Cobb County Divorce Law Blog

Uncovering hidden marital assets in a high-net-worth divorce

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.

Couples with a high net worth face specific challenges when they go through a divorce. A significant asset portfolio means that oftentimes, assets become the central focus of the divorce proceedings or settlement, which can become heated and acrimonious.

One challenge that can be difficult in a high-asset divorce is if a spouse tries to hide marital assets intended for distribution in the divorce process. However, there are ways to combat this problem and to uncover hidden marital assets in a high-net-worth divorce.

A guide to emotionally preparing for divorce

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC on Monday, August 27, 2018.

Divorce is an emotionally excruciating process. Perhaps the most difficult aspect about ending your marriage is the painful emotions that come with it. Your emotions may become so overwhelming that you make bad decisions.

While your divorce will be stressful by nature, there are some things you can do to reduce the emotional turmoil. Here are some tips for emotionally preparing yourself for leaving your spouse.

Preparing your finances for divorce

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC on Friday, July 27, 2018.

Sadly, not all marriages work out. Even if you try counseling, sometimes the only answer is getting a divorce. Not only is splitting up hard on your emotions, but it is messy to untangle your assets and wealth.

Fortunately, you can minimize the impact divorce has on your wallet by getting prepared. Here are some guidelines for getting your finances ready for ending your marriage.

The effect of infidelity on the award of alimony in Georgia

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC on Monday, July 2, 2018.

If your spouse was engaged in an affair, that may well be the reason that you decided to end your marriage. Will his infidelity affect what you are awarded in alimony?

The court takes many factors into consideration when making a decision on spousal support, and marital misbehavior is one of them.

3 common forms of child neglect

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC on Sunday, June 3, 2018.

From the moment they are born, children are highly vulnerable to the minutiae of their environment. Children must be cared for with intent and compassion, but too often, they are subjected to treatment that falls short of these standards. In such cases, these actions may qualify as child neglect, a serious criminal offense that may necessitate legal charges be brought against the offending party.

Following are three of the most common examples of child neglect that occur throughout the United States. Whether you are a parent, grandparent or legal guardian, you should be aware of the following and do everything within your power to keep the kids in your life safe from abuse and neglect.

5 common reasons people get divorced

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC posted in blog on Sunday, April 29, 2018.

When sweethearts marry, they do not expect divorce to be in their future. Unfortunately, not every marriage ends with "happily ever after." In fact, after twenty years of marriage, 53 percent of couples experience separation, divorce or death.

Why do so many people end their marriages? While there are endless reasons for divorce, here are some of the most common reasons that couples go their separate ways.

Do you need a reason to get a divorce in Georgia?

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC posted in blog on Friday, March 30, 2018.

Many people who know they want to leave their spouse wonder if they need to have a legal reason to validate the decision? Do you have to show proof of bad behavior? What if there is none but you still want a divorce? Regardless of your circumstances, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Georgia is a no-fault divorce state.

A no-fault divorce means the only grounds you need is the "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage." You do not need to prove fault or wrongdoing, even if it was present. You have the option of pointing out wrongdoing, but it may not be beneficial. It often adds more time and money to the process, and does not guarantee any advantage in support payments, asset division or even custody.

Dividing credit card debt in divorce

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC posted in blog on Tuesday, February 27, 2018.

Marriages end for all kinds of reasons, and often, financial disagreements and issues come into play. Even if you are heading for a divorce for reasons that have nothing to do with finances, there are still certain steps you may want to consider taking to streamline the process and reduce your level of liability with regard to your spouse’s debts.

If, for example, you and your soon-to-be ex share multiple credit cards, it may prove wise to eliminate this shared debt prior to the dissolution of your marriage to ensure it does not come back to bite you later. Why? Credit card companies do not care about the state of your marriage – they simply want to collect what is owed to them, and they typically do not care where it comes from. So, if you are tracking toward a divorce and you and your spouse currently have shared credit cards, consider the following options:

Answers to common questions about Georgia’s child custody laws

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC posted in blog on Monday, January 29, 2018.

Child custody laws are not always black and white, and many different factors and circumstances ultimately determine where whether a child will live with you, your spouse, a grandparent or someone else entirely. If you are preparing for an upcoming Georgia custody hearing, understanding the basics of the state’s child custody laws can help streamline the process and, ideally, help you achieve a favorable outcome.

Common questions asked about Georgia’s child custody laws include:

3 hidden assets you may find in a divorce

On behalf of Vic Hill of Hill Macdonald, LLC posted in blog on Friday, January 19, 2018.

Going through a divorce and separating your life from your ex’s is a stressful endeavor in and of itself. Maintaining financial stability in this time is yet another concern that can be stressful if you and your spouse possessed high assets. Whether you have a prenuptial agreement or not, you will need to fairly divide your assets to ensure that both parties’ finances are not compromised by the divorce.

Unfortunately, you cannot always trust your ex to be entirely honest when it comes to disclosing all the assets that may be relevant to your divorce. It is common, in fact, for some vindictive spouses to intentionally hide assets in an attempt to maximize their monetary gains in a divorce.