Westland MI Family Law Blog

Michigan residents who are dealing with financial struggles may get one or more calls from eager debt collectors looking to get paid. While the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prevents debt collectors from being too aggressive in their approaches, they often get the payments they are seeking by making debtors feel guilty about their debt obligations. Before giving in to creditor demands, it is okay to turn to a bankruptcy law attorney for guidance on the matter.

Here is the thing: debt collectors do not always get things right. By the time an account ends up in their hands, the information they have may not be entirely accurate. They may call the wrong people, trying to collect debt that is not even theirs. Before paying a creditor, stop, do some research and look at all debt relief options.

When people think about divorce, they often get a picture in their heads of a relatively young couple, likely with minor children, who is just ready to call it quits. They don't really think of divorce affecting older couples who have been together for several decades, or longer, or those who are on their second or subsequent marriages. The truth is gray divorce is on the rise and has been since the 1990s. No matter when one chooses to dissolve his or her marriage, a Michigan-based divorce law attorney can help one fight for a fair and balanced settlement.

Divorce, no matter when it happens, can be a complicated process. For older adults who end their marriages right before or during retirement years, there are likely to be deep financial concerns. How will one survive? How does one go about splitting retirement accounts?

When a couple chooses to divorce or separate and they have children, one parent may not achieve custody of their kids. While joint custody arrangements are being pushed now more than ever before, there are those individuals who will only be granted visitation time as part of a family law settlement.  What does a typical visitation schedule look like for parents in Michigan?

Truthfully, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all visitation schedule that will be handed down by a family court judge. Visitation schedules, much like joint custody plans, can be quite flexible. It all really depends on what each parent is able to do and what is thought best for the children.

There are many reasons why Michigan residents may end up on disability. Without it, they may not have any other sources of income. While disability payments may not amount to a whole lot, it is still income, and if one is ordered to pay child support by a family law court, one may have to utilize this benefit in order to meet his or her child support obligation. Here are a few facts regarding disability and child support.

First and foremost, being placed on disability does not mean that a person's responsibility to pay financial support for one's children ends. If a person's disability income is less than his or her previous income, it may be possible to seek a child support modification so that one's monthly obligation is affordable. Any arears will still be expected to be paid in full; that amount is not adjustable.