A young father from Alamo, “Charlie”, came in to the Walnut Creek office to get more information about our uncontested Divorce process. He wanted to know how we worked with our clients, how much the Divorce would cost and how long it would take. This is something that happens fairly often. When couples have been married for many years, getting divorced is not something they do casually, so we frequently meet with couples in an exploratory capacity to provide an overview of the process. They often go home and begin to think seriously about how they’re going to divide property and develop a parenting plan.
He and his wife, “Allison”, had been married for 15 years
Charlie and “Allison” had two children, an eight-year old daughter and a 12-year old son. Like many area couples, the pressure of working long hours, commuting and raising a family in the expensive Bay Area had taken a toll. They were spending less time together as a family, fighting a lot more, sharing fewer interests and, increasingly, living separate lives. They’d tried counseling, which had helped for a while, but they fell back into their old patterns and the animosity grew. They knew they were creating an unhealthy environment for their kids, and they were both unhappy. They decided it was time to talk about Divorce.
Equal division of property and shared custody of children
Charlie was a successful private banker at Wells Fargo in San Francisco, where he had worked for more than ten years. Allison had worked in the technology sector for many years, but had been laid off during the recession. She was now a project manager at a startup with a lot of potential, but was not currently generating a significant income. The couple’s assets include their Alamo home and a smaller vacation home in Tahoe. Both Charlie and Allison had retirement accounts. They were committed to the equal division of assets and the jointly shared custody and parenting of their two children. They knew they were fortunate to be able to rely on both sets of parents, who lived in the area, to help with the children.
Selling their home and downsizing would likely be necessary
They were still trying to figure out how they would divide their property. They were resigned to having to sell the Tahoe house, and they also realized that they would likely have to sell their Alamo home to consolidate their assets. They knew they would have to downsize, likely move to different neighborhoods and smaller homes. It was important to both of them that they remain in close proximity so they could share parenting responsibilities.
We gave Charlie and Allison our workbook, which they took home, where they would have access to account information. They also needed to work out a detailed custody and parenting plan. Charlie and Allison have agreed to no child or spousal support but are still negotiating the settlement–which well may have to wait until they sell their properties.
Once they complete the workbook, our dedicated family law specialist will prepare the legal documents for the court, from disclosures to the marital settlement agreement. We will continue to help Charlie and Allison through the process until their Divorce is final.
Are you thinking about Divorce and need more information?
Call California Document Preparers at one of our three Bay Area offices today to schedule an appointment. You can also jumpstart the process with our easy-to-use, secure online storefront –we’re still available by phone and email if you have questions. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable.
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