Myrtle Beach Family Lawyer

Myrtle Beach, SC Family Law Attorney

Family is one of the most important aspects of most people’s lives. When something happens that affects your family or threatens your way of life, it is easy to feel helpless and confused. Fortunately, family law is a broad legal category with numerous ways for you to use the law to protect your family.

Whether you are facing a divorce, child custody disputes, child support negotiations, spousal support negotiations, or modifications to an existing agreement, our family law attorneys are here to help. An attorney from our law firm can help you to develop and negotiate agreements that work for you and your family. If the case goes to court, we continue to represent you with diligence and dedication. Our attorneys are skilled in trial cases and can effectively argue your case.

Family Lawyer in Myrtle Beach, SC

Separation and divorce can lead to the most difficult, frightening, and emotional times in some people’s lives.

Especially when you have children, there is so much uncertainty and so many unanswered questions that many people do not know where to turn or how to get through the process without feeling like they are losing everything.

With immediate, urgent questions like, “Who is going to get custody of the children,” “How am I going to pay my bills now that my spouse is gone,” and “Who is going to keep our house,” you may feel like your financial future and the well-being of your children are in danger and you need answers now.

How Can A Myrtle Beach, SC Family Law Attorney Help?

Your family law attorney at Axelrod & Associates will meet with you, review your situation, and help you to find the best way through this crisis while protecting your rights, your children, and your financial future.

We offer a wide range of family law services for our clients.

Divorce

Divorce is perhaps the most common type of family law case, with about 45% of all marriages ending in separation or legal divorce. Though many people generally understand the divorce concept, actually going through the process is a different story. It is important to be prepared for the divorce process before you begin.

It is also important to have an attorney on your side in the event of a divorce. Even if you and your spouse are separating amicably, the process is often fraught with stress and can bring out the worst in both of you. Having an attorney present helps to minimize direct conflict with your spouse and makes the process go much more smoothly for everyone involved. For some couples, working with attorneys allows them to preserve their relationship with one another, which is essential if you will be co-parenting after the divorce.

Child Custody and Visitation

If you have children, the court will decide where they will live and who will care for them after a divorce. The goal is to have shared custody between the parents, but this is not always possible.

Primary custody may be granted to one parent if the other parent:

• Works long hours
• Has a low income
• Does not have stable housing
• Suffers from mental illness or addiction
• Has other mitigating factors

Ultimately, the court is only concerned with the well-being of the children involved. The decision will be based on what is best for them.

Common custody setups may include:

• Shared custody. The parents spend the same amount of time with the children.
• Partial custody. One parent has the children more often than the other parent.
• One parent has near total custody, while the other parent is legally allowed to visit with the children at a predetermined frequency.
• Full custody. One parent has the children all the time, while the other parent does not have any legal grounds to see their children.

It is important to fight for your children and get the child custody setup that is right for your family. Our team at Axelrod & Associates can help.

Child Support

Some child custody setups require child support payments. According to the law, both of a child’s parents should be equally responsible for their upbringing. If one parent is not as involved with the care of the children, they can make up for it with financial contributions. Similarly, if parents share custody but one parent has a drastically higher income than the other, they may need to pay child support as well to make the situation more equitable.

Our attorneys at Axelrod & Associates can make sure that your child support agreement is fair and beneficial to you, your child’s other parent, and your children.

Spousal Support

When a couple divorces, spousal support may be part of the negotiations. Spousal support, or alimony, requires one spouse to make monthly payments to the other spouse for a predetermined length of time following the divorce. These payments are often required if one spouse made most or all the money while the other spouse remained at home or worked at a lower-paying job. The payments help both spouses properly adjust to their new family dynamic.

If spousal support is required during your divorce, our attorneys can help to develop an agreement that is fair to all parties.

Modifications

All the above are legal agreements that all parties must follow. If someone fails to adhere to these agreements, the other party can take legal action. Any changes to these agreements must happen through the court system so that they can be enforceable. These cases are called modifications, and they require a skilled attorney to negotiate.

Other Family Law Services

Our team at Axelrod & Associates offers other family law services as well. If you need any help in the areas listed above or below, we are here to serve you. Other family law services include:

• Separation agreements (separate support and maintenance agreements)
• Adoptions
• Division of assets
• Enforcement of court orders

Why Should I Hire a Family Law Attorney in Myrtle Beach, SC?

Many people believe that they can navigate family law issues without the help of an attorney. This is not advisable. Family law cases can easily become complicated, even when they seem simple. What’s more, your family’s well-being and happiness depend upon the outcome of your case. With this kind of pressure, it is imperative that you allow a professional family law attorney to represent you throughout the process.

Without an attorney, you may lose custody of your children, be forced to pay child support, miss out on alimony, and more. With the help of a lawyer, you may develop a family setup that allows you to thrive despite the changes that occur. It is best to invest in an attorney for the future of your family.

I Think I Need A Divorce Lawyer, What’s The First Step?

The first step is contacting your divorce lawyer for an initial consultation. We will review your case with you and help you to decide what your next step will be based on your unique situation.

It may be that, before you file divorce proceedings, you need to separate from your spouse and give marital counseling a try. Or, you may be in a situation where you have already tried therapy or you know it will not be effective.

In either situation, you may need an emergency temporary hearing to establish child custody, visitation, who will take possession of the home, business, or other assets, and whether one spouse will pay separate support and maintenance.

You may be ready to file for divorce, or you may have already initiated the process. Maybe you finalized your divorce years ago, but you need to collect child support or alimony from your deadbeat former spouse who is refusing to pay…

I Need An Aggressive Divorce Lawyer Who Is Not Afraid To Fight…

For some clients, we understand that the most important thing is to find the middle ground with your spouse or former spouse and that you do not want a big fight that could affect the well-being of your children or other family members.

On the other hand, we are also prepared to go to war to protect our clients and their children when that is the right thing to do. How we proceed with your case is dictated by you and by your unique situation.

How Much Does a Family Law Attorney Cost in South Carolina?

The cost of your family law representation will depend upon the type of case, the complexity of the case, and the length of time that it takes to finalize. Many family law attorneys charge by the hour, so the exact cost will also depend upon what your attorney charges per hour.

It is always important to discuss finances with any potential attorneys before you hire them. If you lose your representation due to an inability to pay, you could jeopardize your future, your family, and your rights.

GOT AXELROD?

For a family law/ domestic law attorney that cares about you and your future, call 843-353-3449 today or complete our contact form to set up an initial consultation.