Does Cheating Matter?
Not necessarily in a court of law. States differ as to whether infidelity makes a difference in a divorce settlement. Illinois, for example, is a “no-fault” state, meaning a spouse’s infidelity has no effect on the judge’s final settlement decision. Of course, cheating does matter to the parties involved. A recent public example of marital infidelity was in the news days after Sandra Bullock received her Best Actress Oscar. According to the New York Daily News, “Ten days after her t... Read more ...
What You Should Do Before Considering Divorce
Many divorcees never review their wills and estate plans. Those that do, often do it after they’re divorced. However, it may be advisable to make changes as soon as a marriage breaks down. Powers of Attorney for Health Care and Property are common documents used in estate planning. If you’re in a bad marriage or in the midst of divorce, don’t wait until after divorce to review and change these documents. These two Powers grant your “agent”, the right to make decisions regarding your... Read more ...
Your Divorce Attorney Knows Best
Your Divorce Lawyer Knows Best Contemplating divorce, or going through a divorce, is one of life’s most stressful events. Unfortunately, more than one-half of married couples will experience it. Due to the high rates of divorce, almost everyone going through it knows someone who has been divorced. If you’re in this situation, you might be tempted to ask friends, relatives, co-workers and others for advice and information—but don’t. Ask for comfort and support from this group, and get... Read more ...
In Divorce Timing Is Everything
Timing and Divorce On March 18, 2010, shortly after divorcing his wife of 16 years Kevin Halstead won $3.8 million in the lottery. Halstead, a London bus driver, told the Daily Mail: “We divorced three months ago and split up about 13 years ago but we stayed friends – we did not get a divorce back then for the sake of our Jessica.” Since the Halstead’s divorce was final prior to Halstead’s windfall, here are some questions that may arise. The answers to these questions will dep... Read more ...
Divorce as Process
Divorce is a Process The decision to divorce isn’t usually made easily or in haste. Among the many issues to consider are financial, social and psychological ones. Whenever children or illnesses are involved, the decision is even more difficult. But, for many people, divorce may be more of a years-long process than a single decision. When infidelity puts the private lives of public figures and celebrities in the news, we can sometimes glimpse the stages of this process. For example, on... Read more ...
How Does a Divorced Parent Claim a Child as a Dependent?
It’s tax time and if you’re divorced and were awarded the right to claim your child or children as a dependent(s) on your tax return, here’s what you need to know about filing your taxes properly. The Internal Revenue Code sets out the law about who is entitled to claim a child as a dependent and how to claim it on your tax return. Generally, the dependency exemption for children of divorced parents goes to the parent who has custody for the greater part of the calendar year. In making th... Read more ...
