Whether you are a working parent or stay-at-home mom or dad, each role comes with a huge set of responsibilities. Being a family lawyer, I can only offer one perspective centered around achieving that work/family balance everyone always talks about. I’m not sure the perfect balance exists and have quickly learned that for me, it’s more of a day by day approach, kind of like March Madness – survive and advance. Below are some of the things I’ve learned along the way. Continue reading →
Does My Ex Have to Help Pay for Our Daughter’s Prom Dress?
Dear Carolyn,
Prom is coming up, and my daughter is a senior. I want her to have a nice dress for prom, but her father will not help pay for the dress. I receive $622 per month child support pursuant to a child support order, and our daughter lives mostly with me. Can I make him pay for at least part of the prom dress? What can I do? These dresses are expensive.
Prom Dress Poor
Alimony Tax Reform: Part 3
Carolyn Woodruff, J.D., C.P.A, C.V.A.Forget it!
Forget about the alimony deduction for all new decrees or instruments post-2019. (See Part I for modification of pre-2019 alimony orders and agreement, as modification has a separate set of rules.) The deduction is gone absent a congressional miracle. That means on December 31, 2018, or before you must have alimony that qualifies under IRC Section 71 before it is repealed. The alimony must meet the terms of Section 71, pre-TCJA and pre-2019, which are as follows: Continue reading →
Alimony Tax Reform: Part II, section 2
Carolyn Woodruff, J.D., C.P.A, C.V.A.Previously, we examined the paragraph and subparagraphs defining “divorce or separation instruments.” Now let’s take a look at which sections of TCJA incorporate these subparagraphs.
Alimony Tax Reform: Part 2, Section 1
Carolyn Woodruff, J.D., C.P.A, C.V.A.The repeal of the alimony tax sections for the inclusion of income and deduction has an ancillary impact on other divorce tax issues. The effective date for all ancillary issues discussed in this article is December 31, 2018, the same as the alimony repeal. These December 31, 2018, changes shall be referred to herein as “post-2018” changes. Continue reading →
Divorce Recovery Tips: Part 4
Venn Crawford, non-attorney Marketing AssistantTip #16 – Take yourself on a date and learn to love your own company. Continue reading →
Divorce Recovery Tips: Part 3
Venn Crawford, non-attorney Marketing AssistantTip #11 – Take time to enjoy the little things.
The Rights of Same-Sex Couples: Adoption
Joshua Chilton, Legal AssistantThe United States, as a whole, has only allowed same-sex marriage for just over two and a half years. It is law that same-sex couples have the right to marry in the United States of America, but there are some who still struggle with the question of what exactly that entails. Certainly, same-sex couples can be married now, but are they afforded the same rights as heteronormative marriages? Continue reading →
Nonviolent Action as a Valuable Tool in Divorce
Venn Crawford, non-attorney Marketing AssistantToday is the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., a figure who needs no introduction. Fifty-five years since his famous speech, we are continuing to move towards King’s dream of “a nation where [we] will not be judged by the colour of [our] skin but by the content of [our] character.” Continue reading →
Divorce Recovery Tips: Part 2
Venn Crawford, non-attorney Marketing AssistantTip #6 – Exercise boosts your mood. Go for a jog or bike ride when you feel overwhelmed. Continue reading →