Who is the “Custodial” Parent? Part 2
Tony and Mara never married. However, they lived together for a while and had a son in 2007. When they separated, their son, Alix, went to live with Mara. Tony was very successful, financially. By [...]
Who is the “Custodial” Parent?
Nowadays most couples I work with want some type of shared parenting so that each parent spends a significant amount of time with the children each week. I often see couples who divide time with [...]
How I Went from Litigator to Peacemaker
In 1996, after 16 years as a divorce attorney, I converted my divorce litigation practice to divorce mediation. In this video, I talk about the events that led me to this decision. Feel [...]
Why Mediate Your Divorce?
Just ask Joe and Suzanne This is the true story of Joe and Suzanne, who were married in 1986, separated in 2003 and were still battling in court in 2012. This is what happened. Although [...]
Emotional vs Legal Divorce
In my mediation practice I often encounter couples who arrive at my office in different places emotionally. One of them is ready to end the marriage while the other is still hoping it can be [...]
’Till Death Do Us Part?
Did you know that, under the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL), any designation of your spouse as beneficiary or any appointment of him or her as a fiduciary (executor, guardian, trustee) is revoked upon [...]
The Real Cost of an Affair
A couple of weeks ago, I helped Christine and Allen reach a settlement agreement that seemed to be very fair to each of them. The truth was that this young couple had little to divide [...]
Prenuptial Agreements – How to Protect Your Children
Many people are concerned that having a prenuptial agreement prepared prior to being married is going to create an adversarial relationship with their new spouse. However, having a prenuptial agreement prepared is probably still a [...]
Finances – What’s in Your Credit Score?
Phil Reece is a friend and a Licensed Loan Originator with Homestead Funding Corp. He recently sent me an article on credit scores and reports that I want to share since many of my clients [...]
Can You Afford to Leave?
In a recent blog I talked about a client who was worried that he would be “charged” with abandonment if he left the marital home before he had a legal separation or divorce. I outlined [...]