How Do Michigan Courts Divide Assets?

If you are in the process of dissolving your marriage, you will need attorneys who know the law inside and out and can protect your rights tenaciously. Further, you should have divorce attorneys who provide one-on-one support and personal attention for every detail of your case.

This is exactly what you can expect from us at McDonald Pierangeli Macfarlane, PLLC. Our attorneys have represented clients in Kent County and the surrounding area in complex divorces. In us, you have a team prepared to go to trial if it means getting the results you need.

Some couples negotiate asset division arrangements privately. Others go to trial for a verdict. Michigan is an equitable property state, which means that the court will divide marital assets equitably, but not necessarily equally. Marital assets are any assets accumulated in the course of the marriage with certain exceptions such as inheritances or assets acquired before the marriage.

Judges weigh many factors when dividing assets. These factors include:

• Duration of the marriage
• Contributions of the parties to the marital estate
• Age of the parties
• Health of the parties
• Life status of the parties
• Necessities and circumstances of the parties
• Earning abilities of the parties
• Past relations and conduct of the parties
• General principles of equity

This list is not exhaustive and not all of the factors will apply to any given case.  Moreover, the court does not have to give equal weight to each factor.  This gives the judge a great deal of leeway. It is crucial that you have a family law attorney to persuasively present your argument and help you secure the most favorable arrangement possible. Your financial security depends on it.

Judges weigh many factors when issuing a property and asset division order. These factors include:

• The length of the marriage
• Each spouse’s contribution to the marital assets
• Each spouse’s income and separate assets
• Each spouse’s earning potential
• Whether one spouse supported the other financially during the marriage

This gives the judge a great deal of leeway. It is crucial that you have a family law attorney to persuasively present your argument and help you secure the most favorable arrangement possible. Your financial security depends on it.

Discuss Matters With A Divorce Lawyer Today

Whether you are considering a divorce, have already filed or have been served the papers, reach out to McDonald Pierangeli Macfarlane, PLLC, for skillful counsel. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation. Call our Grand Rapids office at 616-426-9609 or send us an email today.