Massachusetts Separation Agreement Lawyers
What Goes in Your Separation Agreement?
A good separation agreement for divorcing parties starts by listing both spouse’s full names, date of marriage and the names and dates of birth of any children born during the course of the marriage. Standard clauses found in the text of the agreement usually address topics such as custody and visitation, child support, spousal support or alimony, college expenses, property division and allocation of debt. The key to having a strong understanding with your soon-to-be-former spouse is tailoring the agreement to your unique situation.
Must-Have Clauses
Children
- Ideal custody and parenting plan, including who has legal and/or physical custody
- Decisions about the children, including school, religious instruction, etc.
- Which parent would have visitation, when and during what times
- Overview of each parent’s parenting responsibilities
- How relocation or traveling with children would work
Child Support
- How much child support is being requested
- Whether and how much child support will be adjusted in the future
- Extracurricular activities of your children
Health Insurance
- Notifications about changes in insurance policy
Educational Costs
- Who will pay tuition and fees and for how much
- Room and board, if applicable
Property Division
- Identifying all assets
- Allocation of the assets
- Valuation of the marital home
Debt Allocation
- Car payments
- Credit card debt
- Other loans
Taxes
- Establishing filing status
- Dividing tax refunds
- Dependency exemptions
Alimony
- How much is being requested
- How long the alimony is being requested for
Additional
- Life insurance
- Severability
- Notarization
Many individuals forget to add certain clauses or factors in their divorce agreement, which can lead to serious missteps and leave you vulnerable. Family law matters require a number of considerations. By leaving out important clauses, you can risk losing custody of your children, paying an excessive amount of alimony, losing your home, and other negative effects.
The Advantage of Retaining Miller Law Group, P.C.
We know how to execute optimal separation agreements for our clients facing all matters associated with divorce and we have the experience to walk you through the entire divorce process in Massachusetts. What is unique about Miller Law Group, P.C. is that our attorneys meet several times every week for the sole purpose of discussing strategy and the intricacies of our clients’ cases. By sharing experiences and asking questions, our clients get the advantage of having not just one divorce attorney, but an entire legal staff.
To discuss your divorce or separation, contact our divorce lawyers for a free consultation.