Marriage is often a story of shared goals and personal sacrifices. One spouse may focus on advancing a career while the other takes on a greater share of household responsibilities, childcare or family support.
If you made personal or professional sacrifices for the benefit of your family during your marriage, it’s natural to wonder whether any of that counts when dividing marital property during divorce. Here’s what you need to know.
The law in Michigan
In Michigan, marital assets are divided according to what the court deems fair under the circumstances. Judges consider various factors when determining this, such as the length of the marriage, each spouse’s earning capacity and employability, their contributions to the marriage and any other factors the court believes are necessary to achieve an equitable division.
Your non-financial contributions matter
It’s worth noting that a spouse’s contributions to a marriage are not measured solely by a paycheck. Courts generally recognize that marriages function as partnerships, with spouses often contributing in different but equally important ways.
A spouse who devoted significant time and energy to maintaining the household or supporting the other spouse’s professional success may have sacrificed opportunities to develop their own career and increase their earning capacity. Courts may take such non-financial contributions into account when determining a fair division of marital property.
Every situation is unique
Under Michigan law, there is no formula that assigns a specific dollar value to personal sacrifices made during a marriage. Every divorce is different, and courts assess these issues on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, it’s important to present a well-supported argument backed by relevant evidence.
If you are concerned that your efforts and sacrifices may be overlooked during divorce, obtaining experienced legal guidance can help you better understand how Michigan law may apply to your specific situation and what steps you can take to protect your interests moving forward.