In a recent case, the Massachusetts Appeals Court reviewed whether a testator may grant property while reserving to herself a power of appointment over the same property. Background: Skye v. Hession involved a testator who granted her home to her three daughters and...
Sam and Sally are going through a divorce. For years, Sam worked outside of the home while Sally stayed home to care for the couple’s children. Sam was responsible for the acquisition of most of the couple’s property. He now wonders whether the court will consider his...
Zelda and Zack have been married for ten years and are undergoing a divorce. Zack recently found out two things. First, Zelda has won a professional award which will likely allow her to increase her income substantially in the future. Second, Zelda is likely to come...
Olivia and Oscar are going through a contentious divorce in the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. They are facing issues exchanging financial information. Oscar is a partner in an accounting firm which is local and privately held. Olivia’s attorney requested...
Can alimony calculations include a spouse’s unvested stock options, even if they weren’t considered marital property in equitable distribution? The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently answered this question. In Ludwig v. Lamee-Ludwig, the Court said yes. [1]...
Darlene and Dave have been dating for a decade and cohabiting for most of that time. They bought a home a few years ago. The title was in Dave's name due to Darlene's credit history. Dave assured Darlene that they “owned the home together,” and Darlene has been...
Larry and Leah have been married for a decade, during which Leah was the main bread-winner through her job as a human resources director. Though Larry has held a string of low-paying jobs, he has not managed to hold down a job for very long, and he can’t seem to...
Ken and Kora are going through a divorce in Massachusetts. They were married for a short time. During the marriage, Ken racked up substantial credit card debt. Ken and Kora both work full-time, but Kora makes significantly less money than Ken. She worries about the...
Audra and Adam, married for fifteen years. In that time, Audra has supported Adam while he finished medical school, underwent a medical residency, and established his practice. Audra also took care of the couple’s children. The couple enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle...
Ellen and Earl have been married for over 20 years. Their age is a key factor in the divorce. During the marriage, Earl worked full-time as an engineer, while Ellen stayed home to care for the parties’ two children. Ellen finished high school. Once the kids learned to...