Your spouse has 40 days to respond, and how they respond (or if they respond) indicates whether or not the action will be contested. If your spouse fails to respond at all, they are in default, and you are able to proceed with the divorce without their input. Failing to respond is interpreted by the […]
Monthly Archives: May 2014
While the state has clear child support standards that apply to most families, sometimes parents earn so much money that applying a strict percentage of a parent’s income would result in unusually large child support payments that may be far beyond the actual needs of the child. In situations where one or both spouses earn […]
Domestic abuse is extremely serious, and when a victim of family violence files for divorce, it’s important that appropriate steps are taken to protect them from their spouse. Orders of Protection can be requested, which will bar your spouse from the marital residence and make them subject to arrest if they contact you directly. Domestic […]
Payment into college savings plans can be complicated by divorce. From the court’s point of view, an instrument like a 529 College Savings Plan is a marital asset subject to distribution – even though the funds are destined for your child. When developing a college savings plan as part of the divorce settlement or child […]
While adultery can destroy a marriage, in New York, it doesn’t have a big impact on the ultimate settlement, from the court’s point of view. On the other hand, in settlement negotiations, your attorney should use the fact of the adultery to push for better terms for you. In many cases, a cheating spouse feels […]
These days, nearly every type of banking and financial institution account includes an online interface for account management. Your spouse will have to provide you with the passwords for things like bank accounts, retirement accounts, brokerages, investment accounts, and more. Many people handle their bill payments online, so you’ll also want to be able to […]