Westchester County Divorce Lawyer
Divorce can be the most difficult time in a person’s life. You do not have to go through this process alone. A Westchester County divorce lawyer can help you navigate the pitfalls of divorce so that not only are your goals achieved, but they are achieved in the most amicable, calm manner possible. Divorce does not have to be a traumatizing experience for you or your family. The Westchester County divorce lawyers at The Law Office of Robert S. Sunshine, P.C. are here to help in every way that we can.
- Child Custody
- Child Support
- Court Order Enforcement
- Marital Assets Distribution
- Mediation
- Paternity
- Post-Divorce Modification
- Spousal Support
Equitable Distribution of Marital Assets
New York follows the doctrine of equitable distribution of marital property, which means that all marital property—property acquired during the duration of the marriage—is divided equitably (fairly), and not necessarily evenly. If an agreement between the spouses cannot be reached through negotiation and mediation, a family court will use the following characteristics of a marriage are taken into account when the term equitable is applied:
- The duration of the marriage;
- Non financial contributions each spouse made to the marriage;
- Financial contributions (income) of each spouse;
- The age, health, and potential earning capacity of each spouse;
- Spousal support obligations; and
- More.
Other Key Aspects of Divorce
- Child Custody—While research has shown that children usually do best when they have consistent contact with both parents, this is not possible in all cases. As such, child custody can come in the form of shared custody, sole custody, and visitation. When it comes to deciding custody, the court looks at many factors, including the relationship between the child and each parent, the age and health of each parent, the caretaking ability of each parent, and much more.
- Child Support—If child custody is awarded to a single parent (as opposed to shared custody), the court may also create a child support order. The parent without custody, in this case, will be obligated to pay monthly financial support to the other party as a means of contributing to the child’s well-being. Child support can be used for food, housing expenses, clothing, toys, healthcare, education, and anything else the receiving parent decides.
- Spousal Support (Alimony)—Spousal support may be awarded to the lower earning spouse to help maintain the standard of living they grew accustomed to during the marriage. Like division of assets, many factors are taken into account by the court when awarding spousal support, such as the financial and non financial contributions the lower earning spouse made to the career or education of the higher earning spouse, the homemaking and child-raising contributions the lower earning spouse made, the age and health of each spouse, the wealth of each spouse, and more.
Call Our Westchester County Divorce Attorneys Today
We understand just how much is hanging on the line for you when it comes to divorce, child support, child custody, and division of marital assets. We encourage you to take matters into your own hands and to protect your future by reaching out to an attorney. Do not hesitate to call The Law Office of Robert S. Sunshine, P.C. at 845-735-1300 to schedule a free consultation with a Westchester County divorce lawyer today.
