Every good parent concerns about their child’s safety and overall wellbeing. But so does the California court when it comes time to putting together a custody agreement. One parent may see themselves as the better provider and the one with the safer home environment. However, the court may have a different perspective.

Part of the reason a parent may have difficulty getting custody over their own child is because they’ve had a past of domestic violence or other form of abuse. This can most definitely change how custody ends up being granted.

The Safety and Best Interests of the Child Will Be Considered in Custody Court.

Whether or not there has been abuse in the home environment, the court will always make decisions based on what they believe is best for the child and their welfare.

Even if the so-called history of abuse is hearsay and has not yet been confirmed, or if the parent was wrongfully accused of domestic abuse, the California court will consider both instances when deciding custody. In the former, the court will search for evidence that will determine whether the accused party is innocent or guilty. In the other case, it’s critical that the parent works with a quality family law attorney to help prove their innocence.

All Forms of Domestic Abuse Could Impact Whether or Not a Parent Gets Custody.

A home with domestic violence or any other type of abuse is no place for a child. Whether the abuse is physical, mental, sexual, emotional, and so on and so forth, it will be a hot topic in the California custody court room. Who the abuse was directed towards, how often, in what situations, and the extent of the abuse will all be considered.

Get a Family Lawyer in Alta Loma CA Right Away.

Whether you have had a past of domestic violence, your ex is the one with the past, or you are being falsely accused of domestic abuse, it’s critical to get in touch with a family lawyer. The right attorney can help you better understand your rights and help you obtain the custody you deserve.

Family lawyers are experienced when it comes to proving your innocence of abuse, providing evidence that regardless of your past that you can still be a good parent deserving of at least partial custody, or can prove that your ex is unfit to receive physical custody based on their past.

Call Attorney Torrence Howell at (909) 920-0908 regardless of where you stand in the custody court case.

Alimony is designed to ensure the financially disadvantaged spouse is able to get temporary or permanent financial aid from the other spouse following a divorce. While not every spouse will request alimony, it can certainly come in handy in many cases.

There are six main types of spousal support in the state of California, including:

1. Temporary Alimony

Temporary alimony is exactly what it sounds like: short-term financial assistance from a spouse. This type of alimony is paid out while the couple is separated. Once divorced, alimony in this case is usually no longer paid out, except in special circumstances where alimony might be temporarily extended.

2. Reimbursement Alimony

This type of alimony requires that a spouse pays for the expense(s) that the other spouse paid out on behalf of them. For instance, if the husband was paying for his wife’s college expenses, the court may grant the husband this type of alimony, so he can get reimbursed for his soon-to-be-ex’s tuition.

3. Lump-Sum Alimony

Lump-sum alimonies involve lump-sum (single; all at once) payments versus multiple payments provided over the course of several months. Sometimes lump-sum alimony is called transitional alimony because it provides enough cash upfront for the struggling spouse to get into a new living situation, purchase a new vehicle, or whatever it may be, so they can transition in life.

4. Rehabilitative Alimony

Because sometimes only one spouse in a marriage is financially independent, rehabilitative alimony is granted to the spouse who may not be as financially independent. For example, if a spouse is a stay-at-home parent, works gigs or completes freelance projects for money, or works part-time, obtaining rehabilitative alimony would provide them temporary financial support to eventually become financially independent and get adjusted to their new financial situation.

5. Permanent Alimony

Although it’s less likely to be granted than, say, temporary alimony, permanent alimony is still offered to spouses in the state of California under certain circumstances. As the name implies, permanent alimony is provided on a month-to-month basis until the spouse either dies or gets remarried. Typically, lifetime alimony is only offered when spouses have been married for 10 or more years.

6. Distribution of Property

Instead of paying monetary payments to a spouse, a divorcing couple may agree that the financially independent spouse gives the struggling spouse legal ownership of property instead.

Need Assistance Requesting Alimony from a Spouse? Attorney Howell Can Help!

Although a divorcing couple can come to an alimony agreement on their own, this isn’t always the case. However, by enlisting the help of a Family Law attorney in Norco, CA, your chances of coming to the best, most applicable alimony agreement as soon as possible is much higher.

Set up with an appointment for a consultation by calling Torrence L. Howell, a qualified Family Law attorney, at (909) 920-0908.

Mental illness is more common than many of us might think. It can present itself in many different situations, involve varying symptoms, feature different triggers, and come in a variety of intensities. The truth is, it’s never the same for one person to the next.

A few things are certain: there is a stigma around mental health, and unlike what many believe, mental illness does not completely impair most individuals from living a successful, happy, healthy, and by-definition “normal” life.

Still, a mental health diagnosis can be debilitating for many people. It may completely or to an extent impact their ability to get and keep a job, it can make everyday functions more challenging, and it may even make parenting harder than usual.

So, a common question people ask is, “If I (or my ex) have a diagnosis of mental illness, will I (or they) still be required to pay child support?” Read on for an answer.

Mental Illness or Not, the Parent with Mental Illness Must Still Pay Child Support.

It’s true that the presence of mental illness can potentially cause a parent to lose custody of their child, that is, if they are deemed unfit to accurately and safely parent their child.

However, when it comes to paying child support, that obligation is still there. You’re still the parent, and the other parent still needs financial help raising the child that you share by blood together. Likewise, if the parent with mental illness is one who’s the custodial parent, they still have the right to receive child support from the other parent.

If financing is a problem for the child support-paying parent, with or without metal illness, the court will be able to come up with a feasible solution.

Having Problems Paying or Receiving Child Support in San Antonio Heights, CA? Contact a Lawyer.

Whether you’re the parent who’s obligated to pay child support but can’t afford to and/or is unable to work – or the parent who’s obligated to receive child support payments from the other parent but isn’t, it’s critical to talk with a Family Law attorney to discuss solutions. Regardless of which parent you are and what your situation is, the child involved deserves to be raised under a roof that has an adequate flow of money coming in to help their parent support them into adulthood.

Speak with Attorney Torrence L. Howell today. Call his southern California office at (909) 920-0908.

So, you’ve come to the decision that you want to register your business as an LLC or corporation. Congratulations! This is a big move for you and your company. In fact, registering your business with one of these titles can provide you with unique benefits such as personal asset protection, limitation of liability, boosted credibility for your business, and transfer of ownership – depending on whether you’re incorporating or registering your business as an LLC. Either route you go, you should be proud of this milestone.

However, before you can obtain these great advantages, you must, of course, successfully go through the registration process. A Business Law attorney can help you move swiftly through registration.

Why Register Your Business with an Attorney?

If you can register your company as a corporation or LLC on your own, why hire an attorney to help you get through the registration? While it costs money to opt for the services of a Business Law attorney to help you with the process, in the long run, the help of an attorney can leave you with greater advantages such as a stronger operating agreement to give your business the most protection as possible.

Apart from the latter, enlisting the help of a Diamond Bar, CA Business Law lawyer can help you decide what type of business structure would be most relevant for your company from the start. While you might be considering going the LLC route, you might later discover that incorporating your business instead might be the best approach in your scenario. But only with the help from a professional at law may you come to such a discovery.

And if you don’t already have a business but are in the process of purchasing or forming one, hiring a Business Law attorney can also be a great option, helping you with any legal business-related matters along the way.

Hire a Qualified Business Law Attorney in Diamond Bar, CA Today!

Whether you’re buying or starting a new business, are running a small to medium enterprise, or have a multi-million-dollar company, it’s never a bad idea to turn to a Business Law attorney. Business matters can be complex, but with a lawyer to help you navigate through these complexities, you’ll have a better understanding of all things business and be able to rest assured knowing that your company will be as legally secured as possible.

For Business Law-related services, call Torrence L. Howell at (909) 920-0908.

By California law, both parents are delegated the financial responsibility of caring for their child(ren) until they reach the age of 18. This stands true even if one of the parents isn’t living under the same roof as their child(ren) and/or the parents of the child(ren) are not in a relationship together.

However, there are situations where the non-custodial parent will refuse to, or will be financially unable to, make child support payments on time each month. But child custody payments are not optional, and for the parent holding custody of the child(ren), not receiving these payments can put them in a financial muddle and deprive their child(ren) from having the sufficient upbringing that they deserve.

What Happens if Your Ex Fails to Make Child Support Payments?

Say the father or mother of your child(ren) suddenly stopped making child support payments or even refused to pay from the start. There are legal options to get either situation resolved. Getting this fixed all starts with hiring a Child Support lawyer in La Verna, CA.

The right attorney can help you work quickly with the court to find a way to ensure you retrieve past-owed child support payments. Whether a special payment plan must be set up that your ex can financially keep up with or wages must be garnished from your ex to cover paid and/or upcoming payments, an attorney with experience working with child support cases can assist you in getting these solutions enforced.

Child support lawyers in La Verne can also work to get the non-child support paying parent’s federal income taxes intercepted, driver and/or professional license(s) suspended, passport restricted, and/or have liens placed on their bank accounts and real estate as forms of punishment.

Get in Touch with a Child Support Attorney in La Verne CA

If you a share a child with someone who is otherwise not actively involved your child’s life financially, you are obligated to receive child support payments as the custodial parent. However, if those payments are missing, it’s important to get this matter resolved.

Taking legal action against missing child support payments is not about “getting back at your ex.” Rather, it’s about ensuring you have the finances to care for your child(ren) and that your ex is paying their fair share as the legal parent of your shared child(ren). Even if the other parent isn’t involved in physically raising your offspring, legally, they still must play a role as a monetary contributor.

Call a skilled Child Support attorney in La Verne, CA at (909) 920-0908 if you’re owed child support from your ex.

Fortunately, domestic violence in the state of California has declined over the past couple of decades. In 1998, 9.3 out of 1,000 adult California residents made a call for assistance after suffering from domestic violence. However, in 2017, that number was 6.4 out of 1,000 people. Still, one too many individuals are victims, and it’s imperative that each victim gets the help that they require.

If you believe or are certain that you and/or your other household member(s) are considered victims of domestic violence, you’ve come to the right place. Torrence Howell Law in Upland, CA can assist you in legally protecting yourself after the violent act has taken place.

What Does Domestic Violence Involve?

Many people’s definitions of domestic violence may vary. However, what matters is that the scenario matches that of the California legal definition.

Domestic violence may involve physical, mental, verbal, financial, identity, reproductive, or spiritual abuse against a married/domestic spouse, ex-partner, child, and/or close family member. Threats of violence, harassing, destruction of personal property, disturbing one’s peace, and stalking can also constitute as domestic violence in the state of California.

Your Next Steps to Protecting Yourself

Whether you know you’ve been a victim or want to verify that your case qualifies as domestic violence, calling local authorities (i.e., police) is the first step anyone should do immediately following the act. After contacting the police and getting yourself and/or your children in a safe situation, the next important step is to call an attorney specializing in domestic violence.

By reaching out to Attorney Torrence L. Howell in Upland, CA, he can not only help you get an emergency protective order (EPO), but he can also assist you in retrieving a temporary restraining order (TRO) against your abuser. In order to get a restraining order from the person that has committed domestic violence, however, there must be proof that the abuser has abused and/or threatened you and that the abuser has a close relationship to you. In addition, Mr. Howell has the experience to help married victims of domestic violence get temporary alimony to help them adjust to the financial changes of living apart from their abuser.

Don’t wait to get the legal help you need following an act of domestic violence. Domestic violence has one of the highest repeat rates among other types of crime. Get the protection you deserve by contacting Mr. Howell now in Southern California at (909) 920-0908.

California is considered a community property state. This means that all property acquired during the marriage of two individuals is half one partner’s and half the other partner’s. One of the benefits of this law is that it helps make dividing assets including property and debts after a divorce a little bit easier – or so you would think.

Regardless of the fact that California is a community property state, ensuring each spouse gets the assets they deserve during a divorce isn’t necessarily the easiest process. So, it’s only natural to worry how property division will go in your case.

What Types of Assets are Divided During a Divorce?

The assets that are divided among divorcing spouses includes real estate, stocks and bonds, vehicles, jewelry, bank accounts, retirement funds, collectibles, furniture, and debts.

However, before these assets can be divided during a divorce, it must first be determined if each asset was acquired prior to the marriage or during it. If it was acquired before the marriage, it’s considered separate property. However, it the asset was received or purchased at the time of the marriage, it’s considered community or martial property, meaning that the spouses share it jointly.

Apart from determining whether assets are separate or community property, the spouses must agree on a value for martial property and decide how to ultimately divide the shared property. For example, if a house was purchased by a couple while they were married, making it community property, the spouses need to make a decision regarding what to do next: keep the house under both of their names even if one or both spouses is not living in it, sell the property and divide the profit in half, or one of the spouses can buy the other spouse out.

Worried About Property Division? Contact an Attorney Today

Property division during a California divorce might seem straight forward. While it can be in some divorce cases, division can quickly become complex and messy, especially if there are disagreements between the spouses.

If you’re in the midst of dividing property with an ex- or soon-to-be-ex-spouse and are concerned that the division may not work out in your favor, reaching out to a lawyer with an extensive background in property rights is your safest bet. Attorney Torrence L. Howell has that expertise and would be more than happy to give you a free consultation!

Contact Attorney Howell today at (909) 920-0908.

The California law states that when two people have a child together, both parents are financially responsible for the care of that child up until his or her 18th birthday. Even if the parents are no longer, or were never, together by marriage, each parent is still required to financially support the child(ren) they share, whether there is joint custody involved or if one of the parents has full custody.

But what happens when one or both of the parents end up having more children with another spouse? Specifically, what happens with child support for the children that they share? Does it increase to cover the care of the new, non-shared child? Does it stay the same since the new child added to the family isn’t shared between those two parents? Or, will child support decrease to allow the parent with the growing family to care for their new child financially? These are common questions we are asked.

How Having Another Child Can Impact Your Child Support

Because child support obligations are partially based on the number of dependents one has, the California court can legally reduce child support payments if you or your ex-partner has another child. This gives the parent with the new child more financial room to care for their new addition. Stepchildren, however, do not make a difference in terms of how much child support a parent will give or receive.

Other Reasons Child Support Payments May Be Recalculated

Apart from adding more children to the family, child support can also be altered if the custody percentage changes, yours or your ex’s income has changed, or if the initial computation was incorrect. If anything changes regarding the tax filing status of each parent or the costs of childcare, these too are factors that may necessitate a recalculation of child support payments.

Modify Your Child Support Order in Upland CA

Do your child support payments in Upland, CA need to be recalculated? Whether you’re the parent who owes child support or the parent who is owed financial support from the other parent, you can modify the child support payments you receive or pay depending on various circumstances: new children in the family, a change in income, the loss of a job, income tax refund intercepts, the list continues.

Call Attorney Torrence L. Howell in Upland today at (909) 920-0908 for a free child support case evaluation. Or, if you have any further questions regarding child support, we’ll be more than happy to give you the answers you require!

We all want our children to lead a successful path in life. For many of us, we agree that helping fund our children’s higher education is one way we can help create a successful future for them. So, many of us start up a college fund and begin putting away money so that one day, our eventual-adult children can pursue a college education.

One legal concern may come up: how will your children’s college expenses get covered after a California divorce? Read on to find out.

How Do College Expenses Work Post-Divorce?

In most cases, child support will not help fund a child’s future college education. That includes tuition, room and board, and other various educational expenses at the higher education level.

Even if child support does go towards a child’s college education, note that in the state of California, once a child turns 18, or 19 if they’re still attending high school, the parent(s) are no longer delegated the responsibility of financially caring for their children.

Options to Get Your Children’s College Expenses Covered

In a majority of states including California, there is no legal requirement for parents to save for their children to attend college. However, if the divorcing parents wish to help get their children’s college paid for, there are two main things they can do:

1. Come to an agreement regarding funding college expenses

As a part of their California divorce settlement, the divorcing spouses can come up with a legal agreement to address how their child(ren)’s college education will be funded. This agreement should explain how the payments will be made and when, what type of college expenses need to be covered, what type of college the child(ren) will attend, and how much money will need to be saved up by what date.

2. Set aside funds into an escrow or trust account

Like the latter option, creating an escrow or trust account to set aside college expenses can make sure that your ex-spouse sticks with the agreement going forward. Via a college fund, both parties can easily contribute portions of their income or certain dollar amounts to pay for their child(ren)’s college.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Family Lawyer in Southern California

Are you wanting to come up with a legal solution with your ex-spouse regarding college funding? Torrence L. Howell, a family attorney of over 20 years, would be ecstatic to work alongside you.

To date, Mr. Torrence serves the following Southern California cities:

• Alta Loma
• Chino
• Chino Hills
• Claremont
• Corona
• Diamond Bar
• Etiwanda
• Fontana
• Glendora
• La Verne
• Montclair
• Norco
• Ontario
• Pomona
• Rancho Cucamonga
• San Antonio Heights
• San Dimas
• Upland
• Walnut

If you reside in one of these areas and would like to speak with him regarding addressing your child(ren)’s college expenses after a divorce, please give him a call today at (909) 920-0908.

Getting a divorce in California can be a complicated process. What you might quick, simple, and to-the-point ends up being a tedious, drawn-out procedure. All the paperwork and negotiation involved often make completing a divorce frustrating, especially when there are disagreements involved between you and your soon-to-be-ex spouse. To make matters worse, in the state of California, there’s a required six-month waiting period before a divorce can be officially finalized.

Although it isn’t a requirement to hire a divorce attorney to help you through your dissolution, in many cases, having a divorce lawyer represent you in court can ensure things end up in your favor.

The Benefits of Hiring a Divorce Lawyer

With all the financial and legal aspects divorce has to offer, rest assured that a qualified California divorce lawyer can help you in the following ways:

• Settle a mutual agreement
• Help legally divide martial assets
• Reduce the emotional stress you may be feeling
• Assist you with coming up with a child custody plan
• Protect your rights
• Give you the support and advice you need
• Explain various legal documents to you in detail
• Represent you in the courtroom
• Answer any questions you may have pertaining to divorce, spousal support, child custody, or child support
• Quicken the process of divorce

Need Help Filing for Divorce in Chino Hills CA?

Just dealing with the emotional turmoil of a California divorce can be a lot to handle as is, let alone making big, legal decisions through the process. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through it alone. Putting your trust in a family lawyer can be a wise decision to make.

Attorney Torrence L. Howell has been helping clients settle their divorce cases for over 20 years. Apart from aiding with the mediation of divorce itself, Mr. Howell has knowledge regarding child custody, child support, alimony, modifications, and domestic violence. With plenty of first-hand experience up his sleeves along with an MBA and a Juris Doctorate Degree, Howell knows the ins and outs of family law.

Do you live in or near Chino Hills, CA and need someone to help you with your divorce or other family law case? Turn to Torrence Howell Law for the legal help you require. Whether it’s your first divorce or not, having the assistance of a divorce attorney can possibly be one of the best things you do.

Call today at (909) 920-0908 to see how Attorney Torrence L. Howell can serve you.