Law Offices of Sharyn T. Sooho

Articles

Rate Your Mate

Category: Before and after divorce, United States

Rate Your Mate

Rate Your Mate

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Post-Divorce Stress: Changing Custody

Category: Before and after divorce, United States

If you have children, chances are that your divorce did not bring an end to the turmoil between you and your former spouse.

As children grow, their interests and needs change, so problems arise over changes in custody and visitation.

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Psychological Testing in Custody Cases

Category: Divorce and Children, United States

If you are fighting for custody of your children, chances are you have met with at least one mental health professional for an evaluation of your parenting skills and have undergone interviews and possibly psychological testing.

One of the most popular tests, the MMPI-2 or the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was designed "to identify psychological disorders and to evaluate c

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Unemancipated Children Over 18 Years Old: Child Support in Massachusetts

Category: Family Support, Massachusetts

The terms "minor child" and "unemancipated child" are often used interchangeably, but they do have different legal meanings. The term "minor" according to Black's Law Dictionary means "an infant or person who is under the age of legal competence." In Massachusetts the "age of legal competence" is 18 years of age.

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Massachusetts Life After Divorce FAQ's - "Help! My 'ex' Won't Cooperate"

Category: Before and after divorce, Massachusetts

1) My "ex" and I have an agreement which says we share college expenses equally, but my "ex" isn't paying. File a complaint for contempt with the divorce court.

2) Do I need a lawyer? No. You can get the forms at the courthouse, fill in the information, and serve papers.

3) Whoa. That sounds complicated. Yes and no.

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Massachusetts Alimony FAQs

Category: Family Support, Massachusetts

What is alimony?

Alimony is money one spouse is ordered to pay to the other following a divorce. These days, alimony is often referred to as "spousal support," although Massachusetts law still uses the older term. 

Do divorce courts always award alimony? 

No. It depends on the financial circumstances of the spouses. 

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Measuring the Length of a Same Sex Marriage

Category: Same Sex, Massachusetts

Now that same sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, divorce lawyers are eagerly waiting for a test case defining the length of marriage between same sex spouses. This is the issue: longer marriages result in greater financial rewards for non-monied spouses. We all know same sex couples could not marry legally until May 2004, but some couples have been together many years.

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Prenuptial Agreements and Alimony Waivers

Category: Family Support, Massachusetts

Alimony was drastically limited by a prenuptial agreement in a case between Susan and Joseph DeMatteo decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 2002.

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The Seven Rules of Alimony and Taxes

Category: Divorce taxation, United States

In most cases, alimony payments are deductible to the payer (and count as income to the recipient). This can result in tax savings for both spouses. 

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Getting What You Want Out of Your Divorce

Category: Before and after divorce, United States

Although some people believe that divorce leaves one spouse a "winner" that walks away with everything and the other a “loser,” the reality is that the division of assets, rights, and responsibilities is likely to be fairly similar for both parties. As a result, it's important for divorcing spouses to establish clear priorities, and figure out what's most important.

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