February 2012
A Guide to the Vocabulary of “Custody”
When you have to make decisions about the care and custody of your children, a whole new vocabulary presents itself. Since it is best that you know the lingo, here is the crib sheet version of what these words mean:
Custody: When we use the word custody we are actually talking about two separate issues – legal custody and physical or residential custody.
Residential Custody: Refers to where the children will be living.
Physical or Residential Custodial Parent: This is the person in whose home the children will live most of the time. Since this is the parent who must maintain a day-to-day residence for the children, this is also the parent who will likely be awarded child support for the children. more...
January 2012
How To Save On Legal Fees Without Compromising On Quality
Everyone would like to cut expenses, but for many couples going through a divorce, they just keep piling up, especially legal fees. Surprisingly, the experienced attorney with the higher hourly rate may not be the most expensive. When you hire an experienced divorce attorney, he or she will be able to identify the critical issues in your case, set reasonable expectations for the eventual outcome, have the skills to represent you in court, and be able to guide you on where to invest your legal dollars. He or she will have a large database of documents drafted in similar cases to draw upon and customize to fit your needs, saving you time and money. These advantages will likely to save you money over a less experienced attorney.
So where can you find some savings without sacrificing quality? more
December 2011
Allocating College Expenses After Divorce
If you are like most parents, you have thought long and hard about how to fund your children's college education. Most families want to do their best to provide for their children's education, so they save if they can afford it, and when the time comes, they choose a school based on what they can afford. But while paying for a child's education is strictly voluntary for intact families, in New York divorced parents may be ordered by a court to contribute to a child's continuing education. That's ideal for a divorced parent who is willing to educate their child regardless of cost and wants a former spouse to be on the hook to do likewise. For other divorced parents, it could be financially devastating. more
November 2011
Holidays During And After Divorce 101 - A Primer for Today and Years to Come
The stress of the holiday season is magnified for divorcing families. Your family is already going through a huge transition, and then the holiday season arrives, which is all about bringing together - you guessed it - families. This is definitely not what you need right now, but since you can't stop time, how can you cope? Every holiday I am given the challenge of trying to guide my soon-to-be divorced client's through the emotional minefield that is the holiday season. Typically client's want to know how to make things as "normal" for the kids as possible; how to share the holidays with the kids and the future ex; and whether they should avoid the soon-to-be ex-in-laws or reach out to them. more
|