Bay Area & Sacramento Area Family Law Blog

Child support issues can be particularly overwhelming when the California parents in question are living in poverty or are dealing with the social effects of systematic racism. A study by the Urban Institute indicates that of the total child support debt in the United States, 70 percent is held by parents who make less than $10,000 each year, putting them below the poverty line and barely able to sustain themselves. A film called "Where's Daddy?" aims to look at the question of the child support system and how it impacts African American fathers in particular.

Child support decisions can lead to complicated outcomes; when parents don't pay their court-ordered child support, they are considered deadbeats and face social stigma. At the same time, however, there can be legal consequences, including jail time. In one well-known police shooting case, a man was shot in the back by police as he ran away. His brother says that the reason he ran was fear that his $18,000 child-support debt would cost him his liberty.

For those going through a divorce in California, the financial impact can be significant. The divorce itself could result in an individual losing a significant percentage of assets built up over his or her lifetime. Furthermore, it can be more expensive to live as a single person after a divorce than it was while married. However, by keeping and following a detailed budget, it can be easier for people to gain control over their finances.

Creating a budget can tell individuals whether they need to increase their income or cut back on their spending. Those who have gone through a divorce can benefit from talking with a financial adviser who may help create a budget or offer other advice pertaining to fiscal matters. While a divorce may feel emotionally and financially draining, it is important for a person to continue learning and striving to get better.

Parents in California headed for divorce may be concerned about how to minimize the effects of the split on their children. This is especially true when dealing with some of the more complex matters that accompany a divorce like child custody issues. When both parents want the maximum time with their children, custody concerns can be difficult to resolve. However, mutual dedication to a positive outcome for their children can help many divorcing parents work together to develop a parenting plan that sets the foundation for their co-parenting relationship.

Divorce mediation can help divorcing spouses and their family law attorneys come together to reach a settlement on major issues. Often recommended by family courts, mediation for child custody issues often helps handle these sensitive topics in a non-adversarial manner by focusing on the best outcomes for the children. A mediated child custody process focuses on the involvement and contribution of both parents to their children's lives and well-being. It does not strive to place blame for the end of the marriage but instead seeks mutually acceptable solutions that can help both parents move forward.

Older California couples may be more vulnerable to divorce than they were in the past. The divorce rate for couples over 50 has doubled since the 1990s. However, for people who have not handled the marital finances, divorce may be particularly difficult as they might be learning about financial matters for the first time in their lives.

According to a report published by UBS Global Wealth Management, women are more likely than men to be in the dark when it comes to marital finances. This tendency cuts across generational lines with 54 percent of baby boomer women and 61 percent of millennial women saying their husbands make the investment decisions in the family. However, a lack of transparency about finances means that women going through a divorce may encounter some surprises such as debt or spending habits they were unaware of.