Massachusetts And New Hampshire Law Blog

Sex addiction and divorce

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in high net worth divorce on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Although there are many reasons why couples come to the conclusion that their marriage needs to end, a partner's unfaithfulness is responsible for many divorces. Some people may cheat on their spouse one time and deeply regret what they have done, while others may have little or no regard for their actions. Sometimes, these affairs may go on for years without the other party knowing, while other instances may involve someone being aware of their spouse's infidelity. Moreover, some people cheat on their spouse frequently as a result of sex addiction.

When someone discovers that their spouse has been unfaithful, they may be overwhelmed with negative emotions. Anger, depression and anxiety are some common emotional challenges that people face when they find themselves in this position, and sometimes the situation can be so severe that it leads to the irreparable breakdown of a marriage. If your spouse has cheated on you and you no longer want to stay in the marriage, or you have been unfaithful and your marital partner wants a divorce, it is crucial to approach the divorce process appropriately.

What determines the value of expensive paintings?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in high net worth divorce on Tuesday, February 12, 2019.

An old painting can be worth a lot of money, so if you and your spouse jointly own such a piece of art, you want to be sure how much the painting is actually worth. Massachusetts couples who end up divorcing face the thorny question of who gets the painting, and in some cases the painting ends up being sold with its value split up between the spouses. So it is a smart move to understand how paintings are evaluated.

Hobbylark says you should see if your painting is an original, as it will be worth a lot more if you own an original piece. Checking the painting with a magnifying glass to look for pencil lines under the paint or variation in brushstrokes can help tell an original work of art from a copy or a print. Still, owning a print does not automatically mean your artwork is worth a lot less. Limited editions can still be worth a lot of money.

Why insurers may lowball first offers

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in insurance disputes on Monday, February 4, 2019.

When you have auto repair or medical bills on the table, you do not want your insurer to play games while processing your claim. Unfortunately, many Massachusetts policy holders find the first settlement offer they receive is too low to adequately pay their coverage. So why do insurance companies engage in such tactics even if policy holders have made a convincing case for their claim? Sometimes insurers are purposely looking to see what their policy holders know.

Chron.com explains that following an insurance claim, it is actually probable that your insurer is going to send you a purposely low settlement offer despite the strength of your case. In many instances, insurance companies want to see if their policy holders understand what their cases are actually worth. If a policy holder accepts the offer, the holder likely did not know the true value of his or her claim. But by doing so, the policy holder ends up losing out on proper compensation.

Making it easier for family members to buy your business

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in business succession on Friday, January 25, 2019.

When preparing a business succession plan, you should keep in mind the various ways that passing your Massachusetts business from one set of owners to another may go wrong. For instance, you could plan to hand off your company to another set of owners, but may want to incorporate a way for your family members in the future to buy out the leadership regime if they wish. However, this may not be easy as you think.

According to Forbes, your business could end up growing much faster than you project it will after you leave the company. A greater profit margin would enrich the company's wealth and make the operation worth a lot more than it was when you were running it. This puts your family members in a predicament if they want to buy the company, as the increased value of the business may end up pricing the company too high for your family to pay.

Bringing civil action against financial professionals

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in civil litigation on Wednesday, January 23, 2019.

Business owners depend on various financial professionals almost every day. When this faith is misplaced, the results have the potential to be catastrophic. Luckily, business owners who want to recover some damages may have an avenue to do so under Massachusetts law.

It does not necessarily matter what type of advisor committed a negligent act. It could be either a tax preparer or a CPA, for example. The law requires nearly every person who works with a business's finances to follow a certain code of ethics, and most professionals also have legal contracts with businesses.

Your hard work should be enough to succeed

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in sexual harassment on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

If you are successful in your career, you probably work every day towards making and strengthening positive, professional connections. Sexual harassment has the potential to undermine your credibility as well as directly damage your position, should you fail to comply with demands or tolerate unwanted advances.

At Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP, we know how competitive the Massachusetts professional landscape is. We believe everyone deserves to succeed on their own virtues and strengths alone -- without the cajoling, humiliation, objectification and abuse that characterizes workplace sexual harassment.

When is it time to sue an insurance company?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in insurance disputes on Thursday, January 3, 2019.

Very few people relish the thought of going up against a Massachusetts insurance company in court. You probably know that these companies off and retain lawyers and have significant financial resources to fund legal battles. However, confronting an insurer acting in bad faith could start a process that ends with you collecting the benefits you deserve.

he would generally have several alternatives when considering the first course of action to take if you believe an insurer denied you reasonable benefits on a claim. You might pursue internal appeals if you believed in the integrity of the insurance company. Formal letters with specific articles included may also a sensible alternative.

Four things to consider during a high net worth divorce

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP on Sunday, December 23, 2018.

A divorce is a painful time. You are moving forward with a new life that you will no longer share with your soon-to-be ex. You have many things to consider, particularly if you have a substantial amount of assets. You want to get what is fair. Here are four things to think about when you are going through a high net worth divorce.

When might a forensic accountant help in a divorce case?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in high net worth divorce on Friday, December 21, 2018.

It is no secret that every Massachusetts divorce is different and that what works for one divorcing couple may not necessarily do so for the next. In other words, if you or your spouse are particularly high earners, or if one of you has an especially complicated financial profile, your divorce may take longer than one involving two low-income earners who were only married a short while.

According to Forbes, if your situation is especially financially complex, you may find it advantageous to have a forensic accountant take a good, hard look at you and your soon-to-be-former spouse's financial affairs. In doing so, he or she can make sure that both parties in the marriage are being upfront about their finances so that one of you does not end up with more than is fair after the divorce.

What exactly is civil litigation?

On behalf of Kajko, Weisman & Colasanti, LLP posted in civil litigation on Thursday, December 20, 2018.

Legal words and terms are often thrown around when people are discussing a dispute or court case, but just as often, the average person does not have a full understanding of legal definitions and the different types of dispute resolution methods, including litigation and alternative dispute resolution. If you are like many other Massachusetts residents, you might also wonder what entails a civil case.

The answer may be simple, but the details surrounding a civil case can be complex. As FindLaw explains, civil litigation pertains to business disputes or disputes that affect a personal relationship. The following examples can help you understand the issues that would go to civil court: