Cohasset Divorce Attorney, Here To Help You


Divorce and Seperation Attorney in Cohasset, Massachusetts

The process of divorce has broad and lasting implications for all parties involved. The legal component of divorce is not one that should be attempted without the assistance of a skilled divorce attorney knowledgeable about the Cohasset area and Norfolk County. Important considerations must be made pertaining to the lives of both parties as well as your children, such as custody and a parenting plan (formerly visitation), as well as finances including income, assets, and debts.

The Division of Assets is the process of equitably dividing marital assets. In Massachusetts, assets are divided equitably but not necessarily equally and it is important to have a knowledgeable attorney familiar with the laws on your side. Marital assets are generally considered to be those assets that have been purchased or otherwise acquired during the span of your marriage. These assets often include your car, home, other real estate, bank accounts, pensions, retirement accounts, stock, stock options, household furnishings, and even businesses. They may also include gifts and inheritances. This aspect of your divorce, unlike other areas such as custody, child support or alimony, is generally final and cannot be changed, or modified, with very rare exceptions such as fraud. Thus, it is very important that you have a divorce attorney experienced with these issues. Attorney Leahy works with clients in the Cohasset and Norfolk county areas to guide you through the process of determining what is a marital asset and reaching an equitable division depending upon the type of asset and value involved. This often requires consultation with financial experts, such as real estate appraisers, business valuation experts, accountants and other financial experts.

Contact Attorney Gina Leahy Today For A Divorce Consultation
(781) 206-4777

Often the most emotional aspects of your divorce concern custody of your children and establishment of a parenting plan (previously known as visitation). Legal custody of a childdetermines who can make decisions regarding your child's welfare, such as medical questions, education, emotional, moral and religious issues. As the right to make these decisions is often paramount to parents undergoing a this process, divorce lawyers with experience in child custody are essential. In most cases the parents will have shared legal custody, but this determination is dependent upon what is in the best interests of the child.

Physical custody involves where the child physically resides. It may be joint or one parent may have primary physical custody, with the child having parenting time (previously called visitation) with the other parent. There are many different types of parenting plans and it is critical that you have a divorce attorney knowledgeable in this area to help you reach a parenting plan that both meets your goals and is in the best interests of your children.

Another sensitive issue for parents going through the divorce process concerns child support and alimony. This is of great concern to both those looking at paying support and those receiving support, as it will substantially impact the cash flow of both parties.

Contact Attorney Gina Leahy Today For A Divorce Consultation
(781) 206-4777

Child support is a recurring payment made to the party having physical custody of the child. It is generally governed by the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines and is determined based upon the gross incomes of the parents, the number and ages of the children, and consideration of expenses paid by the parent such as health insurance, dental or vision insurance, and day care. Child support may vary depending upon the parenting plan and whether the child spends one-third or less of their time with the non-custodial parent, fifty percent of their time with each parent, or less than fifty percent but more than 1/3 of their time with the non-custodial parent.

Alimony is awarded to a party based upon the needs of the recipient and the payor's ability to pay, subject to application and consideration of a number of factors set forth in the Massachusetts Alimony Statute such as the length of the marriage, the ability of each party to earn an income, the ages and conduct of the parties during the marriage.

The interplay between alimony and child support can be complex, especially when the income of the parties exceeds $250,000.00 and also requires consideration of tax implications as child support is not deductible by the paying spouse and not included in the income of the recipient, while alimony may be deducted by the payor spouse and is considered income to the receiving spouse. Because of the substantial impact either child support and/or alimony can have on the cash flow and lifestyle of the parties,, it is imperative that your Cohasset divorce attorney be well versed in this component of divorce law.

If you are searching for a trusted and aggressive, yet compassionate, Cohasset, Massachusetts divorce attorney who provides dedicated, personalized service, then call Attorney Gina Leahy to schedule a consultation today at (781) 206-4777