How to File Divorce in San Bernardino County By Sandra McCarthy|June 1st, 2019|Family Law| Sadly, not every marriage lasts forever. Sometimes, you find that you need to file for divorce. If you plan to file divorce in San Bernardino County, you must meet specific requirements. A People's Choice can help you can file divorce in San Bernardino County and prepare what paperwork you must submit. Read More Comments Off on How to File Divorce in San Bernardino County
How to File Divorce in Sacramento County By Sandra McCarthy|June 1st, 2019|Family Law| To file divorce in Sacramento County, you or your spouse must have lived in California for the past 6 months. Furthermore, you or your spouse must have lived in Sacramento County for the past 3 months. Satisfying residency requirements is the first step in filing divorce in Sacramento County because the court will not enter a divorce judgment if either party has not satisfied California divorce residency requirements. Read More Comments Off on How to File Divorce in Sacramento County
Filing Financial Disclosures in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|May 27th, 2019|Family Law| In California, financial disclosures in divorce are required to complete the divorce process. For example, the Petitioner must file a Preliminary Financial Disclosure within 60 days of filing for divorce. This is one of two financial disclosures in divorce that are usually necessary. Read More Comments Off on Filing Financial Disclosures in Divorce
Reasons to File a Joinder in a Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|December 30th, 2018|Family Law| In a pending case, either party can request that a third-party join the case, which is known as a joinder. In a divorce proceeding, California allows a party to file a joinder in divorce if a third-party is in possession of community property assets. Contributions made to retirement and pension plans during the marriage are community property assets in California and need to be divided like any other asset during the divorce proceeding. Keep in mind that most retirement plans do not require a joinder. However, some plans, such as California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) and California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and other city and county government plans, require that the plan to formally joined to the divorce proceeding before the plan can be divided. With this in mind, it may be wise to file a joinder in divorce even if the plan does not require it. Read More Comments Off on Reasons to File a Joinder in a Divorce
How to File Divorce in Los Angeles County By Sandra McCarthy|September 2nd, 2018|Family Law| Despite common belief, you do not need to hire an attorney to file for divorce in Los Angeles County. Most people can complete the divorce process without hiring an expensive lawyer. Surprisingly, sometimes you can even finish a contested divorce case without hiring a lawyer! The bigger question is, what is the best way to file divorce in Los Angeles County? These are essential questions, and we will try to discuss them in this article. Read More Comments Off on How to File Divorce in Los Angeles County
How to File Divorce in San Diego County By Sandra McCarthy|December 3rd, 2017|Family Law| If you want to file divorce in San Diego County, you must first meet residency requirements. Learn the steps and forms required to file divorce in San Diego County. Read More Comments Off on How to File Divorce in San Diego County
Long Term vs Short Term Marriage in Divorce and What You Need to Know About the 10 Year Rule By Sandra McCarthy|September 19th, 2017|Family Law| Learn what issues are influenced by a long term vs short term marriage in divorce, particularly the impact on a California spousal support order. Read More Comments Off on Long Term vs Short Term Marriage in Divorce and What You Need to Know About the 10 Year Rule
Thrift Savings Plan Retirement Division in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|April 29th, 2017|Family Law| A Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement system and plan for federal employees, military personnel and reservists. Congress established the plan in 1986. The federal TSP is a defined contribution plan. This means the amount of money a plan participant receives from the plan depends on how much he/she contributed throughout his/her working years. The [...] Read More 2
How to File a Final Judgment in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|April 4th, 2017|Family Law| Often we are contacted by divorcing couples with regards in how to file a final judgment in divorce. First, to finish your divorce, you must have completed the required financial disclosures. Once that has been done, the forms required to complete and file the judgment forms with the court clerk will depend on the status of [...] Read More Comments Off on How to File a Final Judgment in Divorce
Motion to Quash Service in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|January 19th, 2017|Family Law| In California divorces, the petitioner (the spouse that initiates the divorce) is required to serve the respondent with a copy of the Petition and a Summons to appear in court. The Summons provides notice to the respondent that the petitioner has filed for divorce and informs them that he/she has 30 calendar days to file [...] Read More Comments Off on Motion to Quash Service in Divorce
Joinder of Retirement Plan in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|June 23rd, 2016|Family Law| Most retirement plans or pensions can be divided in a California divorce. In particular, California courts split retirement plans and pensions between divorcing spouses similar to how other property is divided (50/50). In this case, retirement plans require an additional process, commonly referred to as the joinder of retirement plan, in order for a retirement [...] Read More 4
How to Divide a 401K in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|May 22nd, 2016|Family Law| Retirement accounts have a great value during a divorce. These accounts exist in different forms. Most employers offer either a defined benefit plan or a defined contribution plan as a retirement benefit for their employees. An example of a retirement account is the 401K account. How to divide a 401K in divorce in California? With [...] Read More Comments Off on How to Divide a 401K in Divorce
How to Finish a Divorce in California By Sandra McCarthy|April 27th, 2016|Family Law| The are several legal documents you must file to finish your divorce in California. The legal documents you will have to complete in the California divorce process will depend on whether or not your spouse filed a response to the Petition. Unfortunately there are many forms and the process gets very complicated when dealing with [...] Read More 3
How to Serve By Publication in California Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|April 15th, 2016|Family Law| In California, serving the respondent in a divorce can be challenging. Under certain circumstances, you can petition the court for permission to serve the respondent with divorce papers ”by publication” or “by posting.” “Service by publication” means the court Summons and other required documentation is published in a local newspaper of general circulation. Read on [...] Read More Comments Off on How to Serve By Publication in California Divorce
How to Divorce in California By Sandra McCarthy|July 6th, 2015|Family Law| Divorce is something you can’t avoid especially when in a toxic marriage relationship. You can seek divorce if your marriage or domestic partnership has hit a dead end. It’s believed that 50% of marriages end up in divorce in the world. Recent reports suggest a lower percentage, however. What are the steps for how to [...] Read More Comments Off on How to Divorce in California
Affordable Legal Document Preparation Services For California Court Documents and Other Legal Forms By Sandra McCarthy|June 18th, 2013| Affordable Legal Document Preparation Services For over 40 years, A PEOPLE’S CHOICE has brought easy access to affordable legal document preparation services to people across California. Our services also extend to individuals living outside of California but find themselves dealing with California legal issues. A People's Choice provides low-cost legal document preparation services for [...] Read More 0
How to Write a Will Without a Lawyer: Complete DIY Guide By Sandra McCarthy|November 29th, 2023|Wills, Estate Planning| A will is more than just a legal document; it's a declaration of your intentions, a testament to your wishes, and a safeguard for your loved ones. With a will, you not only ensure financial stability for those left behind but also guarantee that your assets are distributed as you desire. According to the [...] Read More 0
What Is a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare in California? By Sandra McCarthy|August 28th, 2022|California Courts| This article helps you understand how a durable power of attorney for healthcare works and how to establish one. Read More 0
Is a Common Law Marriage in California Valid? By Sandra McCarthy|August 15th, 2022|California Courts, Family Law| Are you an unmarried couple in California seeking to coexist without a formal marriage? Or maybe you moved into California recently from a state that recognizes common law marriage, and you're wondering if you will still enjoy the same rights and responsibilities of common law marriage in California. Unfortunately, California state does not recognize [...] Read More 0
Can I Adopt My Siblings in California? By Sandra McCarthy|May 9th, 2022|Adoption, California Courts, Family Law| If you're an adult with much younger siblings, what happens if your siblings need a better living situation than they currently have? You may wonder, "Can I adopt my siblings in California?" The answer is yes! Not every adoption involves adoption service providers and strangers meeting to hand over a newborn. Under the right circumstances, [...] Read More 0