Family Lawyer

It’s a sad situation, but sometimes divorce happens. In the worst case scenario, you and your spouse will go your separate ways – but your children may be caught in the middle. Fortunately, as a family lawyer Tampa FL trusts, like our friends at the McKinney Law Group can explain, you can still see your family even after your divorce. It just involves figuring out custody.

Read on to learn more about the different types of custody arrangements that you and your spouse may be able to agree on, and see how the right family lawyer can make all the difference when you’re planning your new future apart from each other.

My spouse and I can’t agree on anything. How will we decide on custody?

It’s a common problem during divorce proceedings, but yes, it can be difficult to agree on anything, let alone who gets the kids and where they’ll be living. When you have to negotiate the terms of your divorce, however, you’ll have to fight it out to see who gets custody, and who gets visitation rights. Better lawyer up.

What are my responsibilities as a custodial parent?

If you’re the custodial parent, you’re the caregiver of your children. It’s your job to ensure your kids are well-fed, clothed, sheltered, and educated. It involves a lot of work, because it’s basically being a single parent and doing everything yourself. But, it does mean you get to spend more time with your kids, and more time with your kids is priceless.

What are my responsibilities if I only have visitation rights?

If you’re a parent who’s been awarded visitation rights, your responsibilities are much less. However, it comes with a price: You won’t be able to see your children as often as you’d like. Depending on how your divorce proceedings go, you may only be able to see your kids once every couple of weeks. It can be painful to deal with, and to make matters worse, you’ll probably have to make regular child support payments to keep your ex and your kids afloat.

What is joint custody?

Joint custody means you both have an equal share in raising your children In some cases, you and your spouse can finally come to an agreement in which you both share the responsibilities of childrearing. While it may be difficult to imagine (especially if you’re going through a divorce at this moment) there are some cases in which a couple can actually set aside their differences for the good of their kids. It does require that you satisfy certain requirements, however. You’ll have to prove that you both took an active role in raising the kids, and you’ll also have to live in close enough proximity to make the arrangement work.

What type of custody should we choose?

The type of custody you choose depends on whether or not you and your spouse are able to work together. If you’re unable to agree on joint custody, you’ll have to lawyer up to ensure you’re still able to see your kids. A divorce is never a pleasant process, but at the very least you can make sure you can play an active part in raising your children.

Get in touch with a divorce lawyer today.

When it comes to your kids, don’t leave anything to chance. Reach out to a divorce lawyer today to learn more about your next steps.

If you have questions about a prenup agreement or a postnup agreement or require legal assistance in other areas of Family Law you may always contact Damien McKinney of The McKinney Law Group to discuss your case further. He can be reached by phone at 813-428-3400 or by e-mail at [email protected].

We now offer virtual prenuptial agreements. Contact us to inquire further about our virtual prenup option.