Not every case needs to be litigated in court. Litigation is not only a stressful and long process, but it is also financially draining to many people. When contemplating a divorce or custody action, you should consider whether your situation would be better handled by way of entering into a settlement agreement. What does a settlement agreement really capture? It covers how you handle dividing your marital property, personal property, alimony (if applicable), retirement accounts, child custody schedule, and child support payments. The following items are included in a settlement agreement:

1. The basic background information about the parties which often includes, the date of marriage, location, date of separation, number of children, and your current living arrangement.

2. Division of your marital assets which includes addressing your home, retirement accounts, joint accounts, and vehicles.

3. Addressing debt which often includes credit card debt, student loans, and vehicle loans.

4. Creating a child custody and visitation schedule which will address both joint and physical custody and outline a holiday visitation schedule.

5. An agreement on child support and spousal support (if applicable).

Once you have a signed settlement agreement, the next step will be obtaining a final court order and make sure that agreement is incorporated in it. Although divorce is not the easiest process to go through, there are ways that you can make it financially and emotionally manageable. Call us at (443) 741-2567 and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss the most efficient way to handle your matter.