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How Is Property Valued for Purposes of Equitable Distribution?

In North Carolina, the court ordered or agreed-upon division of assets and debts that occurs when spouses separate is called equitable distribution. For purposes of equitable distribution, the parties’ marital...

How Long Am I Entitled to Receive – Or Must I Pay – Alimony?

Decades ago when men were traditionally the breadwinners of the American family and women were typically stay-at-home moms, permanent alimony was not an unusual financial result in divorces. The days...
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How Is the Date of Separation Determined (And Why Is It Important)?

The date of separation is determined by the actual date that the parties begin living separate and apart from each other in separate residences. Establishing separate bedrooms while living in...
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When Child Support Ends for One Child, How Is Child Support Determined for the Remaining Child or Children?

When a parent is paying court ordered child support to the other parent for two or more children, and the obligation to pay child support for one of the children...

Part 1: Self-Help Legal Services: The Dangers of the Do-It-Yourself Separation Agreement

In a family law context, do-it-yourself separation agreements present an area that is laden with potential problems. A separation agreement, which may also be referred to by other names such...
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Can Alimony Be Increased or Decreased?

A court order for payment of alimony that is entered by a North Carolina Court may be modified or vacated if a judge finds that a substantial change in circumstances...

Part 2: Self-Help Legal Services: Helpful or Harmful?

Numerous online businesses have emerged in recent years that offer legal forms and information to enable consumers to create their own legal documents and perform many legal related services without...
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Costs

Just as it is impossible to predict exactly how long your case will take, it is difficult to realistically estimate the total cost of your litigation, even when your attorney...

Issues to Consider Before You Separate

When parties separate, it is not unusual for their separation to be preceded by a heated argument or domestic violence. High drama often sets the stage for a separation to...

Determining Child Support in High Income Cases

The North Carolina Child Support Guidelines in effect for 2013 provide a formula for determining the recommended basic child support obligation for parents whose combined adjusted gross incomes is $25,000...
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Practical Matters

Litigation often spawns more litigation. To determine whether certain issues are worth litigating, you must weigh the price you will pay with your time, emotions, and money, against the anticipated...
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Is It Considered Abandonment If I Leave My Spouse?

Depending on your reason for leaving your spouse, your spouse may have grounds to allege abandonment, which is sometimes referred to as desertion. In North Carolina, abandonment is considered an...