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Tag Archives: massachusetts divorce
Tips for Surviving the Holidays During and After Divorce by Steve McDonough, Esq.
The Holiday season is upon us. Some people, like my mom for instance, love the holidays. Decorating is a multi-week process and there are so many ornaments on the tree that she and my step-father must deploy a support cable attached to a nearby wall to help hold it up. It is about what you would expect to see on a large suspension bridge. Between December 1st and the end of January (we have lots of January birthdays in the family) I estimate that my mother will host or attend (mostly host) somewhere in the area of 624 social events. [...]
Free Divorce Seminar on Wednesday, December 9 at TDC
Just a reminder that The Divorce Collaborative will be sponsoring a free seminar on Wednesday, December 9th at 7:00 pm, at our offices located at 77 Main Street, Medway, MA. For more information and to register, please visit the info box to the right. We are pleased to have Dr. Sandy Portnoy, noted divorce coach and therapist, joining us to discuss the effects of divorce on kids, among other things. The next monthly seminar date is January 6, 2010. Seminars are conducted on the 2nd wednesday each month at 7:00 pm. Please check the site for updates. Share: Recommend on [...]
Part 2 – How Much Will My Divorce Mediation Cost? by Steve McDonough
If you did not have a chance to read Part One about the range of fees for divorce mediation, please do so or be prepared to be confused. The answer is X-Rays. Yes, that is right, X-Rays. My dentist can see what is going on underneath the surface of my tooth and has a clear picture of what is involved. The roofing contractor can only see the outer layer of shingles, but cannot tell what lurks beneath the surface. Perhaps there is rotten plywood that needs replacement, or perhaps not. Either way, the roofing contractor needs to let his customers [...]
How Much Will Divorce Mediation Cost? (Part One) by Steve McDonough, Esq.
I just flew back from a conference at Walt Disney World and boy are my arms tired (please stop groaning, I know that is a very old joke)! One of the sessions was about blogging topics, and writing about frequently asked questions was encouraged. Thus, I am embarking on some blog posts that address questions that are asked, well, frequently. The answers to some FAQs may not be as straightforward as one might think or as prospective clients might desire. For example, people always ask where I get my good looks from and if I would be able to fix [...]
Plumber. Flowers. Candy-Gram.
I am a proponent of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), such as divorce mediation, the collaborative divorce process and a good old-fashioned duel with flintlock pistols. OK, I am just kidding on ADR method number three, flintlock pistols are unreliable and inaccurate. Some couples are more suited to mediation than others. When I first meet with a couple for a mediation consultation they are evaluating what I have to say and how I say it, my personality, if they like my tie, etc. Perhaps they also realize that I am evaluating them and listening for any “red flags” that signal possible [...]
Social Security and Divorce
I have received couple of questions on how divorce may affect social security benefits over the past week, so I thought a post on this topic might be helpful. First, a good point to remember is that social security is a federal system, and is thus controlled by federal regulations. Social Security benefits cannot be bargained like other assets or retirement accounts since the receipt of social security benefits, how they are paid, and to whom are all controlled by federal law. This is why you don’t see sections on social security benefits in divorce agreements. A divorced [...]
Massachusetts Alimony Virus – Still No Vaccine Available
First of all, I want to be clear that I think that there are cases that certainly call for alimony, also known as spousal support. There are also cases where our current system seems to create some unfair results. Those ordered to pay lifetime alimony might equate their situation to a having a nasty virus – it can make you feel sick and takes a long time to go away. In fact, one of the current Massachusetts alimony reform bills, HT 1785 even sounds like a new bug requiring lots of hand sanitizer. Much of this recent activity and information [...]
More on the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Issue
My last post concerning the Boston Magazine article on alimony in Massachusetts received quite a few comments. Thanks to everyone that posted on this blog and also emailed me about their own alimony experiences in Massachusetts. Many of the comments – all of which were thoughtfully written - were from folks affiliated with the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Group. From their website you can also link directly to the recent special report that Fox 25 News did about the alimony issue, and read about some “alimony horror stories” as well as review the group’s sponsored legislation regarding alimony reform, House Bill [...]
