Family Law Newsletter

Taxation of Alimony or Separate Maintenance Payments

Alimony or separate maintenance payments that are made by an obligor spouse to an obligee spouse or to a third party on behalf of the obligee are deductible from the obligor's income provided the payments are made pursuant to a written agreement that was executed after 1984 and subject to certain conditions.More...

Alimony and Spousal Support

Alimony, spousal support, or maintenance is the payment of support from one party to another in order to keep the receiving party in the lifestyle that they were accustomed to during the course of their marriage.More...

Post-Decree Modification of Child Custody

A court is guided by one principle when deciding the issue of child custody. That principle is the best interest of the child. The best interest of the child is determined by examining the child's relationship with the parents and important family members, the child's health and social development, and the child's general well-being. More...

Gifts in Contemplation of Marriage

What if a marriage between two parties never takes place? Is the donor or the giver of the gift permitted to recover the premarital gift given to the recipient, his or her future spouse? Whether or not the donor is entitled to recover the premarital gift depends upon the circumstances. If the gift was conditioned on the marriage, either explicitly or implicitly, then the donor may recover the gift depending upon the facts in the case. More...

Foster Parents

A foster parent is not required to own his or her own home in order to participate in the foster care program. The requirements for foster parenting differ from state to state. More...