Hartford Family Law Attorney Blog | West Hartford Divorce Lawyer

Alimony raises tax questions

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Divorce on Thursday, June 13, 2013.

Divorced spouses in Connecticut may find that alimony payments help them make ends meet during that transition between living in a family home with shared expenses and becoming independent. In fact, alimony is designed to level the financial playing field between the partners and give one partner the income to avoid a downturn in living standards. However, alimony is also taxable and must be treated as income on a federal return.

Filing a tax return after divorce can be confusing, but spouses can take some basic steps to make financial decisions easier. For example, one decision that should be made during the divorce process is which spouse will claim the children as a deduction on the income tax. It may also be beneficial to have a professional tax preparer complete the tax return, especially for the first year or two. Another helpful tip is to save 20 percent of each alimony check in a separate account to be used to pay income tax. This money can be used to make quarterly tax payments, which are due in April, July, October and January.

Prenuptial agreements help marriages begin on the right foot

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Divorce on Friday, June 7, 2013.

Prenuptial agreements are gaining in popularity among couples who are making wedding plans or even just considering the idea of marriage. Connecticut couples are joining the ranks of others across the country who are discovering that prenups are no longer considered to be cold documents that doom a marriage to failure. Quite to the contrary, prenups can actually serve to calm premarital stress by protecting assets such as a family residence or retirement account.

Why are prenups gaining in popularity? With approximately 50 percent of all marriages in the United States ending in divorce, many of today's couples are not blind to the pitfalls that often occur in marriage, including financial problems. Additionally, couples are marrying later in life than in years past, making it more likely that each party to a marriage will be bringing his or her own assets into the union. Further, many of the parties to these marriages may also bring substantial debt in the form of credit card debt, student loans and other liability accounts.

Improving economy may give Hartford couples ability to divorce

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Divorce on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

For many divorcing couples in West Hartford, the decision to dissolve a marriage was most likely not a decision that was made overnight. Although the decision to divorce is not always mutual between spouses, those who initiate a divorce usually take several months, or maybe even several years, to make the decision to file for a divorce.

Sometimes spouses think a damaged marriage will be repaired over time, and sometimes men and women are simply scared to make such a huge change in their lives. Some couples may try to work things out for the sake of their children, and some couples may put off a divorce until both spouses feel more confident in their financial situations. And according to recent reports, improvements in the economy and housing market may be giving unhappy spouses the final push they need to finally file for divorce.

Social media may affect your divorce, custody case in Connecticut

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Family Law on Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

With advancements in technology and social media, it is now easier more than ever to communicate with anyone, anywhere at anytime.

Being able to use cellphones to communicate with children has put the minds of many Connecticut parents at rest knowing that they can easily get in touch with their kids throughout the day. Employees are able to enjoy more flexibility in their work schedules by working remotely. And teens can communicate with their friends via Facebook or Twitter at all hours of the day -- and night -- without having to call friends at their homes on a landline.

However, being able to easily communicate with others via email, Facebook, Twitter or texting can also be problematic. Some employees have lost their jobs because of what employers have seen on employees' social media pages, and some individuals have had emails, text messages and pictures used against them during divorce proceedings and child custody disputes. Social media, text messages and emails may be used as evidence when resolving family law matters in Connecticut, and this evidence may have a huge impact on how disputes are handled.

Stockbrokers behind on child support have licenses suspended

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Child Support on Thursday, May 16, 2013.

When it comes to enforcing child support payments, methods may differ from state to state. Here in Connecticut, parents who are required to pay child support may be threatened with jail time if they fail to make their monthly payments. In some situations, a judge may even require parents who are ordered by the court to pay child support to get a job so that they can follow through with their legal obligations.

In other states, the courts may take other measures to enforce child support orders. For example, the Indiana Secretary of State recently suspended the professional licenses of two men who owe child support. Both men are stockbrokers, and they are now prohibited from selling securities in the state until they get caught up on their child support payments.

Jennifer Aniston decides not to sign prenup before summer wedding

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Family Law on Wednesday, May 8, 2013.

Before getting married, couples in Connecticut may consider signing a prenuptial agreement. Many folks have witnessed how messy divorces can get when couples are in the midst of dividing assets and debts during divorce. One way to avoid this type of conflict during a divorce is to sign a prenup that addresses how certain assets and properties will be divided in the event that a couple's marriage does not last.

Although prenups can be used to protect one's wealth and to minimize conflict when dissolving a marriage, it has recently been reported that actress Jennifer Aniston has chosen to not sign a prenup agreement with her fiancé, Justin Theroux. Many are surprised by this decision, especially since Aniston already knows what it is like to go through a divorce.

West Hartford parents can help their children cope with divorce

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Child Custody on Thursday, May 2, 2013.

Our West Hartford family law blog often discusses the types of challenges and issues adults may face when they choose to end their marriages in Connecticut. Divorce may occur within a few years of being married, or a divorce may happen 20 years after marriage.

Whether a marriage is short or lasts several years, divorcing couples may need to resolve property division, child custody, and child support or spousal support issues. Discussing these issues can be stressful for adults, but divorcing couples who have younger children should also make sure they remain aware of how divorce may also be affecting their children.

Divorce may certainly have a negative impact on adults, but it can also have a significant impact on children. However, researchers suggest that there are three main steps parents can take to minimize the impact of a divorce on their children. Focusing on helping their children cope with divorce may even help parents cope with divorce as well, especially as parents get used to new child custody arrangements.

A mortgage before a marriage

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Divorce on Monday, April 22, 2013.

You may not be in agreement with how your parents or grandparents did it. Studies suggest that couples these days are more likely to purchase a home together before being hitched. This philosophy differs from former, more traditional ideals of marriage.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate conducted a survey, which suggests that one-fourth of homeowners that are married purchased their homes prior to tying the knot. This is true for those aged 18 to 34. This percentage varies from couples of previous generations.

Medicine woman ends marriage after 20 years

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Divorce on Monday, April 15, 2013.

Divorce can happen to anyone. While many divorces are short-lived, some marriages last what seems to be a lifetime before they come to a close. However, even if a relationship has continued on for decades, some relationships naturally dissipate with time. This is true for civilian marriages, as well as big-star celebrity unions. For example, Jane Seymour and James Keach are getting divorced, according to recent reports.

The duo is most notably known for their work on the show "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." The couple was married in 1993 and has two children. While divorce is never easy, this particular couple is taking an amicable approach. The couple plans to continue their relationship as business partners and parents. Moreover, they continue to be mutual supporters of the various charitable endeavors that they have created and developed as a couple.

Woman drops paternity lawsuit against Michael Jordan

On behalf of Law Offices of Doris D'Ambrosio posted in Paternity on Thursday, April 11, 2013.

Last month on our Hartford family law blog, we had mentioned that a paternity lawsuit had been filed against NBA star Michael Jordan. The lawsuit was filed by a woman who claimed that Jordan was the father of her son, who is now 16 years old. The woman said that she decided to file the lawsuit requesting that Jordan take a DNA test to establish paternity so that her son could finally receive the emotional and financial support he should have from his biological father.

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Jordan requested to have the lawsuit dismissed without taking a paternity test. According to reports, the child's father is already listed on his birth certificate. The teen's mother agreed to drop the lawsuit a few weeks ago; however, she claims that she will re-file the paternity suit against Jordan once she resolves some other legal issues she failed to address before filing the suit.

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