Blackfalds, AB Divorce Lawyer
Need a local divorce lawyer to help you navigate the end of your marriage? Reach out to the team at Merchant Law. Our team of divorce attorneys has decades of experience helping with some of the most difficult divorces, including high net worth divorces, highly contentious divorces, and farm divorces.
We offer both traditional divorce work and collaborative divorce. We’re hard-nosed negotiators who enjoy helping our clients walk away with the most advantageous divorce settlements we can arrange for them.
How do I protect myself financially during a divorce?
The first thing you should do is gather all of your documentation. As soon as you know you’re going to get a divorce it’s important to get copies of all of your bank statements, tax returns, property documentation, debt statements, business statements, investment accounts, and more.
Clearly identify what property you brought into the marriage and what has been gathered together since you’ve been married.
Avoid making any major financial changes during the divorce. For example, don’t empty the joint account. Don’t start selling things off. Keep paying all of your regular bills. Don’t move out of the marital home. Making changes before you have to could result in you having to pay more later, in losing an asset you want to keep, or in being accused of trying to cheat your spouse.
Do not try to hide assets. They will be found, and judges will penalize you. Avoid panicking and trust the process. Get a good lawyer who will help you protect yourself.
You’re not going to lose everything, but you’re not going to keep everything either. Begin making plans to adjust to the fact that you’ll be living on a smaller budget that you’re used to. This will make the transition a lot smoother.
What should I ask for during a divorce?
Each spouse has an equal right to half the marital property. Marital property is any property that you acquired after the marriage. It is not about whose name the property is in, such as the house, and it’s not about how much physical money one spouse or the other contributed into acquiring the property.
Even property that you owned prior to the marriage may not be completely safe. For example, if you received an inheritance the inheritance is yours. However, interest earned on the inheritance would be considered marital property.
Of course, it’s never as simple as splitting property down the middle. Some property isn’t particularly liquid. That’s where creative settlements come in. Other tools, like spousal support or equalization payments, can help you divide assets in a way that serves you better as well.
How do Alberta judges handle custody cases?
In all but the most extreme cases, Alberta judges favor joint custody arrangements with liberal access time, or shared custody arrangements. Sole custody is likely only in cases where you can provide proof that the other parent presents a clear and present danger to your child.
This is good news for most parents, as it means it is unlikely that you will lose your children.
Why Merchant Law?
Our team has helped thousands of Alberta divorcees navigate their cases. We offer creative solutions to tough divorce problems. Call (403) 237-7777 to get started today.