Facing a divorce in Calgary Bowness? Turn to our experienced team of family lawyers.
All of our team members are known for their acumen as top-notch negotiators. Since negotiation and mediation are the first and often most important step in the divorce process, this is extremely important. We can often craft settlements that even the angriest spouses will accept.
We’re also known for being tough litigators. If your spouse forces you to go to court because they’re not willing to come to the table, we’re prepared to do everything in our power to make sure they regret that decision. We’re skilled at crafting convincing cases that cause judges to side with our clients on any of the major issues of a divorce.
We offer sophisticated solutions for every major issue of any divorce.
Calgary Bowness Division of Property Lawyers
Alberta law states that both spouses have an equal right to 50% of the marital property. This includes all property that you may have accumulated together, including family homes, bank accounts, pension or retirement accounts, rental or vacation properties, businesses or stock shares, and more.
Yet it would be a mistake to assume that the division of property is ever simple. Spouses fight over which property is and isn’t exempt. Sometimes spouses want the same property, or are adamant about retaining control over certain pieces of property, such as a business. In addition, dividing certain pieces of property incorrectly can utterly devalue them, or can lead to devastating tax consequences.
Our family lawyers also have a background in business and real estate law. This gives us the power to craft solutions that work and negotiate settlements that both parties can live with. This saves you time, money, and headaches, and ensures that you’ll walk away with your fair share.
Calgary Bowness High Net Worth Lawyers
We have helped many high net worth individuals in the cattle ranching, oil, gas, and other industries secure fair and advantageous divorce settlements. We’re very familiar with the complex tax and legal issues that can arise when high net worth couples must dissolve their marriage.
We search for every hidden asset, look for every potential tax complication, and work hard to preserve the value of your income-bearing assets. We come armed with solutions and suggestions that help you save money and time alike. We work closely with financial advisors, forensic accountants, and investigators to ensure that you get everything that you are due in your high net worth divorce.
We even have experts in ranch and farm divorces who understand the unique issues that such couples go through. If you want to save your family land and the ability of your ranch to remain functioning despite your divorce, turn to our team. We know exactly what options and solutions to offer in order to ensure that your divorce doesn’t destroy your livelihood.
Calgary Bowness Spousal Support Lawyers
Spousal support is one of the most contentious issues that will arise during your Calgary Bowness divorce.
We have represented both the potential payor and the potential payee. We work hard to resolve spousal support during the negotiation phase so that both parties arrive at a win-win settlement. Often, for example, spousal support solutions other than writing a monthly check do exist. In many cases these solutions are far more advantageous to both parties.
In addition, we understand that “income” isn’t always so straightforward for many of our clients. What is claimed as income may be rather deceptive and unfair if you don’t have a qualified lawyer looking out for your best interests. Our team knows all the tricks that spouses like to play to adjust spousal support payments, and are ready to deal with them.
When this isn’t possible, we defend your position in court, providing ample arguments and evidence as to why the family court judge should rule in your favor.
Calgary Bowness Child Support Lawyers
If the couple has minor children together then you can expect child support to be part of your divorce. It is required by law, and the child support amount must match the amount set by the federal child support guidelines.
However, the law also allows for variances in the guidelines when incomes exceed a certain threshold. In addition, there is room to negotiate higher child support amounts in some relationships, such as relationships where a child has special needs or educational expenses.
In some cases, fairly assessing each party’s income provides a challenge. For example, assessing income can be a challenge when one party owns a business. Variable income presents another challenge. The judge always has the option to impute income to one party or the other, but this sometimes creates massive problems for both parties.
When child support isn’t simple or straightforward, turn to our lawyers. We will work with you to secure a child support arrangement you can live with.
Calgary Bowness Child Custody & Visitation Lawyers
Divorce doesn’t have to threaten your relationship with your children or grandchildren. There are many steps that we can take to ensure that you get to maximize your time with your children.
Sole custody arrangements are extremely rare in Alberta, but we can help you secure them if you have evidentiary grounds to suggest that the other parent could be a danger to your child.
In most cases, we are focused on helping our clients craft parenting orders that both parties will be able to manage with a minimum of chaos or disruption for the children. Arrangements where parents spend roughly equal amounts of time with their children are favored by the courts, but require in-depth and focused parenting orders that cover multiple issues. We help ensure your parenting orders are clear, concise, and touch on all of the important points.
Get Help Today
If you anticipate a complex or contentious divorce, contact the team at Merchant Law. We have over 20 years of experience handling some of the most difficult divorces in the Calgary Bowness area.
Call (403) 237-7777 to get started today.