College Costs and Child Support Part 1
{3:24 minutes to read} In my last post, I suggested that parents should mediate their divorce, and especially child support, in order to control if and how they would pay college costs for their children. [...]
Keep College Costs Out of Court
<https://burnsmediation.com/keep-college-costs-out-of-court/"> {4:18 minutes to read} Did you know that a judge can order a parent to pay some or all of the college expenses of a child? While most parents do want to help a [...]
Taking a Distribution From a Retirement Account
{3:00 minutes to read} When Charles and Lisa decided to divorce, they hired attorneys, who negotiated the terms of their agreement. As part of their settlement, Charles would receive $100,000 from Lisa’s 401(k). They had [...]
Cohabitating Instead of Getting Married? Get an Agreement First! Part 2
{3:18 minutes to read} In Part 1 of this series, I proposed that an unmarried couple enters into a cohabitation agreement if they decided to live together. In Part 2, I outline what they might [...]
Cohabitating Instead of Getting Married? Get an Agreement First! Part 1
Why You Should Have a “Cohabitation Agreement” {2:42 minutes to read} If a married couple in New York ends their relationship, the Equitable Distribution Law determines how they will divide any of the assets and [...]
Thinking a Cheating Spouse Will Get You a Better Deal Can be a Critical Mistake
{1:48 minutes to read} Many people are under the mistaken belief that they are entitled to a better financial settlement because their spouse had an affair. The reality is that even before New York adopted a [...]
Trying to Work Out a Settlement on Your Own Can be a Critical Mistake
{2:18 minutes to read} Many couples feel that they can save money by working out the terms of their settlement agreement on their own. That is rarely the case. First, most couples end their marriage [...]
Paying a Large Retainer to File a Divorce Action Can Be a Critical Mistake
{2:12 minutes to read} A retainer is an advance fee that you pay a lawyer which is in effect a down payment that will be applied toward the total fee charged. The reason why a [...]
Don’t Try This at Home! Part 2
{2:30 minutes to read} When couples come to me seeking divorce mediation, the first thing we do is meet for a consultation. This meeting is important because it gives clients a chance to meet me and [...]
Don’t Try This at Home! Part 1
{3:30 minutes to read} When I first met Hank and Wilma, Hank provided me with a 3-page typewritten summary of their “agreement.” As is my practice, I then went through the summary with them point [...]