Massachusetts is one of a handful of states to recognize same-sex marriage. Although same-sex marriage has only been on the books for a few years, same-sex couples here and across the country are encountering some of the issues common to all married relationships when couples decide to divorce. Although some couples have resisted it, others are considering whether to create
Spouses in Massachusetts and around the country must contend with a number of issues in a divorce. While this is true of all divorcing couples, the relative weight of the issues may vary according to the couples’ age. For example, young parents will be intensely focused on child custody and support. For older couples with adult children, however, other issues
Massachusetts couples know that the Internal Revenue Code distinguishes between those who are married and those who are not. It should come as little surprise that a divorce can have significant tax implications. What can be surprising, however, is the extent of a divorce’s effect on one’s taxes. With the filing deadline approximately one month away, it is important to
In our last post, we discussed the potential for federal laws like the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to play a role in Massachusetts divorce proceedings. That law has been at the forefront of the debate regarding same-sex marriages and divorces. Recent federal court rulings are challenging the validity of the law, declaring it to be unconstitutional. In a case from the Ninth
In 2004, Massachusetts led the way in recognizing same-sex marriage equality. The issue has been in the news recently as other states have passed and considered similar laws. But couples in our state may not be aware of the complicating effect that certain laws may have on various aspects of their relationship, including divorce. One same-sex couple in another state had
Valentine’s Day came and went this week. While the champagne may be gone, the chocolates eaten and the red roses wilted, couples in Massachusetts and around the country hope that the underlying love represented by these traditional symbols endures. The numbers bear out that hope, as an estimated 4 million Americans were engaged this past Tuesday. An engagement can be
Olivia Wilde, whom Boston viewers would know from her role on the hit show “House,” eloped with an Italian prince (yes, an actual prince) when they were both 18. You might think a marriage that is so fairy-tale from the beginning like that might be destined to live happily ever after, but for Wilde, that wasn’t the case. She filed
Massachusetts recently passed the Alimony Reform Act of 2011 that, among other things, caps how long alimony payments must be made based on how long two people were married. It is a piece of legislation that has exposed a rift in the way people in our state view of marriage, divorce and alimony. Proponents of the legislation say it reflects
Katy Perry, the artist behind many songs in heavy rotation on Lexington radio stations like “The One That Got Away” and “California Gurls,” recently announced that she was separating from her husband, British comedian Russell Brand. Brand was actually the one filed for divorce after the two, who married in October 2010, had been married for about 14 months. The
We established this blog to share stories and information about topics relevant to our practice. Our intent is to highlight local stories, as well as national subject matter, that we think you will find interesting. We will regularly update this blog and encourage you to share your thoughts on these posts.
Massachusetts is one of a handful of states to recognize same-sex marriage. Although same-sex marriage has only been on the books for a few years, same-sex couples here and across the country are encountering some of the issues common to all married relationships when couples decide to divorce. Although some couples have resisted it, others are considering whether to create
Spouses in Massachusetts and around the country must contend with a number of issues in a divorce. While this is true of all divorcing couples, the relative weight of the issues may vary according to the couples’ age. For example, young parents will be intensely focused on child custody and support. For older couples with adult children, however, other issues
Massachusetts couples know that the Internal Revenue Code distinguishes between those who are married and those who are not. It should come as little surprise that a divorce can have significant tax implications. What can be surprising, however, is the extent of a divorce’s effect on one’s taxes. With the filing deadline approximately one month away, it is important to
In our last post, we discussed the potential for federal laws like the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to play a role in Massachusetts divorce proceedings. That law has been at the forefront of the debate regarding same-sex marriages and divorces. Recent federal court rulings are challenging the validity of the law, declaring it to be unconstitutional. In a case from the Ninth
In 2004, Massachusetts led the way in recognizing same-sex marriage equality. The issue has been in the news recently as other states have passed and considered similar laws. But couples in our state may not be aware of the complicating effect that certain laws may have on various aspects of their relationship, including divorce. One same-sex couple in another state had
Valentine’s Day came and went this week. While the champagne may be gone, the chocolates eaten and the red roses wilted, couples in Massachusetts and around the country hope that the underlying love represented by these traditional symbols endures. The numbers bear out that hope, as an estimated 4 million Americans were engaged this past Tuesday. An engagement can be
Olivia Wilde, whom Boston viewers would know from her role on the hit show “House,” eloped with an Italian prince (yes, an actual prince) when they were both 18. You might think a marriage that is so fairy-tale from the beginning like that might be destined to live happily ever after, but for Wilde, that wasn’t the case. She filed
Massachusetts recently passed the Alimony Reform Act of 2011 that, among other things, caps how long alimony payments must be made based on how long two people were married. It is a piece of legislation that has exposed a rift in the way people in our state view of marriage, divorce and alimony. Proponents of the legislation say it reflects
Katy Perry, the artist behind many songs in heavy rotation on Lexington radio stations like “The One That Got Away” and “California Gurls,” recently announced that she was separating from her husband, British comedian Russell Brand. Brand was actually the one filed for divorce after the two, who married in October 2010, had been married for about 14 months. The
We established this blog to share stories and information about topics relevant to our practice. Our intent is to highlight local stories, as well as national subject matter, that we think you will find interesting. We will regularly update this blog and encourage you to share your thoughts on these posts.
