Law

Divorce in Utah: Spousal support, asset division, and more!

Marriages do fall apart. While you should do everything possible to save your marriage, divorce may sometimes look like an eventuality. If that happens, you have to consider all things related to the marriage. Divorce doesn’t merely alter your marital status, but also your financial status and life ahead. It makes sense to talk to a known Sandy divorce lawyer, so that the process remains as fair and simple as possible. In this post, we are sharing more on aspects related to spousal support, asset division, and more. 

Asset Division

In case of divorces in Utah, assets are distributed between spouses equitably. This doesn’t always mean equal. Various factors may be considered for deciding how the assets are spilt, including length of the marriage, income and financial status of both parties, age & health of spouses, and other factors. 

Spousal Support

Alimony, also called spousal support in Utah, is also decided on various grounds. For instance, things like income of both spouses, who holds custody of the child, length of the marriage, and if the requesting spouse has the capability to earn. Either of the spouses can ask for spousal support. 

Child custody

As in most states, child custody will be decided after considering the best interests of the minor child. Mostly, the courts would try that both parents have their share in parenting. However, if one parent doesn’t want the custody of the child, the other parent gets the same. Factors like physical needs of the child, participation of both parents in parenting before the divorce was filed, history of neglect or abuse of the child, are things that may influence the final decision. 

Time required for divorce

At the least, it takes 90 days to get a divorce in Utah. However, if a divorce is contested, it can take months or even years before getting a decree. It is in the best interests of the separating couple to resolve things amicably, so that the time needed to finalize the divorce is minimized. 

Talk to an attorney

While hiring a divorce attorney is not mandatory, you may want to talk to an expert, to understand more about your circumstances. Note that the same lawyer cannot represent both sides in a divorce in Utah. Make sure to hire an attorney with experience of family laws and divorce matters. Most lawyers offer the initial consultation for free, and this allows a good window to know your attorney better.