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 […]
In my experience, many people consider divorce for a lengthy period of time before taking that huge life-altering step. It is not unusual for me to meet with a potential client to discuss the divorce process and then not hear from the person for months – or even years – that the client is […]
On January 17th, I posted an article with answers to some frequently asked family law questions I receive. There is another frequently asked question that I could have included, but it is so significant that I felt it deserved an article all by itself. The question is: “Can my spouse and I use the […]
A divorce is the dissolution of a legal relationship and, perhaps equally as important, the breaking of emotional bonds between the spouses. If you read my November 15, 2015 blog on do-it-yourself divorces, then you know there are precious few divorces that should go forward without the benefit of an attorney representing your interests. […]
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, supportSometimes I think I am the only person in the world who does not use Facebook. Well, actually I do have a Facebook page for my law practice, but I do not have one for personal use. I do not post personal news or photos, nor do I check out the Facebook pages of my […]
children, custody, divorce, divorce attorney, divorce judgment, divorce settlement, Facebook, marital assets, marital home, marriageAlthough I am not a psychologist, I am often asked by my clients both when and how to tell the children that a divorce is planned, or even in the works. I do recommend that clients – especially those whose children are already in treatment – follow the specific recommendations of the therapist. For the […]
It 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 […]
It is indeed an exciting time to be practicing family law – there are changes in the wind, and today, I would like to remark on one of them that I see coming – prenuptial agreements and gay married couples. Once upon a time prenuptial agreements (prenups) were the sole province of the rich and […]
It is expected that the US Supreme Court will be accepting cases challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA was enacted by the US Congress in 1996 and essentially defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. It makes clear that gay or lesbian unions are not […]
