Alimony, which is referred to as spousal maintenance under New York law, can be a very contentious issue when a couple divorces. Under traditional periodic alimony arrangements, spouses who have gone their separate ways maintain a financial link because one ex is ordered to send payments to the other. There is another option though. Lump-sum alimony eliminates the need for…
When Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher recently went public with the fact that they had filed for divorce in 2023, it marked the latest instance of a celebrity couple that only announced their breakup long after it occurred. Other examples of this trend include Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied, Meryl Streep and Don Gummer, and Will and Jada Pinkett…
In her book, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, writer Lisa Niver discusses how she responded to her divorce by identifying 50 different challenges she wanted to tackle as she entered a new phase of her life. Some of the accomplishments that made her feel fearless were skydiving and learning how to salsa dance. Several items…
For numerous couples, one of the most exciting things about getting married is registering for gifts that will help furnish their new home. Future husbands and wives eagerly await gifts such as bed linens, towels and kitchenware that they hope to use for years to come. Of course, not every marriage lasts forever, and when divorce is the best option…
There are many types of outside pressures that can lead a married couple to divorce. Financial hardship, work-related stress and other factors often make it difficult for even loving spouses to stay connected. A child with autism or another type of developmental disability also has the potential to cause strain within a marital relationship. A recent study followed families of…
A survey conducted by Forbes magazine of more than 1,000 Americans during and after their divorces sheds light on the reasons why marriages break up and demonstrates that some things we commonly hear about divorce aren’t always true. For example, it is no longer the case that about half of marriages in this country end in divorce. Likewise, the notion…
Circumstances can change dramatically relatively quickly after a divorce is finalized. A major or even life-changing event can occur that makes it difficult for an ex-spouse to comply with the terms of their order. This can lead to additional litigation to determine if divorce arrangements should be enforced or modified. As a popular talk-show host, Wendy Williams was earning substantial…
Over the centuries, thousands of laws have been put on the books in New York State, reflecting the priorities of the time they were passed. While some of these strictures remain highly relevant, others no longer fit the culture. With so much other business to attend to, legislators frequently don’t make the effort to repeal statutes that have fallen out…
No one is too old to fall in love. Likewise, no one is too old to realize shortly after getting married that they’ve made a mistake and would be happier being single again. Even in situations where one spouse bested other suitors for their partner’s hand in marriage, sometimes the relationship just does not work. When “The Bachelor,” ABC’s long-running…
While some spouses decide to seek a divorce right after a dramatic confrontation, usually husbands and wives gradually reach the conclusion that they will be happier if their marriage ends. Often, people spend years going through the motions because they don’t want to take the first step or hope against hope that their relationship will be miraculously rejuvenated. Miracles rarely…