Amicable Divorce

04/13/2023

Divorce doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. An uncontested divorce usually costs a fraction of a litigated case that goes to trial with trial attorneys. The whole process can be completed without stepping foot into a courthouse. Learn more at: www.pasadenamediationlawyer.com .

Divorce Sucks! Going to court Sucks even more! Talk to a Pasadena Divorce Mediator and lawyer to learn more about our easy divorce process.

02/24/2023

Go Jami!!!! Great job getting that proclamation. Divorce With Respect Week is Marh 6-10, 2023.
https://collaborativedivorcecalifornia.com/dwrw-southern-california/?pagenum=1
Learn about divorcing without court in your neck of the woods, with a free consultation.

10/04/2022

How can couples divide their retirement plans after a divorce?

WHAT’S A QDRO IN DIVORCE? When there is a retirement plan to be divided by two spouses, such as a 401K or pension plan, a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) must be drafted in order to tell the retirement plan what to do with the plan. This takes a lot of time and patience. If… Read More...

06/08/2022

DEADLINE COMING UP FOR COUPLES WHO'D PREFER TO BE DIVORCED IN 2022

For couples living in California who want their divorce to be final in 2022, you must file and serve your Petition by the end of this month (June 30, 2022). That is because there is a 6-month cooling-off period in California, and your divorce cannot be finalized until 6 months have passed from the date the Petition is served.

If you're working with a lawyer or mediator, they will need time to do their part and may be going on vacation (or be in a trial if you hire a litigator). A mediator who is a lawyer but no longer goes to court might have more time available to help with your deadlines.

There is a quick, easy, inexpensive way to "serve" the petition by simply signing a form that says the other spouse has received the Petition.

Then, of course, you must complete the remaining steps to submit your judgment to the courthouse in plenty of time for the court to process your Judgment in 2022. Depending on which courthouse you will be filing in, it takes 2-4 months for the court to process a judgment. So, if you want to be divorced in 2022, time is essential to start the process now.

Amicable Divorce Services is a family law firm mediating divorces and collaborating rather than the

02/03/2022

Beware. There are a lot of online companies that offer document preparation to divorcing couples. Some charge a flat fee and some charge a monthly subscription fee. Most of these services ask couples to fill out a questionnaire and then that information is used to fill in the blanks on forms without any legal know-how, or options as to how to fill in the blanks.

For instance, online services may not mention there can be more than one courthouse a couple can file in, and why it may be better to file in one courthouse than another. Or how it's best to protect couples' identities and their children's identities. They may not let the couple know that there could a way to post-date or back-date their divorce. They may not explain that there is a way to keep most of their case confidential, and as a result of not having information, all of the couples' private information may become public record forever. And on and on and on. Online services don't offer any advice or options at all.

Sometimes online services have couples duplicating the work, or just filling out the paperwork wrong so that the settlement agreement is rejected by the court or is unenforceable.

Many couples don't know the pitfalls that come with hiring an online company, rather than having an experienced lawyer get the process done right the first time.

For more information, contact Amicable Divorce Services at [email protected] or 66-351-1200.

10/27/2021

For couples who've decided that a divorce is inevitable, know that you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get divorced.

You don't have to pay $5,000 or more for a retainer fee to an attorney to begin working on your case, nor do you have to replenish your retainer fee several times, if you don't want to. There are significantly less expensive ways to obtain the same divorce, where you will fill out the same 3 mandatory packets of paperwork California requires, but without all of the court appearances, and litigation attorneys arguing and threatening each other.

More couples are choosing not to divorce the old fashioned way with judges and lawyers deciding what will happen to their money, property and kids. More couples want to decide for themselves where their money and property goes and how their children will be raised. Why let a stranger in a black robe decide? Judges have been known to order residences to be sold to pay for attorney's fees, so the lawyers can come to court and fight with each other about the family. Instead of the couple sharing that asset or that money, they hand it over to the lawyers, and maybe get a worse outcome decided by a stranger. That's the old fashioned way.

For those couples who don't want to divorce the old fashioned way, mediation and collaborative divorce offer less expensive ways, without spouses being dragged through the litigation process. As couples are learning about these options, mediation and collaborative divorce are booming. Couples often pay a fraction of the cost and are more satisfied with the results. And they're a LOT less stressed out as a result of the process.

Check out www.pasadenamediationlawyer.com to learn more.

Our goal at Amicable Divorce Services is to help couples and families resolve their Family Law related concerns without going to court.

09/15/2021

Amicable Divorce Services is meeting with clients via Zoom and in person for mediation sessions and free initial consultations. Remember, when meeting mediators for the first time, both spouses need to be involved.

08/24/2021

Join us as we honor Judge Lawrence P. Riff with our Outstanding Community Service Award! Get your gala tickets today at: https://LQGALA2021.givesmart.com

08/20/2021

WHAT’S A QDRO IN DIVORCE?

When there is a retirement plan to be divided by two spouses, such as a 401K or pension plan, a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) must be drafted in order to tell the retirement plan what to do with the plan. This takes a lot of time and patience.

If a spouse worked and contributed her earnings to a 401K plan during the marriage, then those marital contributions are community property that is divided evenly in California. There are times when the retirement plan is not divided equally, too. For instance, if the spouse contributed to the plan before marriage and contributed to the plan during the marriage, and maybe even contributed to the plan after the couple separated, then part of the plan is her separate property and part of it is community property. There are different ways to divide this asset.

HOW TO DIVIDE QDRO’s
https://pasadenamediationlawyer.com/whats-a-qdro-in-divorce/

04/21/2021

Believe in yourself!

03/26/2021

Leslie Howell of Amicable Divorce Solutions is the president of Family Divorce Solutions for 2021. Family Divorce Solutions is the place to go for collaborative divorce and mediation services in the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. In fact, with video conferencing, it doesn't matter where spouses and their professionals are located.

Family Divorce Solutions is made up of experienced divorce attorneys, financial experts, and mental health professionals in the San Fernando Valley.

12/11/2020

The courts are open now, but the backlog is significant. In addition, couples are not wanting to take such a high risk going to court so more families are choosing to submit all of their paperwork for their divorce or child custody matter without court. This can be done through private mediation, collaborative divorce, or limited scope (unbundled) services. These choices are affordable, less stressful and lower risk of COVID-19 infection.