Columbia Equitable Division Lawyer

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If you are contemplating a divorce, contact an experienced Columbia, S.C. property division attorney at The Steele Law Firm, LLC for a case consultation.

Factors in Property Division

The courts recognize that a marriage is an economic partnership between two individuals and that each spouse had a part in contributing to marital assets and marital debt during the course of the marriage. Upon the end of a marriage, the property and debt should be identified and divided in a way that fairly reflects each spouse’s contributions towards the accumulation of marital wealth and the accumulation of marital debt. The court will identify the marital property, whether that be real or personal, and will assign a fair market value to the property. The court may also determine that some property that was non-marital in nature became marital during the course of the marriage. The court will determine each spouse’s contributions towards the acquisition of marital property and will equitably divide the property using certain factors to include:

• Length of marriage
• Marital misconduct
• Value of the marital property and spouse’s contributions towards same
• Income of each spouse
• Health of each spouse
• Other non-marital property of each spouse
• Existence of retirement benefits
• Existence of other support obligations
• Liens and encumbrances on property

If you need help figuring out how dividing property can affect you and your family, call my office at (803) 402-8544.

Typical examples of marital property include the marital home, cars and other vehicles, retirement and other savings, or other property or assets that may have been non-marital in nature at one point but were then co-mingled with marital property and assets or used in furtherance of the marital union.

The court will weigh some factors more heavily than others in determining what is fair and just in each individual situation and will be guided, in part, on how effective your lawyer is in presenting your case. Therefore, it is imperative that you hire an experienced and aggressive attorney who will advocate on your behalf and who will protect your interests.

Speak with an Experienced Attorney Today

Speak with an experienced attorney today if you are planning on filing for a divorce. There may be an opportunity to settle these matters with your spouse without rancor or discord by entering into a marital settlement agreement. If you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement, rest assured that I will protect your rights and will do all that I can do to position you for an outcome that allows you and your family to get on with your life secure in the knowledge that you were represented effectively and responsibly.

To get started on your case, contact us at (803) 402-8544 or fill out our online form to schedule a consultation.