The valuation of real estate and other assets is an issue that arises in divorce--and it's often a contentious one. In a divorce, the Probate and Family Court judge needs a complete picture of the parties' assets and the assets' value to determine an equitable...
Arbitration is a type of alternative dispute resolution. It's a way to resolve a case outside of the litigation process. Through arbitration, a third-party neutral (the arbitrator) decides specific issues in a case, or the entire case, after considering evidence,...
A prenuptial agreement can eliminate much of the guesswork from the divorce process and save divorcing spouses time and money. Also known as an "antenuptial agreement" or a "prenup," it is a written contract engaged couples sign prior to marriage that clearly outlines...
What to do with the marital home can be a major point of contention for divorcing spouses. Some spouses decide to sell the marital home and split the proceeds. Others decide that one spouse will keep the home after the divorce and buy the other out of their interest...
Financial security in retirement takes years of planning and saving. Married couples may do this retirement planning together. Perhaps each spouse has their own retirement account or pension. Or maybe one spouse is a stay-at-home parent or cannot work. So, the couple...
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ("SJC") recently decided Cavanagh v. Cavanagh (2022). This decision has major implications for alimony and child support orders, adding more complexity for judges, attorneys, and parties. The SJC in Cavanagh made multiple...
In a previous blog post, we discussed how a spouse may hide assets and income in a divorce. If you believe your spouse is hiding assets and/or income in your divorce, there are ways you, an experienced divorce attorney, or an expert can investigate. In this article,...
Hiding assets is a hot topic in divorce. In Massachusetts, one of the court's goals in a divorce is to divide assets fairly--though not necessarily equally--between the parties. This is done through a process known as equitable distribution. The court also aims to...
An automatic restraining order is a court order that issues as a matter of course in every Massachusetts divorce or separate support case. Unlike the commonly understood meaning of a restraining order, an automatic restraining order does not have anything to do with...
In Massachusetts, new child support guidelines went into effect on October 4, 2021. Click here to tune in as our attorney team discusses some of the biggest and more interesting changes to the 2021 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines. Or, read the abbreviated...