Divorce is painful, but it is also expensive. There are a variety of factors that do into a divorce.

Temporary Orders

If there are children involved, you need to reach an agreement as to who is going to pay what during the interim. Life goes on. You still have to pay for the sports activities, the doctors visits and all the day to day expenses. If the primary wage earner is leaving the household, the mortgage payment and the power bill  still have to be paid. Hopefully the spouses can agree on a temporary arrangement. However, it may be necessary for the judge to rule on temporary orders.

Litigation is obviously the most expensive route. How friendly is your relationship with your ex? Mediation or a collaborative are much less painful and less expensive alternatives.

One of the spouses may have a lot of anger or deep emotional feelings that may not be entirely rational and that may get in the way of process. There may be a perceived need for some sort of revenge or a need to create pain. Someone needs to give consul to the angry party, and try to hep them move through this.

Liquidating Assets

The more assets, the higher the cost of the dissolution. If it will be necessary to sell the house, this is going to take some time. Buying a house in today’s market is incredibly challenging. Sellers are frequently receiving multiple bids, with many way over the asking price. There is a considerable shortage of homes, particularly on the more affordable housing. If one of the spouses is downsizing, this is going to be tricky. Interest rates have gone way up on mortgages, and it’s only going to get worse. You may experience a horrible sticker shock, and you may have to downsize more than you had hoped, due to the increased costs.

Hidden Assets

Do you suspect that your spouse has hidden some things? If you do and you need to pursue this, the investigative process is going to take time and can get really expensive. perhaps you can find a financial person that you could agree on who you would consider neutral who could examine your assets and give you an opinion.

You need to be informed going forward. You should call our office and arrange for a consultation with Steve Hair.

Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

When a married couple has children, it is normally assumed that the husband is the father. However, this may not be the case. Also, when an unwed mother has a child, the paternity of the father may be very much in question.

The mother may wish to establish paternity of the father for financial reasons. If the suspected father refuses to admit paternity, the mother may request a court hearing. The suspected father is required to attend. Based on the testimony, the judge may require a DNA test. The suspected father is required to comply. This is called “involuntary paternity determination”.

If paternity is established through DNA testing, the father may be required to make child support payments. The father may or may not be granted visitation rights. This will be determined through the circumstances. If you are involved in this type of situation, you would be well advised the consult with a qualified family law attorney.

Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

Last week was Super Bowl Sunday. While that was probably fun for many people, for, people with relationship problems, it can be a dreaded day. It is certainly a day for excessive drinking, up there with New Years Eve. It is a big day for domestic violence, and it can be a big day for gambling.

Does your spouse have a problem with gambling addiction? Gambling addiction is the uncontrollable urge to continue gambling despite the toll it takes on one’s life. Gambling is addictive because it stimulates the brain’s reward system much like drugs or alcohol can. In fact, gambling addiction is the most common impulse control disorder worldwide.

How do I stop my gambling addiction?

Professional help is available to stop gambling and stay away from it for good.

1. Understand the Problem. You can’t fix something that you don’t understand. …
2. Join a Support Group. …
3. Avoid Temptation. …
4. Postpone Gambling. …
5. Find Alternatives to Gambling. …
6. Think About the Consequences. …\
7. Seek Professional Help.

What Causes an Addiction to Gambling? Many factors can contribute to a gambling addiction, including desperation for money, the desire to experience thrills and highs, the social status associated with being a successful gambler, and the entertaining atmosphere of the mainstream gambling scene.

Can a compulsive gambler change? Considerable changes in attitude and behavior have to occur on the part of the gambler and spouse/family. In conclusion, while not every action compulsive gambler will go through every stage of the cycle, he will normally go through the first three at a minimum. Many stop at stage four and never make it to recovery.

Is your spouse’s gambling affecting the family’s finances? If so, you may want to call our office and come in for a consultation. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

Getting divorced is a difficult time, and one of the big issues that has to be decided is who gets the house. This of course depends upon your circumstances. After the divorce, who has the resources? Which party would be able to afford to keep up the house with a single income? What is the equity in the house? If one party gets the house, will the other party get assets of equal value? There a just a few ways to make a settlement.

Sell the house and split the proceeds

This is the easiest way to deal with it. Both parties end up with a share of the proceeds.

One party buys the other out

Perhaps there is a reason for one of the parties to remain in the house. Perhaps there are children involved and the remaining party doesn’t have the resources to purchase a house on their own. It may be that both parties have an interest in one of the parties remaining in the house with the children. How will the party leaving the house be compensated? This can be difficult and you probably should have a professional help you negotiate the agreement.

Co-Own the house

Sometimes a sale nor a buyout will work for your situation. In this case it might be best to consider co-ownership for a predetermined amount of time. This will need to be clearly defined. Essentially, this will redefine your relationship with your spouse – you will now have a business relationship of “co-owners” of the property.

Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

You’ve heard of couples getting remarried after getting a divorce. It is possible. Studies reveal that between 10 and 15 percent of married couples who separate eventually reconcile.

The first thing you should do, if your are considering this, is to ask yourself “what was the issue that caused you to get divorced in the first place.” Has anything changed? Are you liable to get back into the same situation as before, and have to incur the same legal fees all over again.

Reconciliation will not restore the relationship you had before the divorce – or at least, this shouldn’t be your goal. Think about reconciliation as the start of a brand-new relationship. After all, striving for the “way things were” will only lead to the same issues that ended in divorce the first time around. In the time between your divorce and now, you and your spouse have likely changed. If your spouse says he/she has changed, give him or her a chance to prove it. If you believe you’ve changed, there’s no reason to assume your spouse is the same person he/she was at the time of your divorce.

DECIDE IF REMARRIAGE IS RIGHT FOR YOU
For some couples, reconciliation after divorce naturally leads to the question of remarriage. Aside from personal questions relating to this move, you must also consider the legal ramifications of remarriage. You will likely need a family law attorney to help you navigate your divorce decree and new plan that remarriage would instate. Remarriage will not automatically negate the stipulations on your divorce decree. For example, it will not end provisions such as waiving a former spouse’s right to inherit from the other spouse. You will need to create a new estate plan with help from one of the best Clearwater family attorneys if you remarry.

One of the main reasons why couples typically get back together after a divorce is because they actually worked on the issues that split them apart, to begin with. Time changes a lot, and they more than likely used that time to prove that the changes are longer lasting than they initially thought. This time around, bad habits and attitudes have been left behind.

You Have Different Expectations
Another reason why couples may give it another try after divorce is because they may have high hopes of things being different the second time around. They could also still be in love with their former spouse, and this may lead them back in their arms again.

You Were Too Young Before
Many times couples marry young even when they aren’t ready. This may ultimately lead to a divorce. With time after both couples have grown and matured, they may end up reconciling. This could be true for one or both couples. They may realize that what they gave up was something extraordinary.

If this is your situation, perhaps you should make an appointment to have a consultation with Steve Hair. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

Thinking about getting a divorce? Do you have children? You need to have a custody arrangement. There are different types – sole custody, joint custody, and primary physical custody.

Sole Custody
One parent who is awarded exclusive rights surrounding the child’s well-being has sole custody. This type of custody arrangement is rare and usually occurs if the other parent is misbehaving or has issues. If this is the case, the noncustodial parent will have no responsibility over the child.

The law separates sole custody into two further arrangements: sole legal custody and sole physical custody. In the former, the parent has the right to choose the child’s schooling, religious instruction, medical care, and other matters concerning the child’s welfare, without considering the other parent’s wishes.

In sole physical custody, the child lives with one parent, who does not need to confer with the other parent about how the child is raised. The noncustodial parent, however, will be granted visitation, unless the court views visitation as not being in the best interests of the child.

Joint Custody
Both parents are actively involved in the child’s upbringing when joint custody is awarded. As in sole custody, the law divides joint custody further into joint physical custody, joint legal custody, or a combination of both. Each state follows its own laws concerning matters of joint custody.

When joint physical custody is granted, the child will move back and forth between each parent’s residence. In arrangements where both physical and legal joint custody are granted, both parents will cooperate to decide how the child will be raised, much as they would have during marriage.

The courts also commonly award the sharing of legal custody but not physical custody. Under such orders, the child will live with one parent; however, both parents are actively involved in making long-term decisions about the upbringing of the child.

Variations to joint custody are prevalent. Cases may involve shared physical custody, whereby the child alternates living between both parent’s homes, but critical decisions about the child’s welfare (such as schooling and education) are the sole responsibility of one parent.

The most common joint custody arrangements include the 2-2-3 plan and the 2-2-5 plan. Both involve spending alternate sets of days with either parent. Also common is the alternate week plan, where the child spends one week with a parent and the next week with the other.

Physical Custody

Physical custody arrangements require that the child live with the parent granted such custody. The parent with physical custody provides continual care for the child. Unless unhealthy circumstances deem otherwise, the noncustodial parent will be granted visitation rights by the courts.

Visitation rights may also be granted to grandparents if the court determines a relationship with them would be beneficial to the child. Grandparents may be awarded custody of the child in the event the biological parents are deceased or unfit to provide care for the child.

A child is more likely to adjust to changes in the family after divorce if the parents are cooperative, respectful and agree on custody arrangements. Parents who manage their emotions amidst divorce are better able to make custody agreements work for themselves and the children.

Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

Has it been a while since your divorce? Perhaps you think that things have changed and the orders which were made from the divorce court long longer seem to be appropriate.

According to the Florida Department of Revenue, you might be able to have your divorce orders modified –

If your current support order will not end within 6 months from when you make your request.

and If your support order has not been changed or reviewed in the last 3 years.

or If you can show a large change in your life. For example. an increase or decrease in income or a change in the child’s needs such as the child becomes disabled.

– then you may be eligible for a review.

The parent seeking to change (or modify) a support order has the burden to prove a change in circumstances. In most cases, before an order can be changed, a parent’s change in circumstances must be substantial, permanent, and involuntary.

An involuntary change, comes about through no fault of the parent, like an extended illness or employment layoff. A voluntary change is a result of the parent’s own choices. A voluntary change does not meet the standard for a support order to be changed. Examples of voluntary changes include quitting a job, being terminated for reasons within the parent’s control, taking a lower paying job, or engaging in criminal conduct that results in incarceration.

If you think you might be a candidate for modifying your divorce orders, come in for a consultation with Steve Hair.

Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

Going through a divorce is a difficult process. You want to make sure that you pick an attorney who can make that process easier. First you should have a meeting. I think you will find that Steve Hair is extremely likeable. He is mild mannered and soft spoken when meeting with you, but extremely forceful and successful in the courtroom. He has been doing this a long time and he knows what he is doing – and the confidence of his knowledge eliminates the need for a lot of theatrics in most cases.

You should discuss your strategy. There are a lot of choices in a divorce. Do you prefer mediation or courtroom appearances? You should do your research and decide which option best aligns with your goals so you can then decide whether you want a collaborative process, mediation, or traditional litigation.

Do you want a hands off approach where the attorney runs the show, or do you want to get more involved? If you have a meeting with Steve Hair, after listening to your situation, Steve will give your advice and you can see if you are comfortable with his approach.

Be sure to ask as many questions as necessary to understand the attorney’s practice and to ensure their goals and objectives line up with your own. And, always be on the lookout for red flags such as promises that sound too good to be true (they probably are!), an impersonal feel from the attorney, and/or an attorney who demonstrates a lack of concern for your personal privacy.

Why not get the ball rolling? Call today and make an appointment with Steve Hair. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

In order to enforce child support, you must have a child support order signed by a judge and filed with a court clerk’s office. If you don’t already have a court-approved child support order on file, you’ll need to take steps to legally establish child support.

According to the Florida Department of Revenue, once a child support order is established, the Child Support Program works with families and partners to help children receive the support they need and deserve. When there is a lack of voluntary compliance with a support order, the Program can take additional steps to achieve compliance.

The Child Support Program has a variety of methods which may be used to assist a parent in complying with their support order. This includes situations when a parent does not pay, does not reach a written agreement with the Program or if a parent contests the action being taken against them. State and federal laws apply to how and when certain methods can be used. The Child Support Program also partners with other state child support agencies when one parent lives in another state.

A written agreement is a promise a parent makes with the Child Support Program to pay their past-due support, usually through regular monthly payments. Written agreements are used when a parent who owes past-due support is unable to pay the past-due amount all at once. If a parent is not paying support as ordered, the Program may ask them to complete a written agreement. Parents can contact the Child Support Program by email, phone or web chat to request to begin the written agreement process. Written agreements can be completed on the telephone without the need to visit an office.

It is possible that the state will suspend the drivers license of the offending party for no payment. It is possible that the state will withhold funds from the offending party’s paycheck.  The state may initiate court actions to enforce payment. The state may place a lien on motor vehicles or boats owned by the offending party.

If you are having an issue collecting child support, you should call Steve Hair for an appointment. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.

Everyone knows there are same sex marriages. That means there are also same sex divorces. The consequences are no less significant. There are assets involved, and sometimes children. You may need a competent attorney.

Do same sex couples get divorces as often? No. Same-sex couples are divorcing at half the rate of opposite-sex couples. According to data published by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, in 2011 the divorce rate for same-sex couples was 1.1% per year, while the divorce rate for straight couples was 2% per year.

There are some differences. For example, how long have they been married? The length of the marriage affects issues like division of assets. Since same-sex marriages have not been legal very long, the same-sex marriages are of shorter duration.

There may be tax issues. Monies received in a same-sex divorce may be taxable. Spousal support is usually a tax write off for the partner making payments and it is usually taxable to the party receiving payments. This may not be true for same-sex divorces.

Residency requirements may be an issue for same-sex marriages. Most states require some sort of residency in order to get a divorce. If you traveled to another state to get married, and never lived there, you could have some issues when getting a divorce.

Call our office for a consultation today. Steven W. Hair, focuses his practice as a divorce attorney, family law attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor.

For more information, visit our website at www.FamilyLawClearwater.com
or call (727) 726-0797.