have someone available 24 hours a day to take your call and answer your questions. You don’t have to navigate the legal aspects of your divorce or child custody battle on your own. The Neumann Law Group is a divorce law firm in Leland, Michigan that is here to help.