Massachusetts judges have a choice of several types of alimony they can order, depending on the purpose of it. For example, is it to give the lesser-earning spouse a chance to become financially independent or to reimburse them for sacrifices they made for the other...
Reasons a judge may consider supervised visitation
Family court judges in Massachusetts strive to order the most fair and beneficial outcomes for children involved in custody disputes. As such, they may consider supervised visitation in cases where there are concerns about the safety, well-being or development of a...
How can couples manage real property when they divorce?
Divorcing couples in Massachusetts typically need to find a fair or equitable way to divide their property. For some couples, the process is simple because most of their assets are eligible for direct division. People can split a financial account exactly in half...
3 types of documentation that may support a modification case
The custody terms set by a judge when parents litigate their divorce reflect what the judge believes would be in the best interests of the children. It is common for parents who do not receive an equal allocation of parenting time to want more. Oftentimes, they have...
Handling a co-parent who insists on outspending you at Christmas
If this is going to be your first Christmas co-parenting your children across two homes, you’ve likely been focused on working out a schedule that will allow each of you to enjoy the holiday season with them. Whether you’re still working on the details of your...
When is divorce better for the kids?
You’ll hear a lot of people say that divorce is not good for children. Maybe you’ve talked about splitting up and a friend gave you this advice. Perhaps you’ve talked to someone else who wants to get a divorce, but they told you they weren’t going to do it because...
Summer holiday woes: Handling the end of a school year
When your children are in school, it may be much easier to have them on a custody schedule. You know that they’ll be at school for a certain number of hours, so you can work or take care of other responsibilities then. You know which days work well for you and which...
Do you have the right to move with your children after divorce?
During your divorce, you may have had a plan for your children’s custody arrangements. In your mind, you might have thought that moving to a new home would be a good idea and then considered moving out of your city to be closer to family. The environment would be...
Can you change your child custody or support order?
Deciding how to split child custody and how much support one parent should pay the other for their child will be among the most contentious decisions in your divorce. It is common for parents to want to spend as much time with the children as possible and pay as...
How to handle the holiday season during your divorce with kids
Holidays are a stressful time of year for adults, even if they are something that children look forward to with enthusiasm. Parents are the ones responsible for producing holiday magic, budgeting enough to accommodate traveling and gift-giving, preparing those big...