Divorce is never easy, but if you left the workforce to be a stay-at-home parent, it gets even more complicated. Your entire life is getting a new makeover—and not necessarily by choice. You might be worried about losing your home, the life and routine your children were used to—or maybe even losing custody of your children.
Take charge of your new life by hiring a top Southern California divorce attorney
You can take steps to gain control of your new life. Start by making a 60-minute consultation with an expert Southern California divorce attorney at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP. We’ve been practicing family law since 1994. We understand what divorcing parents and their children are going through—and we’ve seen them rebuild their lives, just like you will, too.
Will I have to go back to work?
It’s not so easy to re-enter the workforce, and day care is a huge expense. Will you have to return to work right away?
Every situation is unique, so you’ll want to speak to an attorney about what to expect in your particular circumstances. If your children are still very young or have special needs, you might not be expected to go back to work right away, and you could receive child support and spousal support accordingly.
Of course, if a stay-at-home parent sacrificed a career and earnings for the sake of the family, the court may recognize that the other spouse benefited from that arrangement, and award community property accordingly.
Spousal support
However, alimony or spousal support in California is typically awarded on a temporary basis, unless the marriage lasted a long time. The primary goal of spousal support is to help the recipient get to a place where they can support themselves. The fact is, even with child support and alimony, you might not have enough to make ends meet. Regardless of your situation during the marriage, if you are able to work, you may be expected to return to the workforce in the future.
Bear in mind that child support and spousal support are awarded for different reasons. Child support is specifically for the needs of the child, not the custodial parent. Under California law, both parents have “an equal responsibility to support their child in the manner suitable to the child’s circumstances.” That doesn’t necessarily mean that all expenses will be split 50/50, simply that both parents have a duty to care for the child, and that duty will depend on “the child’s circumstances.”
For example, if a child has special needs, their needs and circumstances are much different from a self-reliant teenager, and parental duties will be considered differently.
In any divorce where children are involved, the judge will make the well-being of the children a top priority. The question that the judge—and all parties—should always ask is, “What is in the best interest of the children?”
You can do this!
Just remember—as a parent, you’ve faced many tough situations before. You’ve gained experience working at the most difficult job there is. You can handle this, too. Let us at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP know how we can help by calling 909-482-1422 or emailing info@parents4children.com to make an appointment today.
