Top 5 Ways to Lower Your Costs in a Divorce; Turlock, CA divorce attorney

Many people have asked me why attorneys are so expensive. My answer is that attorneys' time and knowledge is extremely valuable and even though our hourly rates may be high, we are likely not billing you several hours per day. Often times, it is more valuable and cost efficient to have an experienced attorney represent you in your divorce than it is to try to do it on your own. However, there are several things that you could do to keep the costs down in your divorce:

1. Be honest with your attorney

In many divorces, the parties may have embarrassing histories or other details that they do not want to share with anyone. However, not sharing or lying about these types of details could actually be detrimental to your case. You should remember that there is a confidential relationship between you and your attorney and many details that you provide to them (like a criminal charge in your past) could actually help your case if you are honest. However, if you hide this kind of information, it will likely rise to the surface eventually, but may cost you more in the long run if your attorney has to investigate the matter.

2. Do some of your own research

Before you meet with your attorney, you should organize your case into a very coherent and clear timeline and summary. Be sure to include any instances of domestic violence, issues involving your children and your financial information. Many of these facts will be dependent on your record keeping or memory. An attorney may be able to uncover some of these facts, but it will take longer and be more labor intensive. This way, when you sit down with your attorney, you have everything in front of you and can easily answer their questions about your marriage.

3. Be organized

Instead of waiting for the attorney to ask you for documentation, start collecting different types of documents even before you have filed for divorce. This can include titles or deeds to houses, cars and other property, bank statements, tax returns and your prenuptial agreement, if you have one. Having copies of these important documents will be good for you to have aside from the divorce as well.

4. Make your communication with your attorney as clear as possible

If your attorney is charging you for the time you spend on the phone, or the amount of time he/she spends reading an email, then it would be in your best interest to make sure that your communication with your attorney is concise and clear. This way, your attorney would not necessarily have to call you or email you back in order to clarify your original message.

5. Don't take short cuts

Sometimes short cuts seem cheaper, but in the long run, those short cuts could end up costing you more money. It may seem like it would be more cost effective to try to dissolve a complicated divorce on your own by dabbling in different internet resources or seeking advice from attorneys on an hourly basis, but it could backfire. Although there are instances where people have very competently represented themselves in a divorce, not having the right attorney represent your interests could actually be detrimental in many other cases.

If you're looking for a family law attorney in the Modesto, Stanislaus County area, you should contact the attorneys of Howard & Fei, LLP at 510.464.8083.

Coast to Coast Custody Share-- Impact on Modesto, Stanislaus County Parents and Their Children's Flights

Sometimes after the finalization of a divorce, a parent may choose to relocate to another city for a new job, to start anew, etc. That parent may have visitation rights to the child(ren), and this most likely means the child would have to travel between the two locations during summer breaks or the holiday season.

Obviously, the safest and most preferred way of travel for the child between parents is to have an adult accompany him/her. However, this is not the most convenient or cost effective way. More often than not, the child will have to travel on his/her own. Here are some tips for parents in preparation for the summer months and the start of the school year, when a lot of the traveling occurs:

-Prepare your child: walk your child through the entire flight process, even if you will be with him during part of it. This way, the child will be prepared if something does not go according to plan. Make sure that he has cash, a cell phone programmed with emergency phone numbers and even a written card with your information and his flight information (this can be tucked into his pocket, or even hung around his neck with a lanyard).

-Documentation: dropping your child off for a flight as an unaccompanied minor is significantly different than giving your friend a ride to the airport. You will have to walk him through check-in and security. Some airports will allow you to even walk with him to the gate and wait for the flight there. You will have to have documentation present, including your ID, his flight information and anything else that the airlines have requested.

-Food & Entertainment: if the flight is short, your child will likely not get a meal. Flight attendants may be busy with other passengers or other unaccompanied minors to tend to your child's needs all the time, so make sure that he has enough food to last the duration of the trip. Check with your local airport to see what items are restricted, such as containers of liquid over a certain size. You'll be surprised to discover what is actually considered to be a liquid! Be sure to pack enough entertainment through the entire flight. This can include coloring books, games, dolls, and even a portable DVD player. Just be sure that the entertainment will not be a distraction to other passengers.

-Costs: make sure that you are aware of all of the costs involved when you are booking the ticket. Some airlines may charge an additional fee for an unaccompanied minor for each way of the trip, and sometimes each leg of the trip. Even though it may be cost effective to schedule layovers in a cross country trip, it might be wiser to shell out the extra money so that your child won't have to try to figure out how to get to his connecting flight.

Having your child travel across such great distances is tough, but the time that your child will spend with the other parent will more than make up for any stresses caused by the trip.

The attorneys at Modesto & Bay Area law firm Howard & Fei, LLP can help you with your child custody and visitation plans, so call us at 510.464.8083 for a consultation today!

Family Law Attorneys Open Doors for Modesto & Stanislaus County Cases

Welcome to Howard & Fei, LLP's new blog! We hope that you'll check back here for more information about our attorneys, current events and informational articles about family law!

Desiree Howard and Jenn Yan Wen Fei are dedicated to their work and strive for excellence in every single case. We care about our clients and understand the trials and tribulations of going through a divorce. Even though we are based in the Bay Area, one of our attorneys, Jenn Yan Wen Fei, is from the Central Valley, and is dedicated to giving back to her hometown community. We are able to meet you in Modesto or Turlock for cases filed in Stanislaus County.

You can call our attorneys today at 510.464.8083, or you can email us at info@howardfei.com.