Episode 8 | Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: Navigating the Domestic Relations Arena
Family law cases — from divorce to custody and property division — can be stressful and costly. However, most expensive problems are preventable. By staying organized, managing emotions, communicating clearly, and following...more
Understanding the Strategic Advantages of Florida’s Reformed Family Law -If you’ve spent time wintering in Florida while maintaining ties to Pennsylvania, you’re not alone. Thousands of Americans split their time between...more
If divorce law reflects the way people live, work, and plan their futures, then 2026 is shaping up to be a year of quieter strategy and longer-term thinking. The days of reactive decisions and splashy courtroom battles are...more
For many divorce attorneys, the busy season starts after the first of the year. Since practically the inception of this blog, I have posted on the phenomenon of the New Year’s Resolution Divorce. For whatever reason, this...more
It is your first meeting with a divorce attorney. Towards the end of the meeting, the attorney recommends that you hire a financial expert to conduct an analysis that could help resolve your case. You like the idea of hiring...more
In high-net-worth (“HNW”), what you own is rarely the real battle, it’s what those assets are truly worth. HNW divorces bring unique financial and legal challenges that go far beyond traditional marital estate division....more
For many families, their home is their most valuable asset, both financially and emotionally. For families navigating a divorce, determining the future of the family home requires a careful assessment of the financial,...more
My son got married recently and shortly before the wedding, a non-lawyer friend asked me if my son and his now wife had a prenuptial agreement, that I prepared, of course. My answer was no, because I didn’t see how two...more
Planning a wedding is an exciting time filled with much joy and anticipation. Amidst the celebrations, it is easy to overlook the less romantic side of marriage; that is, the legal and financial partnership that ensues after...more
A postnuptial agreement (sometimes called a postnuptial property settlement agreement or postnuptial property division agreement) is a formal agreement entered into during marriage in order to define each spouse’s property...more
During most divorce proceedings, the legal focus tends to center on important topics such as child custody, spousal support, and the equitable distribution of marital assets....more
Private equity assets add a layer of complexity to divorce that goes beyond the standard division of bank accounts and retirement plans. These interests often involve tiered payout structures, vesting schedules, capital...more
Since Congress enacted §529 of the Internal Revenue Code in 1996 which, to over simplify things, allowed people to save tax free for college, these accounts have been a popular investment vehicle. Often they are funded by the...more
When New Jersey families face disputes involving divorce, custody or financial issues, the court system isn’t the only option, and often, it isn’t the best one. Mediation and arbitration are two private dispute-resolution...more
Divorce is emotional and sometimes those emotions can cloud your judgment and stop you from settling your case, or missing opportunities to settle your case. Divorce can also be an expensive process, and the longer it drags...more
A recent precedential Superior Court case arising out of Bucks County, Bordone v. Bordone (No. 3155 EDA 2024) addressed a rarely encountered issue in the form of annulment. The parties were married in Connecticut in 2000, but...more
For restaurant owners going through a divorce, one of the most contentious financial issues can be non-reporting income, particularly cash earnings. Courts require full financial disclosure, and failure to accurately report...more
In Massachusetts, a person contemplating filing for divorce may be confronted with the question of what will happen to their trust interests. First, a trust is a legally independent entity in which one party, the trustee,...more
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals - Watkins v. Davis - § 1983, qualified immunity - USA v. Leahy - race-based intimidation, constitutional challenge, instructions - USA v. Schmitz -search and seizure - ...more
Divorce is a scary and daunting proposition for anyone, but for stay-at-home parents, this process can be even scarier due to financial uncertainty....more
For many couples going through a divorce, the marital home is not only their most valuable asset but also their most sentimental asset. If one spouse wants to keep the home, they may need to “buy out” the other spouse’s...more
Oftentimes, inheritances are considered separate property and are not divided in divorce. That means if you received money, real estate, or other property through an inheritance that was left specifically to you, it usually...more
Divorce is never easy, but the stress escalates when marital money suddenly goes missing. If your spouse suddenly drains a joint account, buys luxury items, or spends large amounts of money without your knowledge, you...more
It’s very common in a marriage for one spouse to earn most of the income or handle all the financial decisions. But when divorce happens, the spouse who hasn’t managed the money often feels anxious or powerless. The good news...more
In a recent vlog, Xena A. Balcazar, an associate in the Elder, Matrimonial and Family Law Practice Groups at Mandelbaum Barrett PC, discusses a longstanding legal ambiguity in matrimonial law: what occurs when a spouse passes...more