Our readers in Brighton will be moved by the heart-rending story of a man whose plight as a father will now have a significant impact on Michigan's family law. The man is from nearby Hartland, and his efforts to regain custody of his young daughter have resulted in the state legislature changing an archaic Michigan statute that legally presumes that a mother's husband is the father of her child.
Child support treaty could affect thousands of Michigan residents
Ann Arbor-area residents with child support concerns may be interested to know that our state is currently handling as many as 5,000 child support cases involving parents who live in another country. And according to the Michigan Department of Human Services' director of child support, it is typical that families involved in those cases have to wait at least five years for a solid support agreement to be established with the parent who lives outside of the United States.
More Americans putting off or forgoing marriage
A new trend has been documented among Americans of all socioeconomic classes. Instead of the traditional sequence of love, marriage and then starting a family, many people are postponing marriage until later in life or forgoing it altogether. And in many cases, unmarried couples are starting families first.
Protecting Michigan 401(k) accounts with pre-nuptial agreements
For unmarried couples in Michigan who are considering marriage, a possible split-up is not likely the first thing that comes to mind when planning ahead. But despite what we like to believe, the future is often uncertain, and many couples would do well to establish a pre-nuptial agreement that protects assets and prevents possible debt burdens in the future.
