Santa Monica Divorce Process – Santa Monica Divorce Service

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Santa Monica Divorce Process – Santa Monica Divorce Service

Today we’re talking about how to file Divorce papers, how to start your Divorce in Santa Monica.

We get a lot of calls from individual Court House locations because there’s a Court House in Santa Monica.

We filled a lot of calls, basically saying, ‘Tim, how do we start the Divorce process? I saw you online. We’re interested in using your service but how does Divorce works?’

So we’re trying to answer those questions for the people going through Divorce or considering filing for Divorce in Santa Monica.

So if we look at the bare, the grass roots of things how to file for Divorce, it’s a matter of filling out a couple of forms and getting a case number issued from the court.

Specifically, we’re talking about filling out a petition, a summons. And in LA County you have what’s called a Jurisdictional Form.

And if you have children, there’s another form that you fill out for children. They want to know, where the children lives.

So it’s actually quite simple to start a Divorce case to file for Divorce. There’s very little information you need.

I’m talking about your name, your spouse’s name, where you guys live, date of marriage, date of separation, the names and the date of births of your kids and a basic idea what you want for custody and visitation and spousal support.

And really that’s it. You barely need very little information to start a Divorce in Santa Monica.

And it’ll only take one person to start. You don’t have to have both people to agree or sign.

It’s a one person fills out the initial paperwork, you become the petitioner. You file the paperwork and that’s how you start a Divorce case in Santa Monica with those forms.

So I just want to let you know that’s the beginning phases of starting a Divorce of course there’s a lot that goes into filing for Divorce and completing the Divorce in Santa Monica, but that’s how you get for the case started.

If you have more questions or you want to talk more about using our affordable, flat fee services, our Paralegal Firm serving Santa Monica, give us a call.

The number is on your screen, 661-281-0266, I’d be happy to give you free consultation.

Let you know what we can do for you. And help you with your Divorce in Santa Monica.

 

Santa Clarita Insurance Service Jon Gardner JSG Insurance

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Santa Clarita Insurance Service Jon Gardner JSG Insurance

Tim: Hi, this is Tim Blankenship with Divorce661.com. Today, we’re talking with Jon Gardner with JSG Insurance.

Today, we’re talking about Insurance and Divorce and the various issues that need to be address when going through Divorce in California and insurance issues you should look at.

We’re going to be talking about topics on Auto, Home and Life.

So welcome, Jon, thanks for being here today.

Jon: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

Tim: Absolutely! So why don’t we start by just introducing yourself and tell us about your company. Give us a really diverse background and recently you’ve gone out on your own.

Jon: Yes.

Tim: Since?

Jon: So, yes, I have 25 years of experience within Insurance Industry.

The first 10, 12 years, we spent working with the Insurance Company at the corporate offices like I have to run the business from the inside out.

And then I went out and became an agent for a Captive Company, so, I could only sell one insurance for one company at that point.

And a year ago, I went ahead and made the decision. And I started all over again as a Broker.

And as a Broker, now I have the opportunity to represent more than 30 different companies for my clients.

So whatever my client might need, I’m in a good position to find the right product to the right pricing in order to help them.

So with the internal experience and the different and now only my agency for close to 13 years, I’ve been in a pretty route where things are at.

Tim: That’s good.

Jon: Yes.

Tim: Everything that you generated at this point is rolling.

Jon: Right. As a Broker, I’m not beholding to anyone company. I can do what really and what’s best for my client versus what’s best for the company.

Tim: Right. And that’s how we got connected because I was looking at moving, I kind of like my annual premiums we’re doing on businesses insurance and I was just talking to folks and you’ve been out here for gosh a long time.

Jon: I’ve been out here for 13 years.

Tim: So you were able to give us some of the pricing on because of your current job. So that was—

Jon: For shopping we also found some coverages you didn’t have that were pretty important that we were able to get that for you as well.

And that’s what we tried to do is, try to do a side by side comparison. And find either a better rate for the coverage you have or better coverage for the same rate.

Tim: Right. And more importantly your price is important but so as service.

And for me that was one the most important because I was coming from which called a franchise type company.

Jon: Yes.

Tim: Is that how do you describe it?

Jon: We call it Captive Companies.

Tim: Captive Companies and they just have one product, one price and get what you get.

And with you even I think for one of my insurances like my workers camp or the price was up a little bit but to be honest with you I was willing to pay that for the level of service.

I’m just having someone local someone to call.

Jon: Right.

Tim: But additionally I think we’ll grow into that as far as —

Jon: Absolutely, you will!

Tim: That was the important that I may [inaudible 3:01] with you.

Jon: What is next to deal with somebody locally and you don’t have to call an 800 number for example

Tim: Right.

Jon: There’s somebody that cares out there. We also have staffs.

So if you called my office now and I’m here, there’ll be somebody there that could help you with 90% of what you needed as well.

So we have a pretty quick turn around. And we just want to help people in that way.

Tim: Yes, that’s great!

 

 

Refinancing Your Home During Divorce

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Refinancing Your Home During Divorce

Tim: So that’s option number one, selling the house. Option number two, we have refinancing your home during the Divorce.

Connor: Yes.

Tim: What we find, we need to catch you up?

Connor: No.

Tim: Just from our perspective is, two things. One spouse usually wants to stay in the home. But usually because of they have their kids and they want to continue raising their kids—

Connor: School—

Tim: In the house and in the school and they’re trying to keep a little bit of normal scene.

But the issue they run into is, does that single parent have the financial ability to refinance in their name?

After one of the spouse wasn’t working obviously that’s not the case. If it’s the working spouse, perhaps they can qualify it for refinancing.

And of course, taking into other factors that finances is available. There’s equity in the home and so forth as the negative equity scenario.

So that’s some of the things we come across where, ‘Tim, I want to keep the home but I can’t afford to refinance on my own.’

Stay in the home and the husband can make the mortgage payment or the spouse can make the mortgage payment you can get kind of convoluted.

So do you see those types of things from the transactions you’ve had?

Connor: It does happen quite a bit. And a lot the people that are purchasing houses there are two income deals.

So I have one of them trying to pull out and be able to take this house and have it refinance so the spouse’s name is nowhere in association with it.

A lot of times, it’s an impossibility!

Tim: Right.

Connor: It can’t happen. And just like you stated which is really important, you need that equity there. You have to qualify for the whole deal.

Tim: Right.

Connor: All pie! So that’s refinancing, some do want to stay. A lot of times though, I would say 85-90% it just can’t happen?

Tim: So that it’s going up in a sale?

Connor: Absolutely!

Tim: Most of the time?

Connor: The other I know, it might be, I don’t know if we can talk about it here maybe part of one of your slides but some of them also think about renting the property out or leasing the property.

Tim: Okay.

Connor: And but again when that comes to the play, we can help you with that. But usually in Divorce people just want to break.

I mean they want to get that thing cut right down the sooner they wanted and just move on. Now you have a property.

Now you have to still communicate with the ex and discuss issues pertaining to property, rather than paying rents, is there damage in the property, is the lawn dying,  did they move pets in there when they weren’t supposed to, lots of things.

So that comes up too. But again, we’re there just like you are there to serve the clients.

And also believe what they want to get but they need to go in armed with all the knowledge.

Tim: Yes, that makes sense. In refinancing if one party is going to stay in the home, refinancing is probably their best option?

Because sort of that if you’re on both parties are on the loan, both parties are on title and you give that property to your spouse and they’re going to live in refinancing, if they don’t you’re still entitled.

You’re still on the loan. And if the default, I mean you’re going to go down with them.

Connor: Absolutely!

Tim: Right, because you’re still entitled to the property. One thing I’d like to add to that real quick is the agreements that you make with the court, let’s say you get a court order, you guys come to an agreement that spouse is going to keep the house.

And you’re not going to refinance because it’s not possible. And they default on the loan.

You can’t take your court agreement that is signed by the judge and say, ‘Look Bank of America, I don’t have—and your lives are actually more–

Connor: ‘I’m free and clear because the judge said it.’

Tim: Right.

Connor: So now this isn’t going to impact me when I want to go out there and buy something out, yes!

Tim: It doesn’t work that way. So despite the agreement you have with your spouse in the court and the judge signed off on it.

096: How To File California Divorce Documents By Mail

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we’re talking about something very simple, something that people do wrong quite a bit and this is how to submit your document to the court.

Anything that you file with the court, you’re going to want to have an original, with original signatures. This would be, obviously your initial filing paper. Summon and petition or the declaration regarding service of your disclosures and of course the judgment.

Everything you submit needs to be submitted with an original which is hole punched to the top and at least one copy and more importantly, if you’re filing your documents by mail which you can do. You don’t have to go to court every time.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast.

095: How To Download IRS Tax Returns Online

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we’re talking about how you can now get your IRS tax Returns online and that may be important if you’re going through divorce in California at least.

Recently they have instituted the need to exchange tax returns. That’s one reason if you don’t have them or you don’t have copies or you’ve lost them. You can now get copies of them online and I’m going to share with you the IRS link to do that.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast.

094: How California Divorce Attorney Retainers Work

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

In this episode, we’re talking about attorney retainers as it pertains to Divorce.

So if you’re going to hire a Divorce attorney in California for your Divorce case, I want you to know how the retainer process works because we’ve had clients who have retained attorneys prior to finding or learning of our service.

And they did not understand how the retainer service work. And they ended up spending a lot more money than they anticipated or the money they had placed on retainer they thought it was going to take care of their entire case.

And unfortunately it didn’t get them very far at all.

Make sure to listen to the latest podcast.

Torrance Paralegal Divorce An Alternative To Divorce Attorney In Torrance, CA

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Torrance Paralegal Divorce An Alternative To Divorce Attorney In Torrance, CA

I’m going to first say that we are not a law firm and we are attorneys.

I just want to get this video on in front of you, to folks that are looking for an attorney say in the Torrance, California area.

I’ll let you know that there are alternatives to hiring a Divorce Attorney such as our firm.

Now we are a full service Divorce Document Preparation Firm specializing only in Divorce serving the Torrance, California area.

What that means is that we can do everything a law firm can do except giving legal advice and represent you in court.

So let’s say you do need an attorney. Let’s say you’re looking for an attorney and I tricked you into watching this video.

You need an attorney. You’re going to need legal representation maybe you even already have a consultation with an attorney you just haven’t hired them yet.

What we want to do is, say number one, less than 10% of cases all throughout California are handled by an attorney.

The majority of folks going through it they don’t need attorney. They just may need a little legal advice or maybe go on a consultation.

But ultimately, they’re either doing it themselves or hiring a company like us to prepare the documents since we obviously suggest.

So two things! Number one either you know you need an attorney for your Divorce in Torrance. And you want to come to us to help get those initial documents done.

Let’s get the ball rolling and get the case filed, served, do your financial disclosures and let us do all the paperwork.

So if you are going to need an attorney at least you’re spending the money on them doing attorney stuff instead of filing up paperwork.

Or number two, what if we can get you through Divorce and you don’t need an attorney? And that’s what we’re finding.

People though they would need an attorney. They saw one of our videos. They call us up.

By the way free consultations. The number is on your screen. Give me a call.

We’ll talk about specifically. And I’ll fill out. We’ve done a lot of cases. We handle several hundreds cases a year.

And I’ll let you know based on the circumstances that we think we can get you through or if we get stucked maybe we can send you out for some mediation.

But sometimes there’s nothing we can do even though we’ve got all the paperwork done, you still need to go and see an attorney because one of the parties isn’t being fair or reasonable or is untruthful.

And those types of cases that you’ll probably need the legal advice or attorney assistance with but most of the case you’re not going to need that.

You can use our service. And three things will happen. We’ll get you all the way through.

We’ll get you mostly through. And then you’ll need mediation. Have someone sit down with you to come up with agreements.

And then you come back to us. And we’ll finish things up. Or we do all the paperwork and you needed to hire an attorney maybe just to review it.

And say, ‘Hey, this looks fair. I had a Paralegal Firm draft this up. This seems fair. This is will something I should sign?’

In that way you know you’re protected on all sides.

So give us a call if you’re thinking of hiring an attorney in Torrance. I’d love to talk to you and see if it’s something we can help you save some money.

At least part way or maybe even all the way.

661-281-0266. Give us a call. I’d love to help you out. Thanks.

Life, Home, Auto & Business Insurance In Santa Clarita

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Life, Home, Auto & Business Insurance In Santa Clarita

Tim: So anything to add? I mean this is regarding our conversation. I love doing these.

We have different topics here each week. And good things always come out of it.

Jon: Yes. Well, I appreciate you having me.

Tim: Yes.

Jon: Because this is one of the things that at by the time we usually get to people, it’s too late on the other situations.

So I’m just glad you’re out there educating people in these situations so that we’re in a position to help them before something bad happens and that if it didn’t worked out the way we helped that way.

Tim: It’s all about the education point of idea. I do so many videos. We’re doing these videos talking about Life Insurance because it’s related to Divorce and all of that.

So education is what we do. I have tons of videos and we have podcast and we just have so much information out there.

It’s incredible! But I’m glad to hear experts in various fields able to help explain it better than I can.

Jon: But what I would encourage people who I think is going through this process, you can tell that by making a list of things.

It sounds like going to you might be a way to get themselves well educated.

Tim: Yes.

Jon: So, that they’ll understand what the process is going to be like as they go through it and I think that’s just makes it easier for them.

Tim: Alright, well, thanks for coming.

Jon: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

Tim: Yes. Let people know real quick before we sign off here, where they can get a hold of you, your phone number or your email.

You got what, jsginsurance.com?

Jon: Right. So I’m working out here in Santa Clarita because I’ve been here for 13 years with the business.

We’re over on Tourney Rd. just right by right across the street from the Valencia Country Club.

And the best way to reach us is by call us at our number which is 661-388-5288. And we will be happy to help you anyway we can.

Even if it’s just to give you information, that’s fine. We’re good with that.

Tim: And you handle auto, home…

Jon: Home, life and all business types of insurance too. We work with a lot of small business and medium business insurance.

Tim: I don’t mind.

Jon: There you go! So that doesn’t come up so much in the Divorce situation.

Tim: Sure.

Jon: In terms from an insurance standpoint but certainly something we can help you with.

Tim; Absolutely!

Jon: Yes.

Tim: Well, thanks again for stopping by.

Jon: Thank you having me. I appreciate it.

Tim: And we’ll do this again. I appreciate it.

Jon: Alright.

Tim: Thank you sir.

Jon: Alright.

Tim: Alright.

Jon: Take care!

 

Liability Of Registered Owners Of Vehicles During Divorce

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Liability Of Registered Owners Of Vehicles During Divorce

Jon: So one of the things that I would always recommend to somebody is once you’ve decide who’s going to take what vehicle is that you’re going to re-register them in your own names.

And that helps take the other person off. That’s one thing to think about.

Tim: So on top of just insurance related, if you’re going because that is a part of Divorce of course, it’s dividing up your assets and debts.

And most of the time married couples keep vehicles on both names.

And it gets if that vehicle is going to be confirmed to one of you, so, when you do that what Jon is saying is to re-register your name alone.

Jon: Re-register your name alone. And the same thing if you have kids and they owned vehicles as well or they are in your registered vehicle on the kids and the child is maybe going with the other parent and you don’t want to hold accountable, the same situation.

You really, only, want to be held accountable for what you can control on the cars that you’re driving.

Tim: Now let me ask what might be a stupid question. If it’s still be in financed, okay?

And the loan is in both names and they’re both registered. Can they change it into one registered owner?

Jon: The loan names and the registered owner names are two separate things.

Tim: Right.

Jon: So you can re-register it as a solo person.

Tim: You can. Okay.

Jon: Without impacting the loan.

Tim: So like the house it’s the equal into quick claiming off.

Jon: Exactly!

Tim: But you’re still on the loan?

Jon: Right!

Tim: Okay. So the loan there’s no liability. It’s the registered owner.

Jon: It’s the registered owner that carries the liability.

Tim: That’s a small detail that makes the big difference.

Jon: It really can especially if something serious happens.

Tim: Right!

Jon: Nobody thinks about it until somebody starts to look and dig in and see another name.

And it’s not a good situation at that point for that person.

 

Is Divorce Mediation More Of A Hassle Than Hiring A Lawyer?

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Is Divorce Mediation More Of A Hassle Than Hiring A Lawyer?

Tim: Next myth. The myth was mediation is more of a hassle than hiring a lawyer to handle the Divorce.

So in this case is mediation more of a hassle than just hiring a lawyer?

Lisa: You know I think people have a hard time with something new or something different than just to try it into ‘I’m going to get my attorney. You get your attorney. And let’s just kind of haggle this out the best we can.’

It’s definitely a change in the way that people think about Divorce. I would hope that it’s not more of a hassle.

I think it’s just probably learning about the process. Someone needs to do a little bit of research, make a few phone calls, find out what the difference is are between mediation and litigation.

It’s such a simple process with personally with my mediation organization you make a phone call. You come in for a free consultation.

There’s no retainer. There’s no meeting with the other persons attorney and having all these disclosure.

Tim: Right.

Lisa: This is just on your terms. Come in. Let’s talk. Let’s see what you guys want.

Let’s see what you guys want to see at the end of this process.

I think it’s more of a re-education of people and just trying and taking that one step to find out, okay, instead of just getting a lawyer and talking to my friends if I have the best lawyer in town.

It’s what are the differences and just kind of educating yourself about it.

Tim: Got you! When I read this question what I saw in this question was that it is more of a hassle to personally have to sit down and work through your issues with your spouse.

That’s hard for…

Lisa: It is.

Tim: Especially for guys they’ll, okay, we’re going to sit down and personally work through this, as opposed to, it’s easy…

Lisa: Right!

Tim: …to just throw money on the attorney…

Lisa: And let them make the decisions…

Tim: …and say you deal with my problems because…

Lisa: No, I agree with you.

Tim: …here is what I want. Let me know when you have that happen. And not have to…

Lisa: This is an investment in time and in emotion and on both sides.

Tim: Yes.

Lisa: They need to be willing to say, ‘You know what, we don’t want to hate each other. And we would like so many leftover at the end of this process.’

Tim: Right.

Lisa: ‘And we want our kids to be whole and healthy and happy.’

So you’re right. It does take a lot more time and energy…

Tim: Right.

Lisa: …and investment.

Tim: In that way.

Lisa: In that way, to be able to go to this process.

Tim: That’s how I read the question. Maybe the guy perspective on this is like, ‘You know what, I’m just going to write you a check.’

And many people do until that money runs out. But you know just throw money at the lawyer and say deal with it is easier to a degree.

Lisa: And just to make you safe and just to let you know and just plug in the numbers and tell me what I can get out of this.

And make sure my partner doesn’t get everything. And I get what I want. And so I agree with you.

It’s a lot more time consuming and a lot more emotionally involved.

Tim: Absolutely! But the energy spent is going to result in better decisions long term.

Lisa: It’s all worth it.