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Tampa Divorce Lawyers
1. Equitable Distribution:
A. How are assets and debts divided through a Divorce?
B. Inheritance & Gifts
2. Child Custody, Time Sharing and Child Support:
A. Can my Tampa Divorce Lawyer help me to obtain custody of my child?
B What is the difference between Child Custody and Time sharing/
residence?
C. Can my Tampa Divorce Lawyer get me sole custody of my Child?
3. Alimony :
A. Can my Tampa Divorce Lawyer help me obtain Alimony?
B. When is Alimony appropriate?
Question of the week:
I am up-side-down or have negative equity in my home, how do we divide
the property?
If you owe more than your house is worth, the court will typically agree
with any agreement
that you and your spouse may decide upon. Options that have worked are
that the
property is treated as an asset and the mortgage is treated as a
liability and each item is
divided accordingly. Other times the property is sold and each side will
pay a portion of
the loss at closing. More often than not, the property will be either
paid by one spouse
that will continue to live in the home, or the house will be sold via
short sale, where the
bank will work with the parties and cover the loss.
1. Equitable Distribution
A. How are assets and debts divided through a Divorce?
Generally, all assets and debts purchase, acquired or created during the
marriage, except
inheritance or gifts, are equally divided between the parties. Assets
and debts are divided regardless of which parties name the assets are
held in or which party created he asset or debt.
B. Inheritance & Gifts
Generally, inheritance and gifts to one party from the spouse or a third
party remain with recipient. There is a caveat that if the asset is
co-mingled into the marital assets the asset may become marital
property. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will meet with you for a free
consultation and evaluation of your case. Each case is different and
your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will explain the factors relevant to your case
and the applicable law.
2. Child Custody, Time Sharing and Child Support
A. Can my Tampa Divorce Lawyer help me to obtain custody of my child?
Possibly. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will meet with you for a free
consultation and
evaluation of your case. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will explain that the
Court will likely evaluate three issues in regard to your child’s well
being: Custody (or decision making ability), timesharing and child
support.
B. What is the difference between Child Custody and Time sharing/
residence?
Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will explain that child custody is the parents
control over the
major decisions in the life of the child. These decisions include
medical, educational and religious decisions. Time sharing is the
breakdown of the time that the child will spend with each parent during
the week. Typically the Court will assign a primary residential parent,
or give the child a primary home, and the by default the other parent
will be the secondary residential parent or get visitation time.
C. Can my Tampa Divorce Lawyer get me sole custody of my Child?
Possibly. Sole custody is only appropriate in the most extreme cases.
Your Tampa
Divorce Lawyer will meet with you for a free consultation and evaluation
of your case.
Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will explain that sole custody generally is
appropriate if the
other parent is a danger to the child. The danger must be real and
direct to the child, and not mere accusations that you are a better
parent.
D. How does my Tampa Divorce Lawyer prove that I am the best candidate
to be
the child’s primary residential parent?
Each case is different, but your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will meet with you
for a free
consultation and evaluation of your case. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will
explain how
the facts of your case fit into the factors that the judge will review,
and even how your
particular judge has evaluated similar cases in the past. The Court is
bound to look at the factors set forth in Fla. Stat. 61.13(3).
3. Alimony
A. Can my Tampa Divorce Lawyer help me obtain Alimony?
Possibly. Alimony is appropriate in many case. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer
will meet with
you for a free consultation and evaluation of your case. Your Tampa
Divorce Lawyer will
explain that alimony is a general formula based upon need and ability to
pay. You may be
entitled to alimony if you have a need for financial assistance and your
partner has an
ability to pay you alimony.
B. When is Alimony appropriate?
Alimony is appropriate in many case. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer will meet
with you for a
free consultation and evaluation of your case. Your Tampa Divorce Lawyer
will explain
that alimony is a general formula based upon need and ability to pay.
You may be
entitled to alimony if you have a need for financial assistance and your
partner has an
ability to pay you alimony.
You can rely on this Tampa law firm for
guidance through the
legal process and lean on us during your time of transition.
When a marriage ends, the impact can be felt in the lives of every person
involved. Living arrangements, finances, family relationships, physical
health and even emotional stability are affected.
For almost 25 years this Tampa law firm has assisted families in
Hillsborough and Pinellas counties with the following issues:
* Anticipated Divorce Case Analysis
* Complex & Simple Divorces
* Dissolution/Divorce Trials
* Uncontested Divorces
* Family Law/Divorce Mediations
* Jewish Divorce
* Equitable Distribution of Assets and Liabilities
* Child Custody & Visitation
* Child Support Determination, Enforcement & Modification
* Alimony Determination, Enforcement & Modification
* Post-Divorce Actions
* Pre-nuptial, Post-nuptial and Cohabitation Agreements
* Paternity Actions
* Annulments
* Name Changes
* Step-parent Adoptions
Our Straightforward Approach
At the Law Office of S. David Anton, P.A. we begin with an initial
assessment of your case to get a complete picture of your situation,
including the following steps:
* Developing the realistic expectations for your case;
* Providing a break-down of the potential costs;
* Setting typical timelines and required next steps; and
* Explaining the family law court process in Florida
The Law Office of S. David Anton, P.A. focuses on quality over quantity.
We believe it is essential to the effective and efficient management of
your case that you receive the time needed to carefully think over options
and make good decisions based on realistic expectations for your case and
your future. To ensure that our clients receive the time and attention
they deserve, we intentionally keep our case load at a sensible level.
What you should bring to your first consultation
The more specific information you can provide during your Initial
Consultation, the more specific advice your attorney can provide about the
options and strategies available to you and the realistic expectations for
your case.
Providing each and every item listed below at your Initial Consultation is
often impractical or even impossible. A comprehensive consultation can
still be conducted with only a partial set of these documents.
For those looking for an Anticipated Divorce Case Analysis (a more
generalized analysis for people who have not yet made the decision to seek
a divorce) general information about your financial situation, and assets
and liabilities is sufficient.
Plan to bring to your Initial Consultation as many of the following items
as possible:
1. Last three year's Federal Income Tax Returns (with W-2, K-1 and 1099
attachments)
2. Most recent pay stub for each income-earner
3. List of all ASSETS, their estimated value, and recent statements for
items such as:
*
Real estate/property
*
Cars, boats, RV's, airplanes, and other vehicles
*
Bank accounts
*
Businesses
*
Stocks, bonds, and other investments
*
Pension plans, profit sharing plans, IRAs, 401(k)s
*
Life insurance policies
*
Personal property, antiques, jewelry, art, collectibles
4. List of all LIABILITIES/DEBTS, estimated balances owed, and the most
recent account statements for items like:
* Mortgages, loans, and lines of credit
* Credit cards
* Revolving credit accounts
* Student loans
* Medical expenses
* Estimates of regular household and personal expenses
* Business expenses
Remember -- having specific information allows you and your attorney to
craft an efficient and effective strategy for your case at the very
beginning.
What your case may cost
We will openly discuss with you the anticipated fees and costs associated
with the services you need.
* "Fees" are charges for the time spent on your case by your attorney and
our legal staff.
* "Costs" are expenses for outside items such as court fees, court
reporters, expert witnesses, and other items needed in your case.
The cost of any Family Law case depends on a number of factors including
whether or not the matter is "contested" or "uncontested," and the
complexity of the issues involved. Although fees and costs vary case by
case, some of the typical fees and costs include:
* Initial Consultation Fee of $150 includes an initial assessment of your
case conducted in a one-hour (or longer) meeting with David Anton.
* Anticipated Divorce Case Analysis, which also costs $150, is a more
generalized or "ballpark" consultation for people who have not yet made
the decision to seek a divorce.
* Initial Retainer is required to cover the initial attorney fees and
court costs for your case. A retainer is essentially pre-paid attorney
fees and costs. The amount of this non-refundable Initial Retainer is
determined by the type and complexity of your case. An Initial Retainer
will be quoted at your Initial Consultation or Anticipated Divorce Case
Analysis.
* Attorney Fees are based on the hourly rate of the attorney or staff
member working on your case. Clients receive periodic billing statements
which include the details of time spent and costs expended. Some
uncontested cases can be quoted a fixed fee amount.
* Court Costs typically include filing fees, recording fees, certified
copy charges, and other fees set by the court.
* Other Costs typically include expenses such as court reporter fees,
deposition costs, expert and consultant services, mediation costs, and
trial expenses.
The Law Office of S. David Anton, P.A. now accepts all credit cards
for the payment of fees and costs.
Tampa Divorce Attorney
S. David Anton, P.A., is a law office of Tampa, Florida divorce attorneys
who handle cases throughout Tampa Bay. David Anton, Esquire focuses on
resolving disputes for clients in Tampa family law matters, including but
not limited to, Tampa divorce, Tampa child custody, Tampa child support,
alimony collections and post-divorce actions. In addition to servicing
clients in the entire Tampa Bay region, David Anton, Esquire is a family
law lawyer whose practice includes divorce cases in Pinellas county. David
is an experienced Pinellas county child support and child custody
attorney.
If you would like more information about David Anton, Esquire, a Tampa
divorce lawyer, or any of the family law services offered by our firm in
Pinellas and Hillsborough counties please feel free to contact us at (813)
229-0664.