12 STEPS OF DIVORCE: Step 8 – Temporary Orders Hearing
Desdemona DeVille and Angela Aingel sat on the bench by the country club where they had just finished a less-than-heated round of tennis. The whole match, Desdemona had kept stopping play and motioning Angela to the net so she could either boast about the Motion to...
What To Do When Your Ex Won’t Let You See Your Child
When a parent won’t allow another parent to see their child in accordance with a parenting plan or custody arrangement, often the injured party doesn’t know what to do. Fortunately, there are some ways to challenge another parent not allowing you to see your child or...
12 STEPS OF DIVORCE: Step 9 – Mediation
Part One: When your know-it-all ‘friend’ tells you about how mediation is a waste of time. Art Aingel was surprised when his friend Draco DeVille invited him golfing at the country club. Art, of late, had been running around like a college kid, getting the letters...
12 STEPS OF DIVORCE: Step 10 – Parenting Plans & Separation Agreements
Walking out of the mediation session with a fully signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) tucked firmly into her canvas messenger bag, Angela Aingel felt elated that her divorce was close to finality. Of course, from deep down, she was reminded that she was divorcing...
Social Security: The End of “File and Suspend”
When spouses both receive Social Security Benefits, they have an incentive to maximize the benefit of the lower lifetime earner by allowing him or her to receive spousal benefits based on the higher lifetime earner. On the other hand, the married couple also has an...
12 STEPS OF DIVORCE: Step 11 – Witnesses, Pretrial Deadlines & Permanent Orders
Part 1 After years of marriage, Art Aingel received the call from his attorney that he was officially divorced. He had settled his case in mediation, avoiding a costly trial, and man was he relieved about that! Art called his friend Draco DeVille, who was going...
12 STEPS OF DIVORCE: Step 12 – QDROs and Other Post-Decree Issues
Angela Aingel was on the way to meet with her FINANCIAL ADVISOR and her ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY. She thought that once she settled her divorce case in mediation, she was D-O-N-E done. Not true. The attorneys and parties ended up negotiating details of the...
What to Consider About Filing for Divorce at the End of the Year
If a person is considering filing for divorce at the end of the year, there are a lot of things at stake, and sometimes a person can end up spinning in circles deciding whether to file this year or next. I always tell my clients that they should live their life first...