Golden Valley, MN Divorce Attorney

Marital property is any property you or your spouse acquired during the marriage. Marital properties don’t have to be co-owned and can include anything from real estate to investment accounts.

In Minnesota, marital property division can occur in any way both parties deem acceptable. It can be difficult to navigate these decisions alone, especially with more challenging assets such as family or co-owned businesses.

A prenuptial agreement, also called an antenuptial agreement, in Minnesota is a document both parties may have signed when a couple chooses to marry. Not every couple signs a prenuptial agreement, but if you signed one prior to marriage it may affect the outcome of your divorce.

The purpose of a prenuptial agreement is to document what assets and debts each person has before the marriage and to specify what rights or responsibilities each has after a possible marriage dissolution.

Spousal maintenance refers to a monetary payment that a spouse makes to the other which is decided by the court. It can be temporary or permanent. In making a determination of spousal maintenance, the court will consider the following, among others:

• The health of each spouse
• How long the marriage lasted
• The education levels
• Any sacrifices you or your spouse made concerning career advancement
• Your financial needs and resources and those of your spouse

At M. Sue Wilson Law Offices, we will help you assess your needs and keep your best interests in mind. We’ll fight to protect your rights to avoid any significant financial loss due to the divorce.

The court will always consider the child’s best interest when deciding on child custody. Though most cases end with joint child custody, sometimes the court may decide to award full custody to one parent.

We’ll prioritize your relationship with your children and your rights as a parent. Our firm will work tirelessly to ensure your child’s well-being and to defend your access to them. When mediation isn’t possible, the court may appoint a neutral expert to help. Whatever the scenario, we’ll fight until the end for the outcome you desire.

Child visitation is also referred to as parenting time. Parenting time is a mutual schedule you agree upon with your ex-spouse to see your children. Depending on the custody arrangement, you may have to decide which holidays and other dates to divide. Several other technicalities go into determining the parenting time schedule.

Typically, you can agree with the other parent on how to divide your time. However, it’s not uncommon for the court to provide you with a fixed schedule.

Additionally, if the court awards one parent sole custody, the other will have visitation rights as part of the agreement. In cases of abuse or neglect, one parent may only receive supervised visitation.

Child support generally covers medical needs, basic child support, and child care support. The court will dictate the amount a non-custodial parent pays the custodial for expenses related to childcare. The parent will make these payments on a specified schedule. The amount of child support should be used to meet the child’s needs, such as:

• Clothes
• Housing
• Food
• Transportation
• Medical insurance
• Education

One of the most difficult transitions in the divorce process is when one spouse moves out of the house. Though living in separate places may seem challenging, we encourage divorcing couples to live separately, especially if the parties have children. Our Golden Valley divorce lawyers are committed to facilitating your transitions concerning living situations and will protect your rights in the process.

The cost of divorce can vary greatly depending on your individual situation. However, M. Sue Wilson is committed to offering you the fairest divorce fees and maintaining transparency. Our divorce fees include an hourly charge while our office works on your file. If you’re seeking a lower hourly rate, our exceptional paralegals may be able to help.