How to Lose Custody
{2:24 minutes to read} The law with regard to custody is fairly simple to recite. A court will award custody to the parent it feels has the “best interest” of a child in mind. I [...]
Ode to Dale
My friend Dale died the other day. He was 45 years old, had a wife and a job that he loved, and suddenly he was gone. I was talking and joking around with him on [...]
Why Should a Judge “Approve” a Divorce?
Hal and Sheree had been dating for several years when they decided to get married. Neither had been married before, and they did not have any children, although they agreed they would like to someday. [...]
Still Living with Your Soon-to-Be Ex? A “Dating Agreement” Might Help
Many of my clients have been “separated” from their spouse for quite some time, even though they are not living apart. I am talking about couples who decided long ago that their marriage was over, [...]
The Affordable Care Act and Health Savings Accounts
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) may allow you to open a Health Savings Account (HSA) if you have a “high-deductible” plan. Here’s how it could work and why it might be worth considering. A Health [...]
Grandparents and Divorce
As the grandfather of four, I could not imagine my life without my grandchildren. And I believe the feeling is mutual. That is why I am saddened whenever I read a court case about a [...]
What’s in a Word?
In order to keep up with the current divorce law in New York, I subscribe to a variety of services that contain summaries of recent cases. Many of these cases involve custody of children and [...]
The Cost of a Divorce
Ending a marriage is one of the most emotionally difficult things that will happen to someone, often second only to the death of a spouse. And to make matters worse, in New York it is [...]
The “Best Possible Outcome Under the Circumstances”
When I meet with prospective clients for the first time, I almost always hear them say that all they want is a “fair” agreement. Nobody ever wants to take advantage of their spouse or achieve [...]
Why I Require Disclosure of Separate Property
Under the Equitable Distribution Law in New York, only “marital property” is distributed between spouses in the event of a divorce. Marital property is defined as any property acquired from the date of the marriage [...]