News

Alimony Modification: Second Job Excluded from Calculation

A new Massachusetts alimony case was released by the Appeals Court on December 30, 2014 and shed some light on the modification of alimony.  The Vedensky case involved a highly educated couple with significant earning capacity who divorced by agreement in 2006.   The parties’ divorce agreement had terms that included both parties waiving any right…
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Prenups: Appeals Court Reaffirms “Second Look” Requirement

On January 21, 2015, the Massachusetts Appeals Court reaffirmed the 'second look' requirement with respect to the enforcement of prenuptial agreements. In the Kelcourse case, the Appeals court reaffirmed the requirements for a prenuptial agreement to be enforceable in Massachusetts; specifically, it must have been valid when executed and must be conscionable at the time of divorce.  The…
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Filing tax returns and head of household status

Prior to your divorce becoming final, parties to a pending divorce are still considered married in the eyes of the IRS. Therefore, a divorcing couple has two options with respect to filing their income tax returns: 1) the parties can agree to file joint income tax returns; or 2) the parties must file their income…
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Try Mediation First!

If you are considering filing for divorce, you should consider engaging in mediation before filing for contested divorce.  Mediation offers a fair alternative to litigation where you and your spouse determine, with the assistance of neutral third party, custody arrangements for children, financial needs of the family, and division of assets. Mediation can significantly reduce…
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