Financial Tips for Divorced Women

Posted by: Gerald A. Maggio, Esq.

Orange County divorce mediators; California Divorce MediatorsAre you a divorced woman and are a bit overwhelmed by the amount if bills appear to simply pile up? If that is so, you definitely need some kind of financial guidance. After your divorce, your standard of living changes. So, finding a proper financial assistance, paying bills and organizing are some of the prime tasks you need to embark upon.

Why divorced women need financial help

According to an estimate, about 40 percent of the divorced women have a new standard of living after their divorce comes through. Though in many cases the alimony provided by an ex-spouse could pay for living expenses, that still may not be adequate to provide all the expenses and lifestyle that they were used to while being married. The alimony they get after the divorce may not be adequate to take care of all the bills.

Moreover, the condition is even worse for some divorced women who do not even know how to pay their bills since they did not do these tasks while married. So, they are at a loss where and how to start from as far as the question of paying the bills and organizing their financial things pop up. In such scenarios, these women require some handy tips for paying their bills so that they are on a right track.

Tips for divorced women to pay their bills

  • Collect all the bills that you have received in one place for each month.
  • Now separate these bills on the basis of their due dates or depending on the frequency of their payment, For instance, if you have to pay twice a month for some bills, you can make two different piles. One pile to be paid at the month’s beginning and the second pile to be paid at the end of the month.
  • Creating a monthly budget is very important so that you know how much monthly income is left with you after making the bill payments. This will also help you to make timely payment for your credit cards. So, paying the bills should be the first priority. You can then use the remaining money for the rest of the expenses.
  • Put all the checks for your bills in separate bill payments to be prepared for the month. In case you make your bill payments through banks, set up your payment in advance to avoid last moment tension.
  • After you get paid, mail your first lot of bill envelopes that are due for the month’s first half. You can repeat the same procedure when you receive your second paycheck.

Are you facing difficulty with writing checks? Do not worry as you can get online instructions to fill them. In case you are interested in making online bill payments, you should get in touch with your bank and find out whether they provide such services or not. If they are offering the service, their representative would definitely help you with the entire process. There are some companies that accept payments on their corporate websites or over the phones. You can get to know the details from the bills sent to you or by calling the payment center of the company.

To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, What is Divorce Mediation

How To Make Joint Custody Work

Posted by: Gerald A. Maggio, Esq.

child custody mediation Orange County; California Divorce MediationIf you are recently divorced and have joint custody of your children with your former spouse, then things could get a bit tricky. However, there is no reason that you cannot have a good, equitable co-parenting relationship with your former spouse for the benefit of your children. By taking decisions together, presenting a united front, and managing schedules well, you and your ex-partner can actually make joint custody work amazingly well. Here are a few things that can help when you share custody of your child.

  1. Remember that your child comes first, always

After a recent divorce, it can be hard to put animosity aside, but it is necessary that you do so if you have joint custody of your child with your former spouse. Remember, a bad spouse does not make a bad parent, and making your child the central feature of all your discussions with your former spouse can help you keep animosity at bay and really concentrate on what matters. Make sure you communicate openly with both your child and your former spouse, and never undermine your former spouse’s parenting skills in front of your child. That said, you should actively expect the same consideration from your former spouse.

  1. Make the schedule work

When setting up a schedule, there are important things both you and your former spouse need to disclose. You need to take all of your commitments into consideration before coming up with a schedule. Discuss and share holidays, school breaks, weekends, birthdays, and more beforehand to avoid unpleasantness down the road. If your child is old enough, involve them in the process. Always make sure that both of you schedule around your child’s schedule. The less disruption there is to your child’s established schedule, the better.

  1. Leave room for change, and review the agreement periodically

This can be difficult to do when coming up with a custody agreement, but it is very important. Leaving room for flexibility can greatly benefit you and your child in the long run. Discuss what happens if either parent has to leave town due to an emergency or difficult career changes cause issues. Be open to changing the agreement when required to ensure that your child gets adequate attention from both parents.

Reviewing the agreement periodically not only lets you form a stronger co-parenting bond with your former spouse but also lets you look realistically at obligations and commitments that both of you have. Age-related adjustments are frequently required, as a custody agreement that benefits your child at age 4 might not necessarily do so at age 10. Make these adjustments as and when needed with your lawyers or mediators.

Remember, having joint custody is an arrangement that can work out well for your child. It can make them feel loved, and secure in their relationships with both parents. Therefore, it behooves both you and your former spouse to make the agreement as beneficial as possible for your child. With a little bit of work, joint custody can be good for everyone involved.

To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, What is Divorce Mediation

Legal Protection for Single Parents in California

Posted by: Gerald A. Maggio, Esq.

child custody mediation Orange County; California Divorce MediationThe most common cases in the Orange County family law courts tend to involve married couples, i.e. husband and wives. There are, however, times when a case is a little different and is likely to involve single parents. The way the law in Orange County operates with respect to single parents can be a bit different from the way it works when dealing with married couples. In most states, the rights of the single parents, especially of the father, are a bare minimum unless they decide to ask for them.

The basis of California law in terms of single parents is that a single parent, i.e. the father, needs to prove that he is the father, as opposed to the vice versa assumption in the couple’s cases. This article will highlight the key aspects of the California law with respect to single parents, thus highlighting the legal path they can adopt to seek legal protection and rights.

The Automatic Custody of the Child is with the Mother, Pending Establishment of Paternity

There is seldom a doubt regarding the identity of the child’s mother. This is because the mother is the one who gives birth and the hospital records etc. make it impossible to doubt that. In family law, a single parent mother will have what amounts to de facto physical and legal custody of the child from the day of the birth of the child, until the paternity is determined, i.e. that the father of the child is in fact the biological father, which is generally determined by genetic DNA testing.  What is important to understand is that when married couples have a child, there is a legal presumption that the husband and wife are the biological parents of the child.  When couples have a child but are not married, there is no legal presumption that the father is in fact the biological father of the child, and that can only be established by either genetic DNA testing or by stipulation of both parties that the father is in fact the biological father of the child.

The Father Must Prove He is the Father

Again, any child that is born out of wedlock means that the mother is the custodial parent, and the father has to take two major legal steps to have some degree of authority or control over his child’s life. The first step is that he needs to prove that he is the rightful father in terms of biology. The second aspect is to go to the court or an Orange County mediator to get custody or visitation of their child. Paternity can be proved by the father signing the acknowledgment form and the mother signing it too or by petitioning in the court and asking for a paternity test to settle the issue.

A Proven Father Generally Must Support The Child

Once the paternity is proven or acknowledged, the father now will have the same rights as a married father would have, but that also means that the father could be expected to pay child support depending on the income of the parties and percentage of custodial time that each party has as determined by the court.  These funds are going to be given to the mother and the amount can be decided mutually through Orange County divorce mediation or by Orange County family law proceedings.

To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, “What is Divorce Mediation.”

How Child Custody Law Works In California

Posted by: Gerald A. Maggio, Esq.

divorce mediation attorneys Orange County; California Divorce MediatorsWhen couples decide to get divorced, the possession of the child (or children) is one of the most important and hotly contested matters. This is testament to the importance of children in one’s family.

The intention at the core of California child custody law has always been and continues to be the safeguarding of the best interest of the child. As mentioned in the introduction, the importance of a child cannot be forgotten, and that is exactly why the laws with regards to child custody set out to protect them and safeguard their rights. This aim to protect the child is once again at the core of the decision making by the judge in such cases. Primarily, the decision of the judge depends on the thing that is best for the child principle.

What Do the Courts Consider When Deciding Orange County Child Custody Cases?

  • The preference of the child considering they are of the age 14 or above
  • The gender, the stage of development the child is currently at, and the age of the child.
  • The needs of the child in terms of the educational, emotional and social aspects.
  • The traits of the parents, especially with regards to drug, sexual, child, emotional or alcohol abuse.
  • The psychological state of each parent and their ability for parenting
  • The cooperation and communication levels that exist between the parents.
  • The type of the relationship that exists between the parent and the child
  • Cultural considerations

How will the Temporary Orders be Decided?

There are three primary ways that an Orange County family law Judge can adopt to reach their temporary orders.

1.      Simply Agreeing On The Agreement Reached By The Parents

This is the most used way of deciding temporary orders. Both the child’s parents may have already come to an agreement before the court proceeding and drawn up an agreement. In such a case, the judge is likely to only endorse the agreement and make it legal.  Resolving child custody in divorce mediation or child custody mediation is often the best method compared to the cost, stress, and uncertainty of litigation.

2.      By Investigation

In some rare cases where the court wants to have further investigation done in matters related to the case, they are likely to ask the minor’s counsel and a private child custody evaluator, often referred to as a “730 Evaluation” to obtain up more information before the Judge makes the decision.

3.      By Formal Hearing

This is the common court route. The court is likely to hear out both the spouses and their counsel. It will also take into consideration each and every detail and evidence that they provide and it deemed relevant for the case before making a decision.

To learn more about the divorce process in California and how mediation can help, please visit our page, “What is Divorce Mediation.”