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A divorce marks the end of life as you know it and places you on an unfamiliar path. It is not just an emotional breakup; it is also a formal dissolution similar to a business partnership. When it comes to your house, bank accounts, and debts, things can quickly become messy and confusing. You might be tempted to keep the process as simple as possible by completing research and paperwork yourself, but in Pierce County, the law has a lot of moving parts.
The guidance of a qualified family law attorney can really make a difference. A Fircrest property division lawyer from Lutz & Associates, P.S., knows how to calculate the present value of your pension, argue the tax implications of selling a brokerage account, and determine which assets are exclusively yours to keep. We have been in the business of family law for almost 30 years, and our legal team is dedicated to providing you with support that minimizes conflict and prioritizes resolution.
In Washington, funds or property you individually held before marriage is considered separate property, and community property encompasses anything you acquired during marriage, per the Revised Code of Washington § 26.16.010 and R.C.W. §26.16.030. You may believe the court will divide everything in half because Washington recognizes community property in a divorce, but that is not necessarily the case.
Under R.C.W. §26.09.080, courts must ensure a just and equitable division of property and liabilities. This does not always mean equal. A judge has the power to give your ex-partner 60 percent of the assets if they have a lower earning capacity or if you are keeping the separate property you brought into the marriage. Without legal counsel to argue why a specific split is just in your case, you are essentially leaving a determination of your net worth up to a judge. Contact our compassionate Fircrest attorneys for intentional property division guidance with your best interests in mind.
You may think your inheritances or the house you bought before the wedding are exclusively yours. In theory, R.C.W. § 26.16.010 protects your separate property. But, if during the marriage you used community funds like your paycheck to pay the mortgage on that home or put the inheritance into a joint savings account, you have commingled it.
Keeping track of your property and keeping things fair can be challenging. Do not get stuck with the credit card debt while your ex keeps the home equity. A skilled Fircrest property division attorney knows how to perform a legal and accounting investigation to prove that what belongs to you should remain yours alone.
Working with a knowledgeable local lawyer is critical when dealing with court procedure and local rules in Pierce County. When you go before a judge in Pierce County Superior Court, you must follow the Local Superior Court Special Rules.
These rules dictate everything from how you file your forms to the strict page limits on your declarations. A local Fircrest lawyer is an investment to ensure your documents are filed correctly in the system and that you meet every required deadline for your property division.
Grieving the loss of a relationship is difficult enough without worrying about accounting and legal implications. Do not lose half of an asset you have owned since before you even met your ex-spouse. A Fircrest property division lawyer can handle the legal side of protecting your stability so you can focus on finding peace.
At Lutz & Associates, we have been helping our clients make informed, strategic decisions about their families since 1997. Contact our main office in Pierce County by calling (253) 544-3635 or reach us online for your consultation.