Divorce Newsletters

Deferred Compensation: A Sneaky Hidden Asset

October 7, 2020

When a client engages us for help with their divorce, the first thing we do is give the client an extensive list of financial information to provide. This includes items that might not typically be requested such as reward points, accumulated vacation time, seasons tickets and prepaid burial plots.

Read More

The Post-Divorce Checklist

September 17, 2020

The process of getting divorced is often long and arduous. In our experience the worst part of the negotiations (usually the alimony discussion) is often left to the end. Once that is hammered out and the agreements are signed everyone is mentally and physically exhausted and ready for a break. The professionals (attorneys, mediators, financial planners) are used to the process and will quickly move on to another case. But the parties have been through a unique and challenging experience. They leave the room a little shell-shocked!

Read More

The Remote Divorce

July 20, 2020

Life turned upside down for many in March when COVID 19 hit us. Most of us were sent home to figure out quickly how to do our job remotely.

Read More

Home Sale Exclusion

June 8, 2020

Divorcing couples sometimes wish to hold onto the family home for at least some period of time. The most common reasons are to keep continuity in the childrens’ lives or to wait for further appreciation before selling. Tax laws give them some special opportunities to avoid taxes on the eventual sale.

Read More

Recreating a tax-deductible alimony payment

May 15, 2020

In January 2019 the tax rules around alimony were changed, such that these payments are no longer tax-deductible to the payor and are not taxable to the payee.

Read More

The New SECURE Act

February 12, 2020

In early January, President Trump signed into law the new SECURE Act (“Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement”) which has many components, several of which could impact divorces.

Read More

Special Needs Benefits

January 14, 2020

Working on a divorce in which a spouse or child has a disability can be tricky. If the disabled individual is receiving public benefits it is important to structure the divorce such that these benefits are not disqualified.

Read More

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

December 15, 2019

When you want to convey important information, a picture can sometimes be more meaningful than words. And at times of high stress, like a divorce, visuals can be especially important in helping your client make decisions.

Read More

Social Security: Will Your Client Have to Wait?

October 15, 2019

It is a good idea to revisit the subject of Social Security and divorce periodically, and looking back we see that our last newsletter on this subject was in June 2017. Time for a refresher! On this go-around, however, we will concentrate on the subject of accessibility: when is Social Security available?

Read More

Difficult Conversations

September 15, 2019

Recently Jill worked on a collaborative divorce case involving a high-earning wife and low-earning husband (we’ll call them Louise and Roger.) Roger acknowledges that he could be earning more if he went into sales, which he is good at, but it gives him no joy in life.

Read More