To Do’s And Do Not’s For Public Sector Employees In Domestic Matters

Roanne Handler, a seasoned domestic attorney at SBWD Law, has put together her wise advice for anyone involved in a domestic matter that is employed in the public sector:

1. If you are thinking about getting married, get a prenuptial agreement so your pension will never be an issue.
2. If you are already married, get a postnuptial agreement so your pension will never be an issue.
3. If you leave your spouse and you have a child together, make sure you have something in place so that you can see your child, on your terms and as much as possible.
4. If you have a child that you are not living with, make sure you support that child and see him or her as much as possible. Your child deserves to see you.
5. If you need to go to court to establish custody or to get divorced, come see one of us here at SBWD Law. While you won’t necessarily be told what you want to hear, you will be advised based on our experience with the court.
6. If you separate from your spouse and you have sex with someone else, you are still committing adultery. This is still a potential problem unless you have a signed separation agreement.
7. If you are separated from your spouse and you have a new relationship, be very careful not to get the new person pregnant. That is terrifically bad timing and is avoidable.
8. If you want to adopt your spouse’s child, keep in mind that if you get divorced, you will be responsible for that child for a very long time.
9. Your pension is considered marital property. Your deferred comp is considered marital property. Your DROP is considered marital property, even if you don’t enter DROP until after you get divorced.
10. There is a formula that the court uses to determine how much of your pension your wife or husband will receive, unless he or she waives it or you buy him or her out.
11. There is a formula that the court uses to determine how much child support you may have to pay.
12. Shared custody – and therefore lower child support – comes into play when you have 128 overnights or more with your child.
13. Alimony is still a possibility in divorces if your spouse has not worked much during the marriage or makes much less than you.
14. Again, a prenuptial agreement could avoid number 13.
15. Try hard to not get divorced. Especially if you have children together.
16. If your spouse tells you that she or he is concerned about certain of your behavior traits, please listen.
17. Counseling is often covered by insurance.
18. Prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, counseling, and mediation are much cheaper than divorce.