Blog Posts in July, 2013

Don't Hire an Aggressive Attorney

When looking to hire a Pasadena divorce attorney , remember that aggressive is not always best. If you're angry and hurt that your spouse asked for a divorce, it can be tempting to hire an attorney with the personality of a pit bull. But your goal in finding legal representation shouldn't be to choose someone who will frighten and intimate your ex. A good attorney is assertive, not aggressive. ...

Pasadena Bar Association Hosts Its 5th Annual New Member Reception At El Cholo

July 18th, the Pasadena Bar Association hosted its 5th annual New Member Reception at El Cholo restaurant in the Paseo Colorado. The New Member reception provides new members of the Pasadena Bar Association an opportunity to meet the board members, section chairs and exclusive sponsors of the association. It also provides an opportunity for new members to network with each other and join various ...

Don and Maria Schweitzer Join Foothill Unity Center At Their Circle Of Friends Event

On July 17, members of the Circle of Friends group joined Foothill Unity Center in Sierra Madre for a Midsummer Evening at the historic Villa del Sol d’Oro. They enjoyed live music, wine, hors d’ouevre, and a complimentary tour of the romantic Tuscan-style villa, designed by Wallace Neff and inspired by the legendary Italian Villa Collazi near Florence, said to be created by Michelangelo. Center ...

How Divorce Affects Your Child's FAFSA

If you're the parent of a teenager and considering filing for divorce in Pasadena , keep in mind that your divorce may have a significant impact on your child's eligibility for need-based forms of financial aid when he or she is ready to attend college. When a student with divorced parents attends college, only the custodial parent's income is reported on the Free Application for Federal Student ...

Defining Donald Schweitzer: From Street Cop to Top Family Law Attorney

There’s a reason why the Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer is flourishing. From street cop to district attorney investigator to family law litigator, Pasadena family law attorney Don Schweitzer has never compromised or lost the passion to care. In fact, each career experience has heightened his ability to really value the human side of a family law case, while still maintaining each client’s ...

Handling Student Loan Debt After Divorce

If you or your spouse received a college degree or took vocational classes during the time you were married, this may affect your Pasadena divorce settlement. California is a community property state, but a degree is not considered community property. A spouse is not entitled to a percentage of the added earning capacity the degree gives the person who earned it. The added earning capacity of the ...

How Divorce Affects Social Security Spousal Benefits

If Social Security is vital to your retirement strategy, it's important to consider how your benefits will be affected by a Pasadena divorce . If you are thinking about claiming benefits based on your spouse's earnings record, there are several factors to consider as you are deciding when to file for divorce. You can can receive benefits as a divorced spouse based on your former spouse's Social ...

Determining the Best Interests of the Child in a Custody Case

When child custody is being decided as part of a Pasadena divorce , the court will look at the best interests of the child as the main factor in deciding how custody and visitation will be handled. Joint physical and legal custody are favored by state law if both parents agree to it. If joint physical and legal custody is not a workable arrangement, the judge will consider a few other factors to ...