The winter holidays may be the most wonderful time of the year, but they are also a top contender for the most stressful time of the year. Regardless of family structure, holiday gatherings and visits can be contentious. Under the stress of cleaning and cooking and visiting in-laws, even close-knit nuclear families, amicably divorced co-parents, or happily mixed step-families might experience some tension and conflict around this time of the year. Given the stress of
When drafting a divorce agreement, it can be difficult to consider every contingency. You want to be sure that there is an answer for every future scenario; however, it is difficult to focus on the future when the present is so stressful. One situation that many people forget to consider or do not put much thought into is covering the cost of college. If you have young children, the concept of college may not be
While divorce is prevalent across the country, each case is different. Real estate, business ownership, and significant financial interests can put you in high-asset divorce territory. Couples experiencing a high-asset divorce are prone to a number of common mistakes, all of which can be avoided. Like other marriages, high net worth couples don’t divorce without reason. From addictions to infidelity, extreme differences in parenting styles and growing apart, divorce always stems from one issue or
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is not a 50/50 state. When a court is needed to rule on the allocation of assets, they are not necessarily divided equally between the two parties. While some states mandate a 50/50 split, Massachusetts is an equitable division state. Commonwealth laws dictate that the courts can decide on a fair division of assets regardless of who actually owned it. A court could declare that the division is 60/40, or 70/30,
To be eligible to be an adoptive parent in the state of Massachusetts, the law states you must be at least 18 years old, and you or the child must be a resident of Massachusetts. In most cases, any married couple or single adult is eligible to adopt. If married, both spouses must be a part of the adoption. In nearly every adoption case, judges in adoption courts will consider the child’s best interests when
While marriage laws are based on where the parties are at the time of marriage, divorce is based on where the parties live at the time of divorce. The answer to this question depends on how long you’ve resided outside of Massachusetts. While most states require you to be a resident before you may file divorce papers, the required length of residency varies per state. In most cases, it’s at least a minimum of six
Alimony is no longer tax deductible to the person paying alimony and can no longer be counted as income for the person who receives alimony. The 2019 tax laws have set the Massachusetts family law Bar into an uproar making it very difficult to resolve cases that involve alimony. Prior to Jan 1, 2019, the standard alimony calculation was 30 to 35% of the difference between the income of the Payor and the Payee. But
During divorce proceedings, there is a separation between marital, and separate property. In Massachusetts, marital property must be divided equitably. Marital property can include both your assets and your debts. This raises the question: how is the debt divided up? One may think that a debt incurred in one spouse’s name, will be assigned to them after the divorce; however, this is not always the case. If a debt is incurred by one spouse, prior
Did you know that fathers, even if listed on the birth certificate, have no rights with respect to their children if they were not married to the mother unless they file a court action? In Massachusetts, unmarried mothers have all of the rights and control until such time as father files for those rights in court. For example, if father and mother end their relationship and mother wants to move to a different State, it
Have you ever heard of a “gray” divorce? This term refers to a marital split between two people who are over the age of 50. The divorce rate for this demographic is skyrocketing. Why would a long term marriage come to an end at advanced ages? There are a few factors at play; beginning with the fact that life expectancy has increased. Once a couple’s children have grown up and moved out, they may find
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We are happy to provide a consultation to all first time clients.
Please complete the form below and we will contact you.