One important thing that we know about divorce mediation in December 2018 is that we can work through the settlement issues with the knowledge of the current laws that are in effect. This includes the effect of the taxability or non-taxability of maintenance (alimony) and child support for separation and divorce agreements signed before 2019. I know general taxation principles as they apply to divorce and family law, as every experienced matrimonial lawyer and divorce mediator should. As always, however, I give a little disclaimer here and say check with your tax adviser, such as your Certified Public Accountant or tax lawyer, for tax advice as I do not give tax advice.
Sometimes things seem to wind down a little for a Law and Mediation Office as we move towards the end of the year. People tend to want to deal less with their legal issues. Less court appearances are scheduled because of the holidays, holiday parties and vacations schedules. The same is often true on the divorce mediation side of things. So why does it happen? It could be that people do not want to deal with resolving their family law issues during the holidays. People also might want to save their money to spend on gifts, trips and otherwise. At times a couple might know that they need to move on from their marriages but want to keep it peaceful with the family until after the New Year. Others might want to wait to start their new lives and new resolutions in the New Year. Interestingly, I understand that the belief that January has the highest volume of divorce filings is a myth. Maybe people start working towards that in January, or soon after, but historically, according to an article in the Atlantic, August and March apparently have the most divorce filings. Continue reading ›