PMCW Law

If you're like most parents facing divorce, securing sole or joint custody will be a top priority. Obtaining custody is only part of the battle.  O nce you have resolv ed custody of your children, you must deal with the financial part to support your children. In some cases, child support may be ordered to help cover the costs of raising children. Our Lake of the Ozarks family attorneys are here to help you get a general understanding of how child support orders work and how to determine how much support you are entitled to. How Does Child Support Work? Simply put, child support is a court-issued order designed to help distribute the cost of raising children between parents who are not together.  If one parent is awarded sole custo dy or a majority of the parenting time , that parent will li kely shoulder the financial burden of raising children on a day-to-day basis. In order to help offset these costs, the court may order the non-custodial parent to provide "chil...

Premarital agreements are documents coupes can sign prior to getting married that will provide basic outlines for how assets and liabilities should be divided in the event of a future divorce. If one individual is entering the marriage with significantly greater wealth or debt than the other, a prenuptial agreement can be a great way to ensure that everyone's interests will be protected. However, if your prenuptial agreement fails to meet certain requirements, it may not hold up in court if/when the need for it arises. Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. is here to help you get a better understanding of some of the factors that may render a prenuptial agreement invalid. 1. Poor Timing C ontracts should allow all signing parties have adequate time to read through the contract, consider their options, ask any questions, and ultimately make informed decisions before signing on the dotted lines. Prenuptial agreements that are written and signed after the wedding or...

It is up to each married couple how they wish to divide responsibilities such as raising children, earning income, and maintaining the household. No matter how they choose to divide these responsibilities, however, the underlying expectation is that m arried couples will work together to support and balance each other. When a marriage ends, each of the spouses is expected to support him/herself individually. For some people, this is easier said than done. Keep reading to learn more about the resources that are available to people in this situation, courtesy of the team at Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C . Understanding Spousal Support Spousal support, alimony, and spousal maintenance are all terms used to refer to payments someone extends to his/her ex-spouse after their marriage has ended. Maintenance laws exist to protect lower-earning spouses who may otherwise be unable to support themselves after getting divorced. It is not always the case that a higher-earn...