ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / February 19, 2021 / Over the last year spent in quarantine and various stages of lockdown, issues that were simmering under the surface have become impossible to ignore. Couples around the world have been faced with the reality of their marital situations, and many have made the difficult decision to divorce. Joi Fairell, expert Family Law attorney and the founder of the Atlanta-based law firm, Fairell Roy & Associates, has witnessed the breakdown of marriages for more than a decade.
"Divorce is always difficult, but with proper planning and emotional intelligence, it doesn't have to be ugly," says Fairell. There are a number of factors to consider when preparing to deal with divorce during a pandemic.
- Consider your financial situation. Finances play a huge part in a couple's decision to divorce, and it's important to plan for all the factors. Unemployment has become a big issue for families across America, and couples should consider their financial situation. Can they afford to live in two separate homes? Do both parties have a stable job? What is the status of the couple's 401k? Remember, in most cases, any money earned during the marriage is considered a marital asset so even while planning to separate, the assets belong to both spouses regardless of whose name the asset is in. With the Economic Relief Packages in full swing, division of the stimulus payment could also be a factor to think about. Consider these factors and plan accordingly.2.
- Create a parenting plan. If children are involved, the divorce is already complicated. The pandemic and new virtual schooling only amplify those complications. A lot of thought needs to be given to which parent has the flexibility to assist with virtual schooling. Furthermore, does this decision have an impact on final custody? Prior to the pandemic, parents relied on the school system to handle a good portion of their childcare. Now that most kids are learning from home, parents may need to consider external childcare. Then the question becomes, who will pay for childcare? Both parents should work to map out a plan for when they can spend time with their children, and while doing this, parents should remember that the law does not favor women or men when determining a primary custodial parent.
- Visitation Issues. Fairell reports that she has witnessed new visitation issues crop up as a result of the pandemic. In some cases, the primary parent is attempting to use COVID-19 stay home orders as an excuse to not allow the other parent's visitations right. However, this is a direct violation of Georgia's emergency orders that state that all parenting schedules are to proceed as normal regardless of COVID-19. Parents that attempt to disobey this ruling will be sanctioned. Other issues have arisen from some parents working in industries that have a higher potential of COVID-19 exposure and whether or not it is safe for the children to visit.
- Be aware of the new divorce timelines. For close to 5 months, courts across the nation were closed down. This has caused a great deal of backlog, Fairell warns that couples should expect their divorce to take even longer than usual. For this reason, couples begin putting strategies and systems in place to be able to continue to work together for a bit longer than expected.
10 years ago, Joi Fairell founded Fairell Law Firm, now Fairell Roy & Associates, with a vision for doing things differently. After graduating from law school at just 25, she landed a job with a local firm, eager to make a difference in the world. Over the next year, her optimistic delusions were shattered as she witnessed poor lawyering and poor client treatment. Her time as an Associate Attorney taught her what not to do as a lawyer. Fairell says, "clients deserve the truth, and they deserve zealous representation." In pursuit of a firm that valued clients and quality representation, she was led to start her own firm that would stand on the principles of providing excellent service, up-to-date knowledge, quality representation, and the results that clients needed.
After more than a decade, Fairell and her team of all black women lawyers pride themselves on providing the best customer service and advocacy in the industry. They are deeply devoted to staying on top of the latest laws, trends, and changes that may be applicable to their client's cases. They seek to understand the client's end goal, they work relentlessly and strategically to create a plan that will meet the client's needs. "Sometimes a client doesn't know what they need, they are simply focused on what they want. Our goal is to educate them on the things they will need in the long run and give that to them in addition to their wants," says Fairell. To learn more about working with Joi Fairell and her team of savvy family law and personal injury attorneys, visit www.FairellRoy.com.
CONTACT:
Contact Name: Joi R. Fairell
Business Name: Fairell Roy & Associates
Address: 2845 Henderson Mill Rd, Atlanta GA 30341
Phone Number: 678-973-2803
Website Link: http://www.fairellroy.com/
SOURCE: Joi R. Fairell