B.J. Abbott's blog

In Georgia, judges have a lot of leeway when it comes to deciding alimony (spousal support) amounts. Ten judges could look at the same case and come away with 10 different payment amounts. Each case would have a well-reasoned explanation behind the award.

Domestic partnerships differ from traditional marriages in many ways, but they also share similarities, especially in regards to ending the relationship. When partners wish to separate, they have two options for where to file their petition. If the partners have very few assets and agree to separate, they may file their petition through the county clerk’s office or Secretary of State. If a couple has major assets or one partner contests the separation, however, they may need to file a petition in court.

If you are getting divorced and your spouse is not on the real estate deed, you might be wondering if he or she has any legal right to the property. Because Georgia has marital property and equitable distribution laws, both spouses generally have some property ownership despite not being named on the deed. Learn more about Georgia divorce laws and what might happen to your real estate during the process.

Disentangling your life from your former spouse’s takes time and effort, and if the two of you share a child together, you need to give additional thought to your child’s future. While you and your ex work through custody and child support arrangements, you can also use this time to hash out a plan to finance your child’s higher education.

Asset division in a divorce can become complicated very quickly when company shares and stock portfolios represent significant portions of marital property. Depending on the status, type and vesting schedule of stocks, this could have important implications in how assets are divided.

Types of stock options
In a high asset divorce, the types of stock options that are part of your marital assets might include:

After a divorce, finances may get tight. You have to run the same household on half the budget. If you have physical custody of your children for the majority of the time, this makes things even tougher, but that is why the court awarded you child support.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to grow up in a secure and happy home. Family members must sometimes step in to provide the basic building blocks of a child’s needs. Grandparents and relatives are often left to take up the slack for noncustodial parents.

Part of the property division process during your divorce in Georgia includes dividing any debt. This is often a complex process because you secure a debt with a contract. This introduces a complication because the court cannot change agreements with creditors. However, the court can still divide debt and order you to pay the debt, even if it is not in your name.

In Georgia, property and assets are usually not divided evenly during a divorce. Instead, Georgia law focuses on the idea of equitable, or fair, distribution of property and assets.

There are various factors that a judge uses to fairly distribute property and assets during a divorce.

Divorce does not always happen when you are in your 20s or 30s. Sometimes, you may stay married for decades before you make the decision to end your marriage in Georgia. For those divorcing later in life, the term gray divorce comes into use. The special term helps to distinguish a longer marriage from a shorter one. Plus, it also refers to the age of the couple.