People spend their lives living together without marriage. Many believe that this is without significant entanglements. They are wrong. There are great dangers to living with someone and, there are dangers that you would never see coming. In 2010 there was the update to the matrimonial law which came into effect in 2016. It changed… Read More »
After you’ve spent years contributing to your pension, the possibility of losing half of it to your ex during a divorce may seem a bitter pill to swallow. But a pension is considered marital property in New York and thus subject to equitable distribution, so relinquishing part of your pension is nearly unavoidable. Equitable means… Read More »
New Yorkers in long-term relationships sometimes delay getting married because they are unsure about establishing a legal bond that would require court action to dissolve. One frequent concern involves alimony, which is referred to as “maintenance” in the state statutes. The length of the marriage at issue is a key factor in maintenance determinations. Many… Read More »
The short answer is yes, there is a way. However, successfully using evidence of an affair to obtain a favorable property or alimony award is rare. Our firm has achieved many positive results in this area but certain factors must exist in order to influence a court’s decision. New York judges are not allowed to… Read More »
WHY GET MARRIED? There are religious; personal and societal reasons the couple will marry. Couples who are married tend to enjoy longer lives; happier lives and many benefits that are conferred to them by the State and Federal Government. The institution of marriage is inextricably intertwined with our culture; most religions; and most all segments… Read More »
When it comes to divorce, it’s important to remain as realistic as possible. There likely will never be a circumstance in which you get everything you want. Divorce is very much a give-and-take sort of process, with a lot of compromising and negotiating required. In fact, an unwillingness to compromise may not be in your… Read More »
The clock is rapidly running out on 2018. As soon as the calendar flips, there will be some significant tax reforms that go into effect due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was signed into law in December 2017. As you may have heard, some of these changes to the tax code will… Read More »
Problems with substance abuse are a common factor in divorce cases. If you are divorcing a spouse who has an addiction or frequently abuses drugs or alcohol, it is important to understand how this will affect the strategies you use in your divorce. New York is one of the states that still allows you to… Read More »
A recent article in The New York Times indicates that under the new Republican tax law, there may be an incentive for wealthy Americans pondering divorce to rush to get it done before 2018 is over. The primary reason for this is that the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will eliminate the previously existing… Read More »
When one spouse in a divorce earns significantly more than the other, it is almost a certainty that there will be an alimony arrangement as part of the divorce decree. The alimony payer is required to pay a specific amount of money each month until a certain date, the remarriage of the receiving spouse, the… Read More »