Practical perspectives for contemporary legal challenges.
If you live in Arizona, the answer is when they turn 18. While some states allow children of a certain age to decide who they wish to live with, Arizona does not allow for a child to make the decision, regardless of the child’s age. Accordingly, until the child turns 18, absent agreement of the …
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The length of time that a parent must pay child support, or a parent can receive child support, varies by state. So it is extremely important that one look to the applicable state’s law when addressing this issue. Tennessee’s law is similar to many other state laws. In Tennessee, as a general rule, child support …
With the 2018 deadline for filing of individual income tax returns just around the corner, taxpayers should be aware of the recent announcement by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of expanded relief from penalties for individuals whose 2018 federal income tax withholding and estimated tax payments fell short of their tax liability for the year. …
One of the most common questions I am asked is “what is the smartest thing I can do to survive my divorce and be successful in my new life?” Even though the facts of every divorce are personal and vary dramatically, there is one, simple answer to this question. Manage your expectations. It sounds easy …
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On March 28, 2019, U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced new tax legislation referred to as the Taxpayer First Act of 2019. This legislation is largely aimed at improving and modernizing the IRS as well providing taxpayers with greater protections. Highlights of the proposed bipartisan legislation include: Creating …
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You may have heard that the best interest of the minor child is used to determine parenting time for a minor child, but what does it mean to say that a court will make the decision based on the “best interest” of the child? In Arizona, the judge considers multiple factors in determining the best …
I have recently had two separate employers tell me that they wanted to stop making safe harbor matching contributions to participants in their 401(k) retirement plans in the middle of a plan year. The employers had very different reasons for wanting to eliminate their safe harbor match mid-year, but they had identical stories about what …
Divorce cases involve some of the most personal and important aspects of a person’s life. Information regarding your spouse, your children, your money, and your job are all very personal. It is only human nature to want to keep private as much information about one’s personal life as possible. It can also be embarrassing to …
Continue reading “Should I Just Tell My Lawyer What He or She Really Needs to Know?”
Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) trusts have long been a popular estate tax planning tool used to defer transfer tax to a future generation. While the estate tax exemption is at a historical high, the GST tax exempt status of existing trusts is still important when planning for a family’s overall tax situation. Trusts established by a …
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When I first heard the term “conscious uncoupling” during Gwyneth Paltrow’s divorce I thought “that’s so Hollywood”. However, the more I thought about it the more it made sense. If more divorcing parents could follow the famous couple’s lead the better their children would be. The reality in a divorce with children is that your …
Continue reading “The Best Interest of the Children: Putting the Kids First in Your Divorce”