I love my friends. I would not have survived my divorce without them. They were a wonderful source of support, comfort, love and advice. They still are.
I’m sure you love your friends, too. However, their advice is not always the best when it comes to what you can expect, or are entitled to, in your divorce.
My friend told me … how often we hear that from a client and how often that advice is completely irrelevant to our client’s particular situation.
My friend:
Got child support and alimony:
In most cases in Massachusetts, unless you have a combined family income that exceeds $400,000, you will not get both child support and alimony. You will likely receive child support on the first $400,000 of income and perhaps alimony when child support ends.
Kept the marital home:
In order to keep the home, you will need to be able to remortgage the property in your own name to take your ex-spouse off the mortgage. In addition, you will need to have sufficient income to cover the monthly costs and unexpected expenses of maintaining the house.
Got 60% of the marital assets:
Most divorces begin with the presumption that assets will be divided equitably which usually means 50% to each party. In some situations, depending on the fact pattern of the case, assets may be divided 55/45 or even 60/40.
No two divorce situations are identical. Advice from a friend is well meaning but may just serve to lead you astray, fan the flames or pour oil on the fire. Your very best advice in a divorce is a consultation with an attorney who specializes in divorce. Then build your team by adding a CPA, a divorce coach, a therapist and a certified divorce financial analyst.
Comentarios