Frequently Asked Questions
Serving the greater Columbus, Franklin county and Central Ohio areas.
Schedule a consultationYour estate is everything that you own. During a high asset divorce in Ohio, you need to untangle yourself financially from your spouse, which means that you need to decide how to divide your assets.
Read More…All marital property is divided equitably in divorce, including high-value assets. High value assets are not treated any different than other assets. During a divorce, a couple can decide how they want to divide their marital property.
Read More…It depends on what you mean by “protected.” You certainly can’t insulate investments from equitable distribution during divorce. Some of our clients wrongly think that property is marital only if both spouse’s names appear on the investment account.
Read More…Stocks and bonds are analyzed just like any other piece of property. First, you need to determine whether it is marital property or separate property.
Read More…All assets that the couple owns, either individually or jointly. Remember, what is key is not whose name appears on the deed or title.
Read More…The line is not always clear. However, parents who are merely trying to protect their child often have a good reason, such as a history of abuse. By contrast, parents who try to alienate their child from the other parent do so for no good reason. Instead, they use negative language and lies to create distance between the child and the other parent.
Before an unmarried father will have parental rights, he needs to establish that he is the father. This is called establishing paternity. In Ohio, a father can establish paternity in a couple ways, such as signing a voluntary affidavit of paternity. Alternately either parent can file a paternity suit.
Ohio is a signatory to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, along with most other states. This means that the state you move to must enforce child visitation orders. Of course, it matters whether you are leaving the state with your child or not. If you are, you will probably need to provide notice to the court. Make sure to follow all required steps, otherwise you could get in trouble.
Read More…Sometimes. Ohio law allows grandparents to petition for visitation in limited circumstances, such as when the child’s parents are unmarried or the parents have filed for divorce or legal separation. A court does not automatically grant visitation. Instead, a judge will decide if visitation is in your grandchild’s best interest.
Life insurance policies are like other assets that must be divided in a divorce. This is particularly true if you have a whole life or universal life policy. You probably named your spouse as your beneficiary in the event you died. After divorce, you need to name a new beneficiary, which could be your children or another person.
No. Child custody in a high net worth divorce is determined using the same “best interest of the child” standard that is used in all custody cases. Under this analysis, a judge considers many factors, including:
Read More…Each case is different, and it is impossible to say ahead of time how a judge will rule in a high net worth divorce.
Read More…This depends on the business, in particular how closely the business is tied to your identity. If no one knows who you are, then they probably don’t know that you are getting divorced.
Read More…Divorce can dramatically affect a person’s retirement, especially when they have built up considerable retirement assets during the marriage. Some of our clients realize they will not be able to retire when they had expected to, so they must continue working.
Read More…Yes. Under Ohio law, each spouse must make a full disclosure of their assets during the divorce. Unfortunately, in some high asset divorce cases, one spouse tries to hide individual assets, such as investment accounts held offshore.
Read More…No. There is no requirement that you live in the same county as your attorney. In fact, divorce lawyers are licensed to practice in any court in the state. If you are getting divorced in Ohio, you certainly need a lawyer licensed by our state. Someone with a Kentucky license cannot help you in an Ohio court.
Read More…Ohio has thousands of lawyers. How do you find the right one to handle your divorce? At Lawrence Law Office, our divorce attorneys have helped hundreds of people dissolve their marriages, and we know how vital it is to have the right lawyer by your side. Below, we offer some tips for finding an attorney who is the right fit.
Read More…You should treat offshore accounts just as you would as if those assets were onshore. Some of our clients are tempted not to disclose assets, especially off-shore assets, because they think that their spouse will not discover them.
Read More…Real estate will be subject to equitable distribution just like all other marital assets. They will be lumped together with other marital assets and then divided by the judge if the couple cannot reach an agreement on their own.
Read More…The key is to look at when you obtained the assets. If you obtained an asset before getting married, then it is usually non-community property, called “separate property” in Ohio.
Read More…In a high net worth divorce, tax issues loom large. Divorces, by themselves, are not usually taxable events, so you shouldn’t expect the IRS to send you a bill just because you were divorced.
Read More…For many people, retirements accounts represent a significant portion of their investments. However, retirement funds are divided in an Ohio divorce just as other assets are divided.
Read More…Yes. Leaving the home is often more expensive and inconvenient. However, it could also negatively impact your request for custody. Judges decide parenting disputes based on the best interests of your child, and one factor is how much time you currently spend with your children. If you leave the home, you will probably reduce your contact with them.
Read More…Hiding assets might seem like a good idea to gain advantage in a divorce. However, you will face serious problems if those assets are discovered. In addition to shredding your credibility, a judge can impose sanctions. You might even face a felony charge for perjury.
Read More…Parents with joint custody will hopefully reach an agreement on which school their child will attend. If parents can’t find common ground, then they can use different techniques, like mediation, to reach an agreement. Otherwise, parents might soon find themselves back in family court, having a judge decide the issue.
Read More…Parents have substantial rights, including the right to spend time with their children and the right to make important legal decisions for them, like whether they can receive surgery or where they will go to school. If a parent has custody, then they could also qualify for child support, which must be paid by the non-custodial parent. A parent does not lose their parental rights easily; however, the precise contour of their rights is often a dispute during divorce.
Read More…Very beneficial. A valid prenuptial agreement can clear up any confusion regarding the following:
Read More…You will need to look at when you acquired the assets. For example, if you bought a piece of property while you were single, then it is considered separate property. If you opened an investment account before marriage, it is also separate property.
Read More…Unless you have a prenuptial agreement that identifies what is marital and what is separate property, Ohio law comes into play. Ohio’s law is simple: it will consider property marital if you earned it while married.
Read More…If you need to split the business, then your attorney can help you devise a method for buying out your ex-spouse’s share of the property. This might include coming up with structured payments or finding financing so you can offer a lump sum.
Read More…Divorce is fairly simple. You complete various forms and file them with the court, paying a filing fee in the process. You then schedule a hearing before a judge, which should take place 30-90 days after you filed your divorce petition.
Read More…Child custody disputes arise in two situations—a couple with children is divorcing or two people who have never married have conceived a child. In either situation, parents can work out a custody arrangement between themselves that meets the needs of all involved and submit it for court approval.
Read More…Disputes involving family members are inherently difficult. Few people are prepared to tackle a family law issue on their own, so hiring a family lawyer in Ohio makes perfect sense.
Read More…Other Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Paternity
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Stepparent Adoption
- Adoption
- Grandparent Visitation Rights
- Mediation
- Divorce
- Spousal Support
- Equitable Distribution
- Military Divorce
- Social Media in Divorce
- Dissolution
- Contempt & Enforcement
- Post Divorce
- Relocation
- Delaware Business Owner Divorce Lawyers
- Business Owners Divorce
- Tax issues
- Child Custody
- Grandparent Rights
- Same-Sex Couples Child Custody
- High Asset Divorce
- Retirement Assets
- Estate Planning
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Lawrence Law Office is the place to go if you need expert and experienced legal counsel. Very knowledgeable about the court system. Been around along time. I highly recommend them!
Stephen