I came across a great article today that illustrates just why collaborative divorce can be such a great thing for the children of divorce. The article profiles a family from Rochester, New York that is going through a collaborative divorce with children – successfully. On anther note – I was forced to go to court…
Category Archives: Alimony
Preparing for Divorce – The Final Tip: Be Good!
This is the last in a series of blog posts I have written during the past several weeks on how to prepare for divorce and separation. Today’s tip focuses on the practical – be on your best behavior while going through the middle of a divorce. Whether you are considering a collaborative divorce, or a…
How to prepare for divorce tip #6: Document and Safeguard your Property
This is the sixth in a series of tips I am publishing to help people who are considering separating from their spouse or divorce. While I believe strongly in the collaborative divorce process, there are times where you must take steps to protect yourself. This series is meant to help you protect your legal rights…
How to prepare for divorce tip #5: Prepare a Budget
Whether you are considering a Collaborative Divorce (which I recommend) or an “old school” divorce, which only really benefits the lawyers involved, I would strongly suggest that you start to develop your budget. One of the great things about the Collaborative process is that this budget will be “forward looking” as opposed to “backward looking”. …
How to Prepare for divorce tip #3: Account for the Family Finances
In this third of a series of “How to Prepare for Divorce” Tips, I recommend that you begin gathering information about your families finances. One of the primary functions of the divorce process is to make a division of the assets and debts of the marriage. In order to get a fair division, you must…
Do I need a Consent Judgment?
One of the questions I get most often is whether or not my client needs a consent judgment. To answer that question, it probably is best to explain what a consent judgment is. A consent judgment is nothing more than a court order that is agreed to by both parties to a lawsuit. In order…
What should you bring to your meeting with a Divorce Lawyer?
I often get asked about what documents or other information my clients should bring with them to their initial assessment with my office. Some lawyers will tell their clients to bring “anything you thing would be helpful to help me understand your case,” although that is a pretty general statement, and doesn’t help the client….
Why I don’t accept all clients who call me…
There are many attorneys who practice what I call “threshold law” – which means that they will accept any and all clients that come to see them. I am not one of those attorneys. I have seen these attorneys practice law – they miss deadlines and court appearances, are often unprepared for meetings, fail to…
What does Alimony really cost?
This morning I took part in a training call for some software I use to help me calculate different alimony scenarios for clients. What is great about the software is that it allows my clients to see what effect taxes will have on their alimony payments. If you are receiving alimony, many people forget that…
Al Gore and Tipper to Separate after 40 years
This week Al and Tipper Gore made a shocking announcement – they were splitting up after 40 years of marriage. This is particularly shocking because of the length of the marriage. According to this article on CNN.com, most couples seek a divorce during the first two years of marriage when the “honeymoon period” ends, at…