You are probably asking, what does family law have to do with independence. The answer is – a LOT. We should all be grateful that our freedom in this country enables us to make contracts that affect our legal rights. We have the power to decide our present and future circumstances through these contracts. In this blog, I will explore three ways that family law enhances your independence.
1. When you choose Divorce Mediation, you have the Independence to make your own decisions. A judge will not decide your outcomes.
In divorce mediation, your divorce mediator will provide you and your spouse with all of the legal information you will need to make decisions. From there, you will decide how your marital property and debts will be divided, how much support will be paid, and when and where you will spend time with your children. In litigation, on the other hand, your independence is hindered because the judge has all of the power to make decisions in your case.
2. When you and your fiance enter into a Premarital Agreement, you have the independence to make sound choices for your future together.
Often times, spouses who are entering into a marriage are already financially independent. For their professional career until now, they have most likely called all of the financial shots so to speak. Some spouses, especially in the case of a second marriage, want to retain all or some of that financial independence. This is where a Premarital Agreement comes in. When you enter into a Premarital Agreement, you have the option to decide how you and your spouse will govern your financial lives.
3. When you craft an effective Estate Plan, you can ensure that your family has financial stability and independence.
Just like the family court system, if probate is involved in administering an estate, there is no longer any control over the process. This is why it is so important to create an estate plan to ensure your independence to make decisions regarding your assets and loved ones, as well as your family’s independence from the probate system. In your estate plan, you can decide who can make medical decisions on your behalf, what type of care you will and will not receive in the event of a medical emergency, and who will receive your assets when you pass on.