Who Claims The Kids? The Riddle of Claiming Tax Dependency Exemption
If you’re a parent, and you’ve filed taxes, you’re probably aware that the US tax code permits a taxpayer to claim an exemption for each of his or her dependents….
FATHER’S RIGHTS IN DETERMINING A CHILD’S NAME
I sometimes get asked by mothers whether they can change their child’s name, without the permission of the father. It’s a fair question; why should the child not have the…
Divorce Settlements: Your Terms versus the Judge’s Terms
Clients will sometimes ask me whether the Court would “allow” a certain settlement proposal. My response is almost always that so long as both parties agree to the terms, you…
Are Style Points Important?
When I am meeting with a potential client during an initial consultation I am sometimes asked, “What is your style?” Or more to the point, they may simply say, “I…
Child Custody: The Importance of Making it Legal
When married couples separate with the intention of making it permanent, a divorce almost always follows. That is because the law recognizes the legal relationship known as marriage. In order…
Financial Infidelity
KARE-11 recently did a series on what they called “financial infidelity.” We linked one of the pieces to our Facebook page. By financial infidelity, KARE-11 is referring to situations where…
Out of State Moves
In my opinion, one of the most difficult issues in family court cases is out-of- state moves. Let’s say that following a divorce, Mom has primary physical custody of the…
Honey or Vinegar?
I often hear from my clients that they “just want this to be over.” And, who doesn’t? Divorce is not pleasant. Not too many people enjoy it. Yet, despite making…
Pick Your Battles
This goes without saying, but one of the fundamental things that happens in a divorce is the husband and wife transition from living together as part of one household to…
Divorce and Personal Property
One thing that is accomplished by a divorce is a “just and equitable division” of the marital estate. Your marital estate can consist of real estate, a business, retirement accounts,…