Parents often go back to court to modify child support arrangements, but what happens if you never had an arrangement in place? In some situations, you might be eligible to receive retroactive child support. Retroactive child support is payments that are made to go back and make up for payments that were never made in the past. They could include…
When marriages turn sour, one of the primary causes of conflict is finances. Therefore, all marriages can benefit from open communication regarding financial matters. The following are some tips to make sure that you can avoid financial conflicts during your marriage: Be honest. You and your spouse should always make sure that you have revealed your complete financial situations. This…
After you get married, all of your property gets classified either as marital property (also known as community property) and non-marital property (also known as separate property). Marital property is any property gained after the marriage, while separate property is property that you owned before the start of the marriage. There are certain types of property that you should take…
If your underage daughter becomes pregnant, there are understandably a lot of issues that will be significant stressors. Despite all of the emotions that you might be feeling upon hearing the news, it is important that you maintain a clear head and sit down with your daughter regarding all of the legal options that are available to her regarding her…
It’s not uncommon for child custody disputes to grow bitter and lead to long, drawn-out court battles. Both parent understandably wants as much time with their children as possible, and they do not want to have to compromise on child support arrangements. However, there are certain actions that parents can take during custody hearings and divorce proceedings that can make…
Second marriages are likely to have many more stressors than first marriages, especially if you have children from a different relationship. Not only are there step-parenting relationships to build, but you are also likely to have some unresolved issues with your previous partner as well. Among these considerations are certain financial problems and issues that you will have to think…
In the mid-nineties there were many cases involving “chronic fatigue syndrome” and Lyme disease. Lately, it seems that one in 5 divorces involve a child who is suffering from A.D.D. and/or A.D.H.D. or another “not otherwise specified” (N.O.S.) cognitive problem. Attention Deficit Disorder (“A.D.D.”) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (“A.D.H.D.”) are being aggressively diagnosed and therefore it seems there is…
Though child custody laws generally no longer presume that children should stay with their mother after a divorce, the fact is that mothers are still awarded custody of their children more often than fathers. So what is the reason for this? First, courts more often find that the mother meets the qualifications for being considered the “primary caregiver.” This is…
A woman in Queens has been found guilty of endangering her three children after she was found living in squalor. According to the local prosecutor’s office, Katherine Vartholomeou was living with her children in a house that was missing some exterior walls and part of the roof. The home also had no running water and was being powered by extension…
If you are considering adding a prenuptial agreement to your marriage, it is important to first consider the benefits and disadvantages that such an agreement could have for you. The following are some of the key advantages that come with a prenup: They allow you to protect your property that you had before the marriage They add support to your…