The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is not a 50/50 state. When a court is needed to rule on the allocation of assets, they are not necessarily divided equally between the two parties. While some states mandate a 50/50 split, Massachusetts is an equitable division state. Commonwealth laws dictate that the courts can decide on a fair […]
Missteps To Avoid In A High Net Worth Divorce
While divorce is prevalent across the country, each case is different. Real estate, business ownership, and significant financial interests can put you in high-asset divorce territory. Couples experiencing a high-asset divorce are prone to a number of common mistakes, all of which can be avoided. Like other marriages, high net worth couples don’t divorce without […]
What is Collaborative Divorce?
More and more couples, facing divorce or legal separation, are already turning away from contentious court proceedings and long-lived litigation to legal mediation. Yet, there is a third option, separate from litigation and mediation: the collaborative divorce process. This method is only a few decades old, but it already boasts a worldwide network of legal […]
Protecting Assets in a Divorce
Divorce is as much a financial blow as it is an emotional one. Alimony and child support may take a large, even unreasonable amount out of your monthly paycheck. Conversely, if your income is much smaller than your soon-to-be-ex-spouse’s, or if you stayed at home to look after the family, you might find yourself in […]
What is the difference between a fault and no-fault divorce?
In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the grounds for divorce depends on whether you decide on a no-fault or fault divorce. A no-fault divorce does not require parties to prove blame for the breakdown of the marriage. Either or both parties can file to begin the process for a no-fault divorce merely pleading that the marriage […]
I’ve been estranged from my husband and want to remarry. Will Massachusetts grant me a Bifurcated divorce?
Bifurcation of divorce allows spouses to become legally divorced before the divorce details have been finalized. The option to remarry is the most common use of bifurcation; however, some couples seek a bifurcation to distinguish between marriage or pre-marriage property. In states that permit bifurcation, the court will handle the end of the marriage separately […]
How do courts determine if relocation of a child to another state during a divorce is acceptable?
In situations where a custodial parent wishes to relocate with a child, the court will determine whether child custody relocation is in the best interests of the child. While a parent is free to relocate out of state themselves without the child or with the permission of the other parent to take the child, the […]
Wait–what do you mean I can’t deduct alimony on my federal taxes?
Alimony is a series of monetary payments to an ex-spouse that may be mandated as part of a divorce decree. Paying alimony can be an expensive and painful process—and it is about to get much more painful, thanks to changes to the federal tax code. At present, those paying alimony may deduct the payments on […]
What is a ‘gray divorce’ and how is it different from the typical divorce?
A ‘gray divorce’ refers to a split that happens between an older husband and wife, often after many years of marriage. The ‘gray’ in ‘gray divorce’ refers to the color of the divorcing couple’s hair. With more and more couples over fifty, or even over sixty-five, choosing to part ways, the phenomenon has also earned […]
What are the benefits of choosing mediation over litigation in a divorce?
When most of us think of divorce, we think of custody battles, endless legal filings, and costly court proceedings. The whole process of divorce can seem more daunting, and perhaps even more painful, than the emotional aspects of a marriage’s dissolution. But what if there was another way? Another, more humane, more gentle, less expensive […]