Mom can’t move kids away without court consent
Dear Clients and Friends, A mother who wanted to move her kids 90 minutes from their father who shared joint custody, couldn’t do so...
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ronaldflate
- Mar 9, 2022
- 2 min
Spousal Support (aka Alimony) and our recent Federal tax laws
Dear Clients and Friends, The comprehensive tax law titled: TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT OF 2017 (TCJA) was passed by Congress and signed into...
ronaldflate
- Mar 2, 2022
- 2 min
Stepdad who fought for shared custody must now pay support
Dear Clients and Friends, You know the old saying, “With privileges come responsibility?” A Pennsylvania case illustrates that this is...
ronaldflate
- Feb 23, 2022
- 1 min
IRS rules if you buy real estate from a foreign owner
Dear Clients and Friends, Did you know that if you buy real estate in the U.S. from a foreign owner, you may have to withhold a chunk of...
ronaldflate
- Feb 10, 2022
- 2 min
Divorcing parents and a child's last name
Dear Clients and Friends, Couples who are separating sometimes fight over what their children's last name should be. As a general rule,...
ronaldflate
- Feb 2, 2022
- 2 min
Selling a property "as is" still requires an honest seller
Dear Clients and Friends, A buyer who discovered that her new house was contaminated with mold can sue the seller, even though the house...
ronaldflate
- Jan 27, 2022
- 1 min
Naming a guardian for your children
Dear Clients and Friends, Resist the urge to avoid naming a guardian as part of your estate plan simply because it’s not easy to imagine...
ronaldflate
- Jan 20, 2022
- 3 min
Protection for unmarried parents in California
Dear Clients and Friends, Every family faces diverse challenges, even in sunny California. When unmarried parents in California separate,...
ronaldflate
- Jan 12, 2022
- 2 min
Leaving kids with grandparents can result in lost parental rights
Dear Clients and Friends, A state appeals court recently decided that a mother who left her children with a grandparent for several years...
ronaldflate
- Jan 6, 2022
- 2 min
When you should mediate a legal dispute
Dear Clients and Friends, One may voluntarily agree or be required (because of your contract or a court order) to participate in a...
ronaldflate
- Dec 30, 2021
- 2 min
Divorce and the child tax credit
Dear Clients and Friends, As part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, Congress provided families with a $3,000 tax credit per...
ronaldflate
- Dec 23, 2021
- 2 min
Legal marijuana use can still have custody implications
Dear Clients and Friends, As more and more states have decriminalized marijuana use, an increasing number of parents have opted to...
ronaldflate
- Dec 15, 2021
- 2 min
Custody disputes and your child's best interests
Dear Clients and Friends, When a Family Law Judicial Officer in California evaluates a custody case, he must consider the best interests...
ronaldflate
- Dec 7, 2021
- 2 min
CA law on gifting property away to avoid creditor claims
Dear Clients and Friends, The California Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (UFTA) prohibits debtors from transferring or placing property...
ronaldflate
- Dec 1, 2021
- 1 min
Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) in California
Dear Clients and Friends, A QDRO is a special type of court order that divides certain retirement plan benefits in a divorce. A QDRO is...
ronaldflate
- Nov 24, 2021
- 1 min
What if I can't pay the mortgage on a home my parents left me?
Dear Clients and Friends If you inherit a mortgaged home, you're not obligated to pay it. When inheritors of mortgaged homes can't pay...
ronaldflate
- Nov 17, 2021
- 3 min
Preventing a trust or will contest
Dear Clients and Friends, When you write a testamentary document (a trust or a will), you have control over how your assets will be...
ronaldflate
- Nov 10, 2021
- 3 min
Relocating with kids after divorce
Dear Clients and Friends, How hard would it be for you, as a divorced parent, to relocate with your children? In some states, a parent...
ronaldflate
- Nov 3, 2021
- 2 min
Court may award ‘grandparenting’ time in some cases
Dear Clients and Friends, Historically, grandparents had no right to demand visitation with their grandchildren in the event of the...
ronaldflate
- Oct 27, 2021
- 3 min
Take the time to update your estate planning document
Dear Clients and Friends, By some accounts, 70% of adult Americans do not have any formal estate planning documentation - such as a Will...
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