May 2015

What is an “Extreme Risk Protection Order?”  Would i-1491 Have been Able to Stop Yesterday’s Tragic Event?

Man Sentenced to Life for what he did to Avoid Child Support

Child support battles are almost always acrimonious. Sometimes they turn criminal and tragic. People can snap under the pressure and do heinous acts. In one case, a mother finally got the justice she deserved after a 15 year battle.
The mother heard that her four-year-old daughter had fallen off…

Judge Calls Out Banker for being a Deadbeat

Judge Calls Out Banker for being a Deadbeat

A deadbeat dad or mom is a parent who fails to pay their portion of child support. There are many reasons why someone may be deadbeat, but when someone does have the money to pay and fails to do so then the courts take a very dim view on that person.
Here’s one example. A former Manhattan banker…

Man Pays Spousal Maintenance for 35 Years

Man Pays Spousal Maintenance for 35 Years

When two people get married with very unequal incomes and then get divorced, the person who has less income may be left destitute. To counter this, the courts developed the concept of spousal maintenance payments, sometimes called alimony in other states. The partner with more income pays a certa…

Twin babies smiling

Child Support Changed in Twins Case

This week we’re looking at child support and spousal maintenance (alimony) payments. These can be some of the most hotly contested subjects in a divorce case, only behind child custody. It is important to have someone on your side that knows the laws for both of these in your state when you go to…

The Story of a Buddhist Nun’s Divorce

The Story of a Buddhist Nun’s Divorce

Divorce can happen to anyone. Sometimes it can be seen from a mile away. Other times, it’s unexpected. The best thing that anyone can do after a divorce is learn what they can from it and move on. One extraordinary woman says that her second divorce taught her some of the most important lessons o…

Facebook Blamed for Divorce

Facebook Blamed for Divorce

Earlier in the week, we wrote about a UK study that showed that social media was a growing cause for marital strife and divorces. Now a woman in Chicago is saying that Facebook ruined her marriage, and she’s not the only one.
She told a local news station that she was a Facebook addict and that …

Facebook Blamed for Divorce

UK Survey Shows the Damage Social Media has on Relationships

Social media has added an entirely different spin on divorce proceedings. Social media can reveal a lot of information that a partner doesn’t want revealed. Worse, many of the entries are public. Spouses have caught their partners cheating through looking at Facebook histories.
In the UK, a surv…

Should Couples Stay Together for the Sake of the Children?

Should Couples Stay Together for the Sake of the Children?

Children of divorce are deeply impacted by the experience. According to Nicholas Wolfinger, author of Understanding the Divorce Cycle: The Children of Divorce in Their Own Marriages, the divorce rate of a child’s future marriage when one parent divorces is 50% higher. If both parents come from fo…

How does the Government look at Asset Transfers in a Divorce?

How does the Government look at Asset Transfers in a Divorce?

A lot of people don’t like the IRS. There are lots of little gotchas that can put people on the hook for large sums of money. Sometimes these hit during a divorce, and sometimes much later when split property is cashed out. It depends on the asset in question.
In most cases, when there is a tran…

Why Is It Easier to Get Married than to Get Divorced? (Some Helpful Advice from a Twenty-Something)

Consider Seeing a Counselor Before Marriage

One of the best things you can do for your marriage is to see a counselor. In fact, if you can see one before you get married that’s even better. Many couples don’t see a marriage counselor until problems are well-entrenched and a lot of hurt has built up. Learning what problems may be sneaking u…