Family Law in Palo Alto, CA
Family law in Palo Alto can be complex and hard to navigate. Not unlike the rest of the Bay Area, Palo Alto has a unique family dynamic. This is important to consider when seeking a family attorney. It’s also vital to find a knowledgeable, experienced, and understanding legal team that knows the intricacies of each case that comes to them.
Due to the tech influence, many think they can handle the process of filing for divorce or defending their children’s rights. While some certainly can, most realize the process is too complicated and filled with too many pitfalls. There are many things to consider that aren’t obtainable without some legal assistance.
Most people are unfamiliar with the legal process, which is why it’s important to find an attorney who can guide you through your case. Legal representation for family law cases can help you achieve the best possible outcome for your situation. From child custody issues to property division disputes, our team at Modern Family Law has seen it all. Our experienced and compassionate family law attorneys want to make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions about your family law case.
What Practice Areas Are Included In
Palo Alto Family Law?
Divorce in Palo Alto
When couples in Palo Alto come to the difficult decision to end their marriage it is important to understand the steps involved. In Palo Alto, the legal term for a divorce is a dissolution of marriage. The first step is to make sure you meet the residency requirements required to file for divorce in Palo Alto, CA.
In order to file for dissolution of marriage in Palo Alto, you and your spouse are required to have resided in the state of California for a minimum of 6 months. Additionally, you must have been a resident of Santa Clara County for at least 3 months prior to filing for divorce in Palo Alto.
If you meet the necessary residency requirements to file for dissolution of marriage in Palo Alto, you will next need to obtain, prepare, and file your completed divorce paperwork. You will also need to pay the filing fees with the county clerk’s office.
The forms you will need depend on whether you and your spouse agree to the divorce. Navigating this complicated process can be stressful. Our family law attorneys in Palo Alto are happy to help guide you through the necessary steps to restart your life. Please give us a call or schedule a free consultation with us today!
Child Custody in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, when divorced or separated parents are unable to agree on matters of child custody, it comes to the court’s discretion to decide parental rights and responsibilities. Courts in Palo Alto take this very seriously and make it their top priority to base these difficult decisions on what is in the best interest of the child(ren) involved. The types of custody parents can be awarded by the courts are discussed below.
Legal Custody – This refers to the responsibility to make important decisions with regards to your child(ren)s life. These include decisions involving education, health care, religion, travel, and residence. A court can award either sole legal custody or joint legal custody to parents. When joint legal custody is awarded both parents share in the responsibility to make these decisions. Conversely, sole custody means that only one parent is granted the decision-making rights and responsibilities.
Physical Custody – This refers to which parent the child(ren) lives with after a divorce or separation. As with legal custody, a court can either award joint or sole (primary) physical custody. Joint physical custody means that the child(ren) split time living with both parents. Sole or primary physical custody means that the child(ren) spends most of their time living with one of the parents while in most instances the other parent will be granted visitation rights.
At Modern Family Law, our Palo Alto family law attorneys understand how immensely difficult matters of custody are and how important it is to provide the best life for your child(ren). Please let us help guide you through these burdensome times so you can start fresh with the best possible outcome for your child(ren). Schedule a free consultation with us today to discuss your options or give us a call!
Child Support in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, child support is defined as the amount of money that a court orders a parent or both parents to pay every month. This money is intended to help pay for the support of the child(ren) and their living expenses.
The court bases its child support decision on a parent’s net disposable income. This equates to a parent’s income after state and federal taxes and other required deductions have been removed. The court may also take into consideration regularly occurring bonuses, overtime payments, and commissions. You can read our general overview of child support to gain a better understanding or try our California child support calculator.
Separation in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, married couples are permitted the option to legally separate from one another. A legal separation is an official court order outlining the guidelines for you and your spouse to live apart from one another without making the permanent decision to get a divorce. This provides married couples with time to decide whether they want to work on their differences or eventually dissolve their marriage. This option allows you to create financial boundaries, allocate asset and debt responsibilities, and outline child custody.
To file for legal separation in Palo Alto, one of the separating parties must be a legal resident of California. Since California is a no-fault state, you won’t need to provide any wrongdoing by your partner to legally separate. Instead, you can state irreconcilable differences as the reasoning that you are filing to separate.
We understand that deciding to separate from your partner is never an easy decision to make. It is important to do your research, reduce conflict between you and your partner, and ensure you are making the best decision for your future. Our experienced family law attorneys in Palo Alto are prepared to discuss and guide you through this strenuous time. Give us a call or schedule a free consultation to discuss your separation options.
Paternity in Palo Alto
In paternity cases, also referred to as parentage cases, the court makes orders that say who the child’s legal parents are.
If parents are married when a child is born, there is usually no question about parentage. The law assumes that the married persons are the child’s legal parents. Therefore, parentage is automatically established in most cases.
When parents are not married, the parentage of their children needs to be established legally. Palo Alto offers several options for establishing paternity.
1) Sign a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity – This voluntary legal declaration must be agreed upon and signed by both unmarried parents to establish the child’s legal parents. This declaration can be signed at the hospital when a child is born or at a later date.
2) Local Child Support Agency – Santa Clara County’s department of child support services offers a free service in which they will bring an action to establish your child’s parentage. Included in this action is an order for child support. Contact the office to set up an appointment to open a case for parentage and support.
3) Go To Court Yourself – You may handle your own case in court to establish parentage. In your parentage case, you are able to ask for orders related to child visitation rights, custody, and support. You will be required to complete, serve, and file all your own court forms and you may need to present your case before a judge. While it is possible to represent yourself, establishing parentage can be complicated and confusing.
Our experienced family law attorneys are happy to help you navigate matters of parentage. Contact us today or schedule a free consultation to discuss your case with our family law attorneys in Palo Alto.
Spousal Support in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, when a married couple decides to get divorced or legally separated, the court may order one of the divorced parties to pay the other monthly support money. these payments are known as spousal or partner support and can sometimes be referred to as alimony.
In these cases, a judge must consider many factors to determine how much is paid to spousal support. This includes how much each person makes, how marketable their skills are, the extent of their earning capacity, and the length of the marriage. You can get a good idea of what these payments may look like by using our California spousal support calculators.
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View Our California
Calculators
Family Law in
Palo Alto, CA
Family law in Palo Alto can be complex and hard to navigate. Most people are unfamiliar with the legal process, which is why it’s important to find an attorney who can guide you through your case. Legal representation for family law cases can help you achieve the best possible outcome for your situation. From child custody issues to property division disputes, our team at Modern Family Law has seen it all. Our experienced and compassionate Palo Alto family lawyers want to make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions about your family law case.
What Practice Areas Are Included In
Palo Alto Family Law?
When couples in Palo Alto come to the difficult decision to end their marriage it is important to understand the steps involved. In Palo Alto, the legal term for a divorce is a dissolution of marriage. The first step is to make sure you meet the residency requirements required to file for divorce in Palo Alto, CA.
In order to file for dissolution of marriage in Palo Alto, you and your spouse are required to have resided in the state of California for a minimum of 6 months. Additionally, you must have been a resident of Santa Clara County for at least 3 months prior to filing for divorce in Palo Alto.
If you meet the necessary residency requirements to file for dissolution of marriage in Palo Alto, you will next need to obtain, prepare, and file your completed divorce paperwork. You will also need to pay the filing fees with the county clerk’s office.
The forms you will need depend on whether you and your spouse agree to the divorce. Navigating this complicated process can be stressful. Our family law attorneys in Palo Alto are happy to help guide you through the necessary steps to restart your life. Please give us a call or schedule a free consultation with us today!
In Palo Alto, when divorced or separated parents are unable to agree on matters of child custody, it comes to the court’s discretion to decide parental rights and responsibilities. Courts in Palo Alto take this very seriously and make it their top priority to base these difficult decisions on what is in the best interest of the child(ren) involved. The types of custody parents can be awarded by the courts are discussed below.
Legal Custody – This refers to the responsibility to make important decisions with regards to your child(ren)s life. These include decisions involving education, health care, religion, travel, and residence. A court can award either sole legal custody or joint legal custody to parents. When joint legal custody is awarded both parents share in the responsibility to make these decisions. Conversely, sole custody means that only one parent is granted the decision-making rights and responsibilities.
Physical Custody – This refers to which parent the child(ren) lives with after a divorce or separation. As with legal custody, a court can either award joint or sole (primary) physical custody. Joint physical custody means that the child(ren) split time living with both parents. Sole or primary physical custody means that the child(ren) spends most of their time living with one of the parents while in most instances the other parent will be granted visitation rights.
At Modern Family Law, our Palo Alto family law attorneys understand how immensely difficult matters of custody are and how important it is to provide the best life for your child(ren). Please let us help guide you through these burdensome times so you can start fresh with the best possible outcome for your child(ren). Schedule a free consultation with us today to discuss your options or give us a call!
In Palo Alto, child support is defined as the amount of money that a court orders a parent or both parents to pay every month. This money is intended to help pay for the support of the child(ren) and their living expenses.
The court bases its child support decision on a parent’s net disposable income. This equates to a parent’s income after state and federal taxes and other required deductions have been removed. The court may also take into consideration regularly occurring bonuses, overtime payments, and commissions. You can read our general overview of child support to gain a better understanding or try our California child support calculator.
In Palo Alto, married couples are permitted the option to legally separate from one another. A legal separation is an official court order outlining the guidelines for you and your spouse to live apart from one another without making the permanent decision to get a divorce. This provides married couples with time to decide whether they want to work on their differences or eventually dissolve their marriage. This option allows you to create financial boundaries, allocate asset and debt responsibilities, and outline child custody.
To file for legal separation in Palo Alto, one of the separating parties must be a legal resident of California. Since California is a no-fault state, you won’t need to provide any wrongdoing by your partner to legally separate. Instead, you can state irreconcilable differences as the reasoning that you are filing to separate.
We understand that deciding to separate from your partner is never an easy decision to make. It is important to do your research, reduce conflict between you and your partner, and ensure you are making the best decision for your future. Our experienced family law attorneys in Palo Alto are prepared to discuss and guide you through this strenuous time. Give us a call or schedule a free consultation to discuss your separation options.
In paternity cases, also referred to as parentage cases, the court makes orders that say who the child’s legal parents are.
If parents are married when a child is born, there is usually no question about parentage. The law assumes that the married persons are the child’s legal parents. Therefore, parentage is automatically established in most cases.
When parents are not married, the parentage of their children needs to be established legally. Palo Alto offers several options for establishing paternity.
1) Sign a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity – This voluntary legal declaration must be agreed upon and signed by both unmarried parents to establish the child’s legal parents. This declaration can be signed at the hospital when a child is born or at a later date.
2) Local Child Support Agency – Santa Clara County’s department of child support services offers a free service in which they will bring an action to establish your child’s parentage. Included in this action is an order for child support. Contact the office to set up an appointment to open a case for parentage and support.
3) Go To Court Yourself – You may handle your own case in court to establish parentage. In your parentage case, you are able to ask for orders related to child visitation rights, custody, and support. You will be required to complete, serve, and file all your own court forms and you may need to present your case before a judge. While it is possible to represent yourself, establishing parentage can be complicated and confusing.
Our experienced family law attorneys are happy to help you navigate matters of parentage. Contact us today or schedule a free consultation to discuss your case with our family law attorneys in Palo Alto.
In Palo Alto, when a married couple decides to get divorced or legally separated, the court may order one of the divorced parties to pay the other monthly support money. these payments are known as spousal or partner support and can sometimes be referred to as alimony.
In these cases, a judge must consider many factors to determine how much is paid to spousal support. This includes how much each person makes, how marketable their skills are, the extent of their earning capacity, and the length of the marriage. You can get a good idea of what these payments may look like by using our California spousal support calculators.
Schedule Your Free Consultation!
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Calculators
Our Attorneys Are Ready To Listen
Our experienced family law attorneys in Palo Alto have the knowledge, resources, and dedication to prepare your case and protect your interests to find the best possible outcome.
What is Family Law in Palo Alto?
Family law is a branch of the law that deals with the emotional, economic and social issues that arise when Palo Alto families come together or break apart. There are attorneys who specialize in family law cases. If you want to get divorced, file for child custody, or even make arrangements for your children’s guardianship, you will need to consult with a family law attorney.
When Should You Hire A Palo Alto Family Law Attorney?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this question. It depends on your goals and the type of case you have. For example, if you are trying to get a conflict-driven divorce, you will want one of our Palo Alto family law attorneys to help you through the process. By adding compassion into the situation, instead of more conflict and hate, we can manage to keep costs lower and the difficult duration of time to a minimum. If you are in the middle of a child custody dispute, it might be best to hire an attorney so they can represent your interests in court.
If you’re not sure what type of family law case you have, we recommend that you meet with one of our attorneys to discuss your situation and listen to their recommendations. Family law can be a complicated and emotionally-charged process. We want to make sure you’re as prepared as possible for the case ahead of time, so we’ve compiled a list of tips.
Do Your Research
Modern Family Law is here to help guide you through the process, but it’s important that you do your research before contacting an attorney. You may not know what to ask, which is why understanding the different stages of a family law case will help tremendously. For example, you should become familiar with divorce procedures beforehand to avoid any confusion during your meeting with an attorney.
Discover if You’re Eligible
Legal eligibility requirements vary from state to state and country to country. Some countries forbid divorce proceedings if one spouse is pregnant, while others require couples to live separately for two years before they can file for divorce. Know what legal eligibility means in your area so that there aren’t any surprises during your meeting with an attorney.
Prepare for Questions
It’s normal for attorneys to ask their clients about their financial history and other personal details during initial meetings–this helps them gain a better understanding of your situation before moving forward with the case. Prepare by gathering all relevant documents.
What is Family Law in
Palo Alto?
Family law is a branch of the law that deals with the emotional, economic and social issues that arise when Palo Alto families come together or break apart. There are attorneys who specialize in family law cases. If you want to get divorced, file for child custody, or even make arrangements for your children’s guardianship, you will need to consult with a family law attorney.
When Should You Hire
A Palo Alto Family Law Attorney?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this question. It depends on your goals and the type of case you have. For example, if you are trying to get a conflict-driven divorce, you will want one of our Palo Alto family law attorneys to help you through the process. By adding compassion into the situation, instead of more conflict and hate, we can manage to keep costs lower and the difficult duration of time to a minimum. If you are in the middle of a child custody dispute, it might be best to hire an attorney so they can represent your interests in court.
If you’re not sure what type of family law case you have, we recommend that you meet with one of our attorneys to discuss your situation and listen to their recommendations. Family law can be a complicated and emotionally-charged process. We want to make sure you’re as prepared as possible for the case ahead of time, so we’ve compiled a list of tips.
Do Your Research
Modern Family Law is here to help guide you through the process, but it’s important that you do your research before contacting an attorney. You may not know what to ask, which is why understanding the different stages of a family law case will help tremendously. For example, you should become familiar with divorce procedures beforehand to avoid any confusion during your meeting with an attorney.
Discover if You’re Eligible
Legal eligibility requirements vary from state to state and country to country. Some countries forbid divorce proceedings if one spouse is pregnant, while others require couples to live separately for two years before they can file for divorce. Know what legal eligibility means in your area so that there aren’t any surprises during your meeting with an attorney.
Prepare for Questions
It’s normal for attorneys to ask their clients about their financial history and other personal details during initial meetings–this helps them gain a better understanding of your situation before moving forward with the case. Prepare by gathering all relevant documents.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palo Alto Family Law
How much does a family lawyer cost in Palo Alto?
Everyone wants to be careful with attorney fees, us included. Potential clients always ask our lawyers how much their case will cost. Unfortunately, we can’t provide much insight into their final bill, because there are too many factors at play. The most critical factor impacting the overall cost of a case is the degree of conflict. A client’s ability to control the degree of conflict in a family law dispute is sometimes limited. The amount of conflict is often unknown or underestimated.
Many other factors may also impact the cost of a case. Those include poor strategic planning and selecting an attorney based on factors not related to your goal. Since there are so many things impacting the cost of a case, it’s impossible for a good attorney to quote you an overall cost. We can, however, use our experience to provide you insight into how certain factors impact the average cost, as determined by the American Bar Association.
Click the following link to learn more about the cost of a family law attorney in Palo Alto. You may also be interested in our California attorney fees calculators to help you determine costs.
Is parenting time the same as custody?
Custody is really two different child-centered ideas – parenting time and decision-making. A potential client’s use of the word “custody” may be referring to one, or both of these responsibilities. Either way, it’s best for all involved to understand the terms being used. Read more about the distinction between these terms.
What should I expect from mediation?
Family court mediation often represents the best chance at a thoughtful, customized resolution of your divorce case. Almost all participants find these sessions to be helpful, even if they were unable to resolve issues in their case. Mediators are not advocates and are not judges, but they do make great listeners.
There are different structures for mediation. Some are conducted without, or prior to, any filing in court, and without lawyers. These settlement conferences may be helpful in resolving immediate disputes, but they’re often inadequate at determining longer-term, or more significant issues.
Read more about the types of mediation and what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions About
Palo Alto Family Law
How much does a family lawyer cost in Palo Alto?
Everyone wants to be careful with attorney fees, us included. Potential clients always ask our lawyers how much their case will cost. Unfortunately, we can’t provide much insight into their final bill, because there are too many factors at play. The most critical factor impacting the overall cost of a case is the degree of conflict. A client’s ability to control the degree of conflict in a family law dispute is sometimes limited. The amount of conflict is often unknown or underestimated.
Many other factors may also impact the cost of a case. Those include poor strategic planning and selecting an attorney based on factors not related to your goal. Since there are so many things impacting the cost of a case, it’s impossible for a good attorney to quote you an overall cost. We can, however, use our experience to provide you insight into how certain factors impact the average cost, as determined by the American Bar Association.
Click the following link to learn more about the cost of a family law attorney in Palo Alto. You may also be interested in our California attorney fees calculators to help you determine costs.
Is parenting time the same as custody?
Custody is really two different child-centered ideas – parenting time and decision-making. A potential client’s use of the word “custody” may be referring to one, or both of these responsibilities. Either way, it’s best for all involved to understand the terms being used. Read more about the distinction between these terms.
What should I expect from mediation?
Family court mediation often represents the best chance at a thoughtful, customized resolution of your divorce case. Almost all participants find these sessions to be helpful, even if they were unable to resolve issues in their case. Mediators are not advocates and are not judges, but they do make great listeners.
There are different structures for mediation. Some are conducted without, or prior to, any filing in court, and without lawyers. These settlement conferences may be helpful in resolving immediate disputes, but they’re often inadequate at determining longer-term, or more significant issues.
Read more about the types of mediation and what to expect.
Have Questions, Reach Out!
Our experienced family law attorneys in Palo Alto understand how overwhelming family matters can be. They will listen to the specifics of your case while paying attention to your concerns and goals. They will provide you with expert advice to help you navigate this difficult time and start your life renewed!
Important Areas in Palo Alto Family Law
Child Custody Issues
When it comes to family law, child custody is one of the most important topics. We want to make sure you know what’s at stake so you can be prepared for any questions your attorney may ask.
There are two types of child custody: legal and physical. Legal child custody entitles the parent with legal custody to make decisions for the child, such as education and medical decisions. Physical child custody means that a parent has physical care and control of the child.
One thing to keep in mind about physical child custody is that it doesn’t always mean that a parent gets to live with their kids, even if they have physical custody rights. For example, if both parents work full-time jobs outside of the home, one parent could possibly have physical care of the children but not live with them during the weekdays because they work late hours. This would give them time to spend with their children on weekends or holidays—even though they don’t live together full-time during the weekdays.
Questions About Divorce
Divorce is the end of a marriage. It usually involves dividing marital property, child custody, and parenting time. It’s not an easy process to go through.
You may need legal counsel for divorce proceedings, but it can be difficult to know what questions to ask your lawyer before you make the decision to hire them. Here are some things you should know before you meet with a divorce attorney:
- Do I have grounds for divorce?
- How will my spouse be affected?
- How am I affected by the actual divorce process? >How am I affected by financial decisions during the process of divorce?
- What are my rights if the parents cannot agree on child custody and/or visitation/parenting time?
Matters of family law can be overwhelming and stressful to deal with on your own. There are many importany thoughts to keep in mind as you navigate your family law case. Our empathetic and experienced Palo Alto family law attorneys are always available to help answer your questions and guide you through this difficult time.
Important Practice Areas in
Palo Alto Family Law
Child Custody Issues
When it comes to family law, child custody is one of the most important topics. We want to make sure you know what’s at stake so you can be prepared for any questions your attorney may ask.
There are two types of child custody: legal and physical. Legal child custody entitles the parent with legal custody to make decisions for the child, such as education and medical decisions. Physical child custody means that a parent has physical care and control of the child.
One thing to keep in mind about physical child custody is that it doesn’t always mean that a parent gets to live with their kids, even if they have physical custody rights. For example, if both parents work full-time jobs outside of the home, one parent could possibly have physical care of the children but not live with them during the weekdays because they work late hours. This would give them time to spend with their children on weekends or holidays—even though they don’t live together full-time during the weekdays.
Questions About Divorce
Divorce is the end of a marriage. It usually involves dividing marital property, child custody, and parenting time. It’s not an easy process to go through.
You may need legal counsel for divorce proceedings, but it can be difficult to know what questions to ask your lawyer before you make the decision to hire them. Here are some things you should know before you meet with a divorce attorney:
- Do I have grounds for divorce?
- How will my spouse be affected?
- How am I affected by the actual divorce process? >How am I affected by financial decisions during the process of divorce?
- What are my rights if the parents cannot agree on child custody and/or visitation/parenting time?
Matters of family law can be overwhelming and stressful to deal with on your own. There are many importany thoughts to keep in mind as you navigate your family law case. Our empathetic and experienced Palo Alto family law attorneys are always available to help answer your questions and guide you through this difficult time.
Why Hire Modern Family Law
Our experienced family law attorneys in Palo Alto understand that every case is unique. They will listen to the details of your case and review your goals and concerns with you. With an empathetic approach, Modern Family Law’s attorneys will provide you with valuable guidance to navigate the particulars of your family law matter.
We are proud to offer a number of ways to help pay for our service. One is our innovative SimpleStart™ Program. Qualify to reduce the initial cost needed upfront and simply pay the PC’s bill every two weeks. This helps us and provides a little insight into the system.
If the SimpleStart™ program doesn’t work for you, we also allow individuals to fulfill their initial deposit needs in two payments. The purpose of this option is for those that may be straddling a paycheck and don’t have the full amount upfront. This is not a payment plan and we will not extend payment options or amounts.
We are confident that you’ll find that our Palo Alto family law team is the most responsive, qualified, and empathetic to your family matter. Schedule a free consultation today and learn for yourself how our compassionate approach to family law can help you!
Our Palo Alto Office Location
Additional Family Law Practice Areas
Family law includes a wide array of cases that deal with relationships and the children of relationships. Typically, family law includes the following practice areas:
Why Hire
Modern Family Law
Our experienced family law attorneys in Palo Alto understand that every case is unique. They will listen to the details of your case and review your goals and concerns with you. With an empathetic approach, Modern Family Law’s attorneys will provide you with valuable guidance to navigate the particulars of your family law matter.
We are proud to offer a number of ways to help pay for our service. One is our innovative SimpleStart™ Program. Qualify to reduce the initial cost needed upfront and simply pay the PC’s bill every two weeks. This helps us and provides a little insight into the system.
We are confident that you’ll find that our Palo Alto family law team is the most responsive, qualified, and empathetic to your family matter. Schedule a free consultation today and learn for yourself how our compassionate approach to family law can help you!
Our Palo Alto
Office Location
Additional Family Law
Practice Areas
Family law includes a wide array of cases that deal with relationships and the children of relationships. Typically, family law includes the following practice areas:
Meet Our Team Of Experienced
Palo Alto Family Law Attorneys
Our Calculators
We’re not fans of surprises and we suspect you aren’t either. We built these divorce calculators just for you, so you know what to expect every step of the way.
Additional Resources About
Palo Alto Family Law
Completing an Uncontested Divorce in California
An uncontested divorce in California can seem to be painless up front, but things can turn quickly. Understanding how to file correctly can help you.
Understanding Child Custody in California
Learn about child custody in California and how the law impacts your parenting time, decision-making, and ultimately your rights as a parent.
I'm Transgender, Does That Make Getting Married Harder?
Your biological sex assigned at birth cannot affect your ability to marry. However, there are some steps you should consider taking when heading for marriage. Read this article to learn more!