Claiming your Child as a Dependent on your Taxes After your Divorce

It is not uncommon for a divorced parent to wonder if he or she can claim his or her child as a dependent on his or her tax returns. Being able to claim a child as a dependent can help a lot at tax time: each dependent means a deduction of $4,050 on the filer’s […]

Dividing your Home in your Divorce

In most divorce cases, the couple’s home is their largest asset. Dividing a home in a divorce can be a contentious process, not only because of the monetary value of the home but because of the emotional value it has to the couple and their children. There are a few different strategies divorcing couples use […]

How Can I Prepare for my Collaborative Divorce?

If you and your spouse can work amicably together to discuss the terms of your divorce settlement, you could be candidates for a collaborative divorce. In a collaborative divorce, the couple and their individual lawyers work together to create a divorce settlement without involving the court. Generally, this makes the divorce process easier, less expensive, […]

Sexual Abuse as a Form of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence comes in many forms: physical, financial, emotional, psychological, and sexual. Each of these categories can contain “gray areas,” behaviors that abusers and victims alike might not realize are acts of abuse. To determine if an act is one of sexual abuse, ask yourself if you consented to the act. If you did not […]

I Am a Grandparent. What are my Rights to my Grandchildren?

As a grandparent, you probably cherish the relationships you have with your grandchildren. When an issue like your child’s divorce, death, or court involvement with your grandchildren’s lives threatens to sever this bond, it is important that you understand your rights as a grandparent and how to legally exercise them. Many people do not realize […]

Overcoming Bias Against your Gender in Timesharing Determinations

Although your gender is not permitted to play a role in determining your share of your child’s parenting time following your divorce, bias exists and can work against men seeking equal or full custody of their children. Many men assume that they will not be given their fair share of parenting time with their children, […]

Does my Child Need a Lawyer’s Help to Get the Education He or She Needs?

Possibly. If your child is not receiving the support he or she needs from his or her school, you might need to work with a special education lawyer to pursue legal action to secure an appropriate Individualized Education Program (IEP) for him or her. Although this might not seem like an area where a lawyer […]

Four Tips for Using Social Media While your Divorce is Pending

We live in a world where our online interactions are as frequent and as meaningful as those we conduct face to face. Many of these interactions take place on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, which allow us to share our thoughts and images of our lives with hundreds, even thousands of followers. If […]

Should We Consider Mediation for Our Divorce?

There are a few different ways a couple can divorce. One of these is through traditional courtroom litigation, which can be stressful and expensive. Another is collaborative divorce, a process through which the couple works together to determine their divorce settlement with little or no outside influence. A third option is mediation, which is similar […]