Tag Archives: Post-divorce issues

The Age of Over-sharing…Massachusetts Divorce and Social Media

It is hard to find someone these days who does not have a Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or Myspace account, or one of each. Actually, does anyone still use Myspace? Social media accounts are great for communicating with friends, reconnecting with old friends, and meeting new people. In fact, they are sometimes a little too effective..! Maybe you or your spouse did a little too much reconnecting? What you may not realize is that your Facebook page or Twitter account could be the evidence that is used AGAINST you in your own Massachusetts divorce.    The Age of Oversharing We share [...]

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Massachusetts Divorce & Limited Assistance Representation

Are you thinking about a Massachusetts divorce or do you have a post-divorce issue, such as a child support case before the probate and family court? Are you asking yourself these questions:  Do I really need an Attorney?  Can’t I represent myself? The short answer is, technically you are allowed to represent yourself.    Technically, you could also remove your own tonsils.   Alas, consider this quote… “A man who represents himself has a fool for a client.”  Abraham Lincoln Abe Lincoln was a wise man and of course a lawyer too!  Arguably, things have not changed much since 1865, [...]

Posted in Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Divorce Legal Information, Post-divorce Issues, The Business of Law | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Divorce and Parenting – 10 Steps to Make it Successful From Your Child’s Point of View

For children – no matter what age –  divorce can be a major source of distress.  The article below was written by Betsy Ross, an experienced therapist and divorce coach from Sharon, Massachusetts.   At The Divorce Collaborative LLC in Franklin, MA, Betsy  is frequently part of the mediation process for couples that select the firm’s comprehensive fixed-fee mediation program or a collaborative divorce.  Betsy wrote the article below from the child’s point of view –  a point of view that should be of paramount importance for divorcing or post-divorce couples.    I hope you find the article helpful, and [...]

Posted in Child Custody, Collaborative Divorce, Divorce, Divorce Health & Wellness, Divorce Mediation, Parenting, Post-divorce Issues | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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. [...]

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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 [...]

Posted in Collaborative Divorce, Divorce, Divorce Mediation, Family and Divorce Financials, Property Division | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Suggested Reads

There are two books that I  frequently suggest to clients with school-age children, so I thought it might be helpful to reference them in a short post.   An overwhelming amount of material exists on divorce, some of it good and some of it harmful.  When you do find a helpful resource, don’t foget to share it with your spouse as early in the process as possible. The first is The Good Divorce by Constance Ahrons, Ph.D.  This book provides valuable information for families making the transition from a nuclear family to a “binuclear” family that spans two households while [...]

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You Snooze – You Lose!

After your divorce, it is important to change your beneficiary information on your accounts and policies to reflect your then-current intentions, so long as you are not violating any parts of your Divorce Agreement by doing so. There is a good post about this issue by Boston Attorney Lisa Cukier, as a guest blogger on the Massachusetts Divorce Law Monitor blog.  Click here to go to the post. As pointed out in the post, language in your Divorce Agreement concerning your ex-spouse’s waiver alone will likely be ineffective, so don’t forget to update your beneficiary designations on your accounts and [...]

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