Lured by websites pitching do-it-yourself divorces, many people initiate the DIY process only to discover that the legal system is more complex than they realized or that their spouse intends to contest important issues. If you started down the DIY divorce path, it is not too late to seek legal assistance. As experienced Long Island divorce lawyers, we have many…
Divorce during retirement age can come with some unique complications, due to the likelihood that the marriage had existed for decades, and the greater level of assets you’re likely to be dealing with. Here are a few things you’ll need to consider to get through a so-called “gray divorce” as smoothly as possible. Look into your Social Security payments: Social…
Mediation can be mutually beneficial for you and your spouse as you go through the divorce process. It can keep you out of court, expedite the process and save you a significant amount of money. Of course, you’ll need to bring it up as a possibility first, which can be easier said than done when speaking to each other probably…
Divorcing spouses may fight over parenting time, support and property division. But for some couples — even those who have millions of dollars to divide — there is an additional contest over who keeps the family pets. From the family dog to various exotic animals, people form an emotional bond with their pets and it adds another potential pitfall to…
Divorce mediation is a process in which you and your spouse both attend sessions with a third-party mediator whose job is to guide you through making divorce-related decisions outside of court. Mediation is designed to help people avoid the long, drawn-out and expensive court processes associated with divorce trials. By its very nature, it is much less expensive than court…
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone. There is, of course, the global pandemic that has touched everyone’s lives in some way, but there have also been plenty of other items in the news that have caused division and resentment among people—even among married partners. To put it mildly, the political climate in 2020 was toxic. But how significantly…
In marriages where one spouse handles most of the finances, the other spouse may have only a surface-level understanding (or no understanding at all) of where the money is going, how the taxes are getting paid and how the couple’s financial life is arranged. This makes the financially naive spouse vulnerable if the one who controls the finances is negligently…
Divorce and Family Court are very personal. Family Court involves, most often, child support and/or custody. During the pandemic, court functions were mostly suspended and appearances in court for non-criminal matters were canceled or did not occur for months. The court system has started to use Microsoft Teams. This is done through IOS, usually an iPad. Using the iPad in…
In many divorces, you will need to make some temporary decisions to put in place while the divorce is pending. If you and your spouse agree on all the primary issues, you don’t have to worry about any pretrial motions. But if you don’t agree and will need to take an immediate (and temporary) action before the court can hear…
Divorce is an extremely stressful process, and any time you go through such a stressful experience it can take a toll on your body and mind. Therefore, it’s important you are aware of the health risks (physical and mental) associated with divorce so you can take appropriate action if you start to notice their symptoms. Weight changes: It is very…