The newly enacted tax code will effect some very significant changes that directly impact the practice of family law and the nature of settlement negotiations in both divorce and custody cases. This article considers the impact on the payment of spousal support in divorce cases. As of this writing, I have practiced family law for […]
One of the most frequent inquiries I receive are from potential clients who wish to seek legal guardianship of a child whose welfare is believed to be at risk. However, merely expressing concern that a child may not be safe is not, in and of itself, sufficient to create a minor guardianship. There are several […]
child support, children, custody, minor guardianshipOne of the most challenging issues that can arise in a family law case occurs when the opposing party is self-employed. Simply put, throughout my career in family law practice, I can safely say that virtually every self-employed person in litigation reports a downturn in business that is coincident to the legal case, whether it […]
There are a number of questions that I frequently receive from potential clients. These are inquiries I have heard many times over the years and which are often based on assumptions that are usually invalid. The following are the top five questions, and the answers that often surprise the potential clients. Question No. 1 – […]
There has been a dramatic change in social security law that will affect spousal benefits and therefore, must be considered by parties facing divorce. The new rules went into effect (with virtually no warning to the public) on November 15, 2015. Historically, ex-spouses could each independently decide when to file for social security benefits based […]
alimony, child support, divorce, divorce attorney, property settlement, settlement negotiations, social security benefits, spousal support, supportIt is not uncommon for me to receive phone calls or emails from people inquiring whether they really “need” an attorney for their divorce. They don’t own much and they agree about everything. Often a brief conversation reveals that there are property issues they do not know how to handle or children involved with various […]
Parents often wish to enter into agreements for child support that deviate from the Michigan Child Support Formula (MCSF), which implements the legislative equation for calculating child support. An example would be parents who want to negotiate a lump sum payment for the life of the child's minority, rather than monthly payments. Typically, a custodial […]
change of circumstances, child support, child support agreement, Court of Appeals, Michigan Child Support Formula, payer