Maintenace/Spousal Support
Ex-Wife of CEO Oil Tycoon to Appeal $1 Billion Divorce Award
On Monday November 10, 2014, Sue Ann Hamm, the ex-wife of Oklahoma oil tycoon Harold Hamm, was awarded more than $1 billion dollars as part of a divorce award. As part of the judgment, Harold was ordered to pay his ex-wife $995 million, plus their California ranch and their Oklahoma home, worth tens of millions…
Read MoreHow To Protect Your Finances During a Divorce
The divorce rate nationwide has doubled over the past 25 years and experts expect that by 2030, more than 800,000 American couples will be divorcing each year. Legal separations and divorce can be difficult on nearly every aspect of your life so it is essential to plan accordingly. The New York Times recently featured…
Read MoreNationwide Changes to Alimony Laws
The Chicago Tribune featured an article last week that detailed a bill signed into law by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie that will effectively end lifetime alimony payments to former spouses. In sum, the law will limit the required time of alimony payments to be equal to or shorter than the duration of the parties’…
Read MoreWill Fertility Be Included In Equitable Distribution?
As the medical field advances, new legal questions are posed. It is becoming increasingly popular for couples to consider various fertility options. The NY Times, in its article “Alimony for Your Eggs” considered what happens when couples who participated in fertility treatments, like freezing eggs, get divorced. New legal questions are posed as to whether…
Read MoreCalculating Spousal Support in an Unpredictable Economy
PreferencesIn a divorce the purpose of maintenance is to ensure that the non-monied spouse continues to live in the same or similar lifestyle as they did while they were married, or until the non-monied spouse can become self sufficient. But what if your spouse is used to a lavish, luxurious lifestyle and then suddenly you…
Read MoreManimony
Have you ever heard the expression “the man of the house?” This expression doesn’t mean what it once used to. Now in the 21st century where it is socially acceptable for a woman to join the work force, there is an increasing amount of women who are not only the primary caregivers in a family,…
Read MoreHow the Letters After Your Name Affect Your Divorce: Enhanced Earning Capacity in New York
A J.D., M.B.A, M.D., Ph.D, C.P.A, or L.L.M degree look great on your resume. But, are they good for your divorce? In New York, licenses obtained during the marriage are subject to equitable distribution during a divorce. In the seminal case of O’Brien v. O’Brien, where the court of appeals held that the plaintiff’s license…
Read MoreHot Off the Press: New Legislation in New York for Maintenance, Counsel Fees and Child Support
On October 12, 2010, New York’s no fault divorce law became effective. In addition to the “fault grounds” (i.e. adultery, abandonment, constructive abandonment or cruel and inhumane treatment) couples can now be divorce based on “irreconcilable differences for at least six months.” Additionally, there are three other important divorce law changes now in place. First,…
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