If your Florida marriage is coming to an end, you might need to deal with a variety of issues, including child custody, the division of property, and child and spousal support. In preparation for the divorce process, you need to understand what they entail.
Child custody, parenting time and parenting plans
If you have minor children, figuring out child custody will be one of the primary concerns during the divorce. Legal and physical custody will be established during this time. One of the parents might have primary custody and the other might have visitation or they might share physical custody. Usually, parents will also share legal custody, even if one becomes a custodial parent. The division of parenting time will also become the central part of the parenting plan that you and your ex-spouse will need to create.
Dividing property and your financial future
Another major concern during your divorce will be the division of marital property. This will be important in determining your financial stability post-divorce. This process will focus on several things, including:
- Reviewing any prenups or postnups you and your spouse might have signed
- Identifying all assets, including the family home, vehicles, investment accounts and retirement accounts
- Labeling separate and marital assets and establishing the value of marital assets
- Reaching an equitable agreement on the matter
The possibility of child and spousal support
Child and spousal support are not automatically awarded during a divorce. Instead, states use formulas and the review of some factors to determine if support will be awarded. Financial support of a minor child is the responsibility of both parents, but when one parent is the custodial parent and earns less, there is a higher likelihood that child support will be awarded. Similarly, spousal support might be awarded to help a lower-earning spouse maintain their standard of living.
These legal issues will be the core of most divorces. Their outcome will help each party begin to plan their new life.