Los Angeles Divorce Attorney Blog

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 16-Sep-2019

Mental Health Issues in a California Divorce

When it comes to filing for divorce, there are “mixed states” where spouses can file for divorce on fault-based grounds or no-fault grounds, and then there are “no-fault” states where spouses can only file for divorce on ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 9-Sep-2019

Filing a Military Divorce in California

For civilian marriages, the chances of a divorce are about 50 percent for a first marriage, but for military marriages, the divorce rate is said to be even higher. Why are service members at such a high risk of divorce? Much of it has to do with the ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 15-Jul-2019

Divorcing? Prepare to Change Your Estate Plan

Divorce is known for being a highly emotional event, even when it’s truly for the best. In many situations, the spouses go through major life changes. One spouse may move out. A stay at home parent or homemaker could go back to work after a ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 10-Jun-2019

What Not to Say to Your Spouse When Discussing a Divorce

For many people, it can take a long time to finally arrive at the decision to get divorced, especially when they have a lot tied to their spouse, such as a home, assets, debt, and most importantly, children. Once the decision has been made and ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 29-Apr-2019

Finances After Separation

If you’ve decided to divorce or if you’ve already separated from your spouse, it’s time to take a hard look at your finances. You want to be both smart and proactive about it because if you ignore money, you could make some costly ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 8-Apr-2019

When You Have Been Served Divorce Papers

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been served divorce papers. Now, you’re wondering what to do. If your husband or wife served divorce papers, what you received was a “ Summons and a Petition.” This makes you the ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 25-Mar-2019

Divorce Tips for Men

If you are a man, you’ve probably heard plenty of divorce war stories. You may have heard about wives who took their husbands to the cleaners, husbands who were driven to bankruptcy, and perhaps the worst, fathers who were victims of parental ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 18-Mar-2019

6 Must-Know Divorce Don'ts

Over the years, our firm has published dozens of articles on all the various things spouses can do to have a successful divorce. But if you’re like most people, you’ve heard your share of divorce horror stories. Many people can rattle off ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 11-Mar-2019

Contemplating Divorce? Here's How to Pull the Trigger

If you’re reading this, our guess is that you’re unhappily married. Perhaps someone cheated. Perhaps one of you works all the time and it caused the relationship to crumble. Perhaps you married young and you both grew up and apart. Or, ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 4-Feb-2019

Special Considerations in a CEO Divorce

Are you a CEO, or are you married to one? If your answer is “yes,” then your divorce will have special considerations, personally and professionally. Read on as we explain why the CEO divorce is unique, and why boards of directors ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 14-Jan-2019

Essential Divorce Considerations for Women

Are you seriously considering filing for divorce, or has the divorce process already begun? Either way, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to be proactive and take full responsibility for your divorce. We’re not referring to ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 10-Dec-2018

Preparing for Your January Divorce

Now that it’s almost mid-December, a lot of unhappy spouses are planning for their January divorces. In many cases, people have family vacations planned around the holidays or they just want to put their divorce off until the first of the New ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 26-Nov-2018

6 Secrets from a Divorce Lawyer

In the United States, when a couple gets married for the first time, their chances of getting a divorce are about 50%. For second and third divorces, the chances of a divorce are even greater. Not a very cheery outlook on marriage, but that ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 22-Oct-2018

How Do I Ask for Child Support in California?

The cost of living in California is expensive to say the least. If you have been raising your children on your own for some time, or if you recently broke up with your children’s other parent, it won’t be long before you realize that ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 10-Sep-2018

Can Mental Illness Hurt My Divorce?

According to the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH), “Research shows that mental illnesses are common in the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year. Estimates suggest that only half of people with mental illness ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 27-Aug-2018

The Three Divorce Dilemmas

The health and sustainability of your marriage is in question. You can run, but you can’t hide if your spouse wants a divorce. If it’s you who’s fantasizing about a divorce nonstop, you may be thinking to yourself, “Should I ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 13-Aug-2018

Changes to Spousal Support Laws

You’ve probably heard all about how spousal support is tax deductible to the paying spouse and counted as taxable income for the recipient spouse, but as of January 1, 2019, that’s all going to change. On January 1st, alimony will no ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 30-Jul-2018

My Marriage is a Sham

Merriam-Webster defines “sham” as: 1) a trick that deludes: hoax, 2) cheap falseness: hypocrisy, 3) an imitation or counterfeit purporting to be genuine, and 4) a person who shams. If any of these definitions (or all of them) describe ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 16-Jul-2018

Divorce: It's Just Business

The fear of divorce being difficult and expensive holds a lot of unhappy spouses from filing in the first place. But in reality, divorce doesn’t have to be a nightmarish process. If you take into consideration all of the couples you’ve ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 18-Jun-2018

Your Last Summer Before Divorce

California summers have a way of stirring up all kinds of thoughts and memories – hot summer days by the ocean, ice cream trucks playing music, sprinklers, pool parties, summer camping trips, vacations to the in-laws, kids sleeping in, ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 7-May-2018

3 Rules for Dating After Divorce

Marriage – the theory is that we’re in it for life, but roughly half of all first marriages end in divorce in the United States. Second and subsequent marriages have an even higher rate of divorce, which makes us ponder, “Why does ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 23-Apr-2018

9 Divorce Mistakes to Avoid Starting Now!

“Divorce is the psychological equivalent of a triple coronary bypass,” said author Mary Kay Blakely. A lot of spouses who’ve been through it would agree, not only because a failed marriage is stressful, but it’s also a ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 16-Apr-2018

FAQs About Child Support in California

If you are new to California’s child support laws, there’s probably a lot that you don’t know and this lack of knowledge gets well-meaning parents, namely non-custodial parents (the ones who pay child support), into trouble. In ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 12-Mar-2018

5 Things to Do After the Divorce is Final

You’ve been waiting for this moment for months. The second you get word that your divorce is finalized. You’ve been mentally preparing for this and now the moment is finally here – and you react differently than you expected. To ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 5-Mar-2018

Are You Crazy or Emotionally Abused?

In the fields of psychology and family law, emotional abuse has become a hot topic. “There are 3 million cases of domestic violence reported each year. Many more go unreported. Emotional abuse often precedes violence, but is rarely ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 19-Feb-2018

What Are the Benefits of Divorce?

If marriage didn’t involve so much financial entanglement, we’d probably have a lot more divorces. But – divorce is a complicated process. There are court fees, legal fees, child support, and spousal support to consider. Many would ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 22-Jan-2018

Should I File Bankruptcy Before Divorce?

It’s no secret that a lot of marriages break down because of financial problems. We’ve all heard the sad stories – a spouse has a spending problem and blows all of the couple’s money. A spouse has a gambling problem and they ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 15-Jan-2018

When Your Spouse Says 'No' to Divorce

Surely, you’ve heard people say, “My husband will never give me a divorce,” or “My wife refuses to divorce me.” Perhaps you’ve heard people say such things, or perhaps you’ve seen it on television or in the ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 4-Dec-2017

What to Do After the Divorce

Even though the divorce process is filled with what feels like a million steps, often, obtaining the divorce decree doesn’t mean it’s finally over. Usually, all of our clients have a few loose ends to tie up once the divorce is final. ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 23-Oct-2017

Less Talked About Benefits of Divorce

We’re not going to candy-coat it, getting a divorce is stressful. In fact, it may be one of the most stressful times of your life. But, like all things, divorce is temporary and eventually one day, it will be simply a memory in the past. If ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 9-Oct-2017

9 Things to Know About a Gray Divorce

If you’re a Baby Boomer, you grew up in an era when divorce was far rarer than it is today. A lot has changed since you first said your wedding vows. In the 1960s and 1970s, most women were stay-at-home mothers, but nowadays it’s ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 18-Sep-2017

Questions to Ask Yourself About Divorce

Deciding to divorce is a big ordeal; for most it’s overwhelming at first. So, if you have decided to file for divorce or if your spouse has decided to end the marriage, you’re probably wondering what you need to do to get this process ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 4-Sep-2017

Divorce & the Road to Rising Above

When you’re on the brink of divorce, it’s normal to go through the whole gamut of emotions: grief, anger, sadness, spite, and so on. The advice from well-meaning friends, family, colleagues and even strangers on the street can be just as ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 8-Aug-2017

Divorce: Should You Ditch the House?

If you’re getting a divorce and you own a home, you could have mixed emotions about the house. With California’s housing prices, the marital home can be a huge asset, but it’s also an ongoing expense – think gardening, pool ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 26-Jul-2017

Navigating a High Conflict Divorce

Many divorce attorneys will attest that a large percentage of divorces start out with pain and conflict. Regardless of the “cause” of the divorce, each spouse will point the finger at the other, blaming him or her for the demise of the ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 10-Jul-2017

Managing Your Reputation During Divorce

You could’ve been dreaming about a divorce for years, but once it becomes a reality, you’re suddenly hit with emotions you don’t know how to handle – fear, anger, sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and numbness. You may even feel ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 3-Jul-2017

Will Divorce Hurt My Credit?

It’s common knowledge that divorce can affect many aspects of a person’s life, including relationships, finances, stress, and even appetite and sleep. But, one thing that too many people fail to consider is how divorce can affect their ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 13-Jun-2017

Don'ts of Online Dating After Divorce

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), there were 813,862 divorces in the United States in 2014. That’s a lot of people untying the knot, but if your filing for divorce in the near future, ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 5-Jun-2017

Advantages of Conscious Uncoupling

“The U.S. divorce rate dropped for the third year in a row, reaching its lowest point in nearly 40 years,” reported Time Magazine on Dec. 04, 2016. Even still, when you look at your Facebook account, it may seem like your friends, family, ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 8-May-2017

3 Signs It's Time to Call it Quits

If your spouse is trying to control when you see your family, what clothes you wear, whether or not you have a job, what you eat, and even what books you read – it’s time to take a step back and assess the state of your marriage, and ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 1-May-2017

Can Antidepressants Affect Child Custody in a Divorce?

When someone is in an unhappy marriage, it’s normal for them to experience a wide range of unpleasant emotions, including anger and depression. Depression Due to a Bad Marriage Suppose you’re the one in a bad marriage and you’ve ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 24-Apr-2017

4 Ways to Find Post-Divorce Happiness

Why is it that some people move on rather quickly after a divorce, while others don’t seem to move on with their lives? This question enters the minds of many spouses as they contemplate their own divorce, hoping that they won’t fall into ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 17-Apr-2017

Google and Dating After Divorce

In today’s day and age, your online presence is important. In reality, your online presence could be viewed by your boss, co-workers, potential employers, your spouse’s divorce attorney, and post-divorce – by your potential date ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 28-Mar-2017

Getting Over Your Divorce. Yes, It's Possible!

Most people who go through a divorce will openly admit that it wasn’t easy; for some, it was downright hard, even if it was the best decision they could’ve made. When spouses divorce, they can feel like they’re losing their ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 14-Mar-2017

5 Ways to Positively Manage Your Divorce

How a spouse handles the news that their beloved husband or wife no longer wants to be married to them determines how quickly they’re able to recover emotionally and healthfully from the breakup. If you are at the beginning of a divorce ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 14-Feb-2017

How Child Custody is Determined

Whenever child custody is a topic of debate or a contested issue, several factors will be considered. If you are a parent who is going through a divorce and you have minor children with your spouse, child custody will need to be determined and ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 24-Jan-2017

What Not to Do During a Divorce

Once the holidays are over, divorce attorneys across the nation enter into the busiest divorce season of the year. January symbolizes a fresh start and with the holidays having come to an end, there is a huge spike in divorce filings across the ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 27-Dec-2016

Changing a California Divorce Agreement

If you are headed towards divorce and you and your spouse have children together, you are going to need to create a parenting plan, which outlines all matters pertaining to child custody and visitation. If you and your spouse simply can’t come ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 19-Dec-2016

How 'Bad' Behavior Impacts Divorce

Every unhappy marriage is different. Some couples argue constantly and are miserable. Other couples are calm and polite and show no outward signs of marital strain but the spouses are actually quite unhappy. As a marriage begins to unravel, often the ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 5-Dec-2016

New Year's Resolution: Divorce

In the United States, it is estimated that between 40% and 50% of all first marriages will end in divorce, and that figure goes up to 60% for second marriages. Researchers have uncovered and established some very well-known factors that contribute to ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 21-Nov-2016

Looking at Divorce and Taxes

If you’re headed for, or already going through a divorce, you already know that it’s difficult. What could add to the anxiety of gathering your financial records, dividing households, and trying to reach a marital settlement agreement? ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 14-Nov-2016

Domestic Violence & Child Custody in California

Fifty years ago, domestic violence was something that people would keep quiet about. If a man abused his wife or children and people knew about it, they would “mind their own business” because back then, spousal and child abuse were more ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 18-Oct-2016

Filing for Divorce in Los Angeles

Are you contemplating filing for divorce ? Or, has your spouse already served you divorce papers? In either case, the best way to navigate your divorce is to educate yourself on the laws so you can understand your legal rights, and so you can ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 11-Oct-2016

Advice for Divorcing Parents in Los Angeles

If you are a parent living in Los Angeles and you are getting a divorce, you will need to learn about California’s child custody and support laws. If you have not filed for divorce but you are planning to, there is no better time than now to ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 10-Jun-2016

What You Need to Know About Divorce

When you wrap up your divorce, you don’t want to say to yourself, “Hindsight is 20/20.” Instead, you want to look back with confidence and be proud about how it all worked out. If you’re contemplating a divorce, there’s ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 7-Jun-2016

Should I File for Divorce in the Summer?

If you are considering ending your marriage, there is a strong possibility that you will put some thought into the “timing” of the divorce, especially if you have children with your spouse. Do spouses try to time their divorce around ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 6-Jun-2016

How to Date in the Middle of a Divorce

When it comes to dating during a divorce, there are some people who advise against it, and then there are people who recommend it. Should YOU date during your divorce? This is a personal question that only you can answer, however, if you do decide to ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 2-Jun-2016

Gathering the Financial Documents for Divorce

Whether you intend to file for divorce, or you were recently served divorce papers, either way your divorce attorney will ask you to gather all the necessary financial documents. If you do not have a pending divorce action, but you want to file for ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 1-Jun-2016

Questions to Ask Your Divorce Attorney

Like snowflakes, no two divorces are the same. Your divorce will be very different than your sister’s, your neighbor’s, or your friend’s. While it’s certainly beneficial to listen to others’ experiences, you want to be ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 27-May-2016

4 Things Divorcing Spouses Need to Know

Ending a marriage is not something that comes easy to most people, even if it is clearly the right thing to do. Spouses are under a great deal of stress: they have to make new living arrangements, decide on a parenting schedule, gather all of their ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 26-May-2016

Help Your Divorce Attorney Help You

The relationship you have with your divorce attorney is important, especially because going through a divorce is stressful. Since your divorce lawyer has other clients, you want to do everything possible to help your attorney do their job. By helping ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 25-May-2016

One of the Smartest Pieces of Divorce Advice

As divorce attorneys, our goal is to help people have a divorce that they can feel good about after all is said and done. To accomplish this, it takes teamwork. We have found that the best way to get our clients on board is to impress upon them the ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 24-May-2016

Collecting on a Family Law Money Judgement

Has a family law money judgement been issued against your former spouse or domestic partner for something such as back child support, spousal support, or medical expenses for your children? If your spouse has not sent you the payment, you will have ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 23-May-2016

Bonding With Your Children After Divorce

If you are getting a divorce, you may not be 100% certain about how child custody will work out. If domestic violence is not an issue, will one of you have the children more than the other parent? Or, will you both share custody of the children? If ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 20-May-2016

Savvy Money Tips for Divorcing Boomers

If you are a Baby Boomer and getting a divorce, you are not alone. If you haven’t heard, gray divorce is trending. According to research from the National Center for Family & Marriage, the divorce rate for the 50 and over crowd doubled ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 17-May-2016

Divorce Provides Opportunity for Change

Many who have been through divorce will attest that it was one of the most traumatic experiences of their life. That is understandable considering married couples are admitting that they can’t make things work. Divorcing spouses are dealing ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 12-May-2016

Joint Physical Custody and Reduced Conflict

If you are getting a divorce and you have children, you will be putting a lot of thought into your child custody and visitation arrangement. You may have heard of an emerging trend where both parents share equally, or almost equally in the raising of ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 11-May-2016

Post-Divorce: Who Deducts the Children?

Once you are divorced, you will be met with new divorce-related tax issues. For example, spousal support will be tax deductible for the paying spouse and it will be counted as taxable income for the receiving spouse. But there are also the ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 10-May-2016

7 Truths About Divorce

When people walk down the aisle, they do not think they’ll one day be divorced. In the beginning of their marriage they think, “We will never get divorced,” but then something happens. Whether it’s a year-long affair, ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 6-May-2016

How to Succeed in Divorce Court

Divorce is stressful enough, especially when spouses are faced with moving, dividing assets and debts, and most importantly, child custody, but when you add in going to court – it makes it even more uncomfortable. Unless you’re an ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 5-May-2016

8 Money Tips for Divorce

When couples are headed for divorce, they are not always thinking with a clear head. Regardless of the reason for the divorce, most spouses experience a deep sense of loss. Even if you are emotionally ready to “move on” and relieved that ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 3-May-2016

Why You May Want a Postnuptial Agreement

Finding “the one,” and getting married is exciting for couples. Sometimes a prenuptial agreement is the last thing on their minds, especially when they don’t expect their wonderful relationship to ever fall apart. However, when ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 2-May-2016

3 Tips to Help Plan Ahead During a Divorce

As Los Angeles divorce attorneys, we have seen and heard it all. We’ve seen good divorces, and we’ve seen bad divorces. That said, we feel the special need to help people avoid making some of the most common divorce mistakes. Perhaps ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 27-Apr-2016

Rebuilding Your Financial Health After Divorce

If you’re going through a divorce, you’re aware of how a divorce can impact your finances tremendously. Given the fact that California is a community property state, many Californians stand to lose half of their hard-earned assets, if not ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 26-Apr-2016

Considerations for a Gray Divorce

Baby Boomers have witnessed a lot of changes over their lifetimes. They’ve lived through the 1960s and 1970s, the Vietnam War, and the rise of feminism. Unlike their parents’ generation, they have seen more and more women enter the ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 22-Apr-2016

Can I Divorce If My Spouse Says No?

If you found yourself in the situation where you want a divorce but your spouse has said something to the effect of, “I’ll never give you a divorce” then you may feel as if you have no choice but to stay in an unhappy marriage. The ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 21-Apr-2016

When Divorce is 'Better' for the Children

Most of us have been brought up to believe that it’s better to stay in an unhappy marriage for the “sake of the kids.” But the truth is, this outlook often teaches them that this is what marriage is all about, and that it’s ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 20-Apr-2016

Social Media: Divorcing With Integrity

Social media has taken the nation and the world by storm. It’s changed the way we do business, it’s changed the way we stay updated on our children’s schools, and most of all, it’s changed our personal lives. If you’re ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 19-Apr-2016

How Divorce Impacts Social Security Benefits

Are you headed for divorce ? If you have been married for nearly 10 years, you may want to give some thought as to “when” you divorce, especially if your spouse earns significantly more money than you. When couples decide to divorce, they ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 15-Apr-2016

How Divorce Can Impact Your Credit Score

Divorce can turn a person's whole life upside-down. Not only are the spouses having to pay for TWO households instead of one, the higher-earning spouse may have to come up with child support and spousal support payments. In the meantime, the ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 13-Apr-2016

A Rational Approach to Divorce

If your marriage has fallen apart and you have decided that you have no choice but to file for divorce, it’s important that you start preparing yourself mentally and financially for this life transition. When people are at the brink of divorce, ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 6-Apr-2016

What Are the Advantages of Filing Divorce First?

As a Los Angeles divorce firm, we have seen our share of clients who were blindsided when their spouses filed for divorce. Some knew that it was a matter of time, while others knew there were issues, but thought they were fixable. Whatever a ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 5-Apr-2016

Fathers' Rights in California

As recent as the 1990s, family courts across America had the tendency to prefer the mother in child custody cases. In effect, many people today still recall that as the usual way of doing things when couples battled over child custody. In the last 10 ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 29-Mar-2016

Divorce, Your House and the Mortgage

When couples seek a divorce, one of the biggest assets they have is their home. No two mortgage situations are identical, so the “right” approach for one couple may be the wrong approach for another in regards to their mortgage. If you ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 25-Mar-2016

Temporary Orders in a Family Law Case

Typically, a family law case can take months to move through the courts. But what about a divorce? If you and your spouse have decided to go your separate ways, what is supposed to happen to the kids? Who pays the hefty mortgage payment, and what ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 16-Mar-2016

Marital Fault and California Divorce

Are you considering divorce ? If so, has your spouse done something wrong, such as commit adultery, have an emotional affair on Facebook or fail to take care of the family? If your spouse has done something that society would consider deplorable, you ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 23-Feb-2016

Summary Dissolution for Domestic Partners

If you are in a domestic partnership, you may be interested in getting divorce quickly and easily through a "summary dissolution." In that case, you may not need to go to court, however, it's always in your best interests to discuss ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 5-Feb-2016

How Do Domestic Partners File Taxes?

Are you looking for information regarding domestic partnership in California? First off, you may be wondering if the legalization of same-sex marriage last year changed the rights of domestic partners. No, it did not. On June 26, 2015, in Obergefell ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 12-Jan-2016

Don't Want to Pay Spousal Support?

When people are in unhappy marriages, sometimes they hang on longer than they'd like because the "timing" just never seems right. That can especially be the case when the children are young, or when one of the spouses have spent years ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 11-Jan-2016

Do I File My Taxes as Single or Divorced?

It's officially tax season, and if your divorce was finalized in December you may be curious about how to file your taxes. For individuals whose divorce is finalized towards the end of the year, they often have questions regarding filing their ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 19-Nov-2015

Divorce, Kids & Taxes: What You Need to Know

If you're a parent whose divorce will be finalized by Dec. 31, you may have a question or two about divorce, kids and taxes. Sounds like an unusual combination, but once you're divorced, each will play a role in how your taxes are filed. We ...

Posted By Claery & Green, LLP 5-May-2015

Will I Be Responsible for My Spouse's Taxes?

When our clients file for divorce, we are often asked, "Do I have to pay my spouse's California income taxes?" When you file a joint tax return with your spouse, you are both responsible for paying the taxes, interests and penalties. If ...

Posted By Claery & Green 30-Jan-2015

Be the Best Divorced Dad You Can

There are numerous stereotypes concerning the role of fathers in divorce. Some people may believe that divorce gives fathers an excuse to spend less time with their children or that children should be left with their mothers for the most nurturing ...

Posted By Claery & Green 28-Jan-2015

5 Financial Tips for Divorce

In many cases, getting a divorce is a complicated and messy process. Even in situations where the couple is amicable and agrees to end the relationship without any hard feelings, there is still the division of property and debts, assets, and more. ...

Posted By Claery & Green 23-Jan-2015

5 Realities of Divorce

Divorce can be a hard decision for many families, especially for couples that still have a friendly relationship. Unfortunately, this leads many couples to assume that they should simply stick it out and avoid divorce, even if they are not ...

Posted By Claery & Green 22-Jan-2015

Discovering the Cost of Divorce

One of the reasons why some people may choose to delay their divorce is because of the financial toll that filing can cause. Cost of divorce is definitely a factor, but the health and happiness of an individual should be the primary motivation to ...

Posted By Claery & Green 20-Jan-2015

Things to Do Before Announcing a Divorce

January is one of the biggest months for divorce filings in the United States. Many people use the practice of making resolutions to put an end to a marriage that they are unhappy with. The stress of the holidays can convince couples that splitting ...

Posted By Claery & Green 14-Jan-2015

When Divorce Is the Right Decision

Divorce is one of the most difficult decisions many couples must make in their lives. Some couples may choose to attend therapy and counseling sessions to try to work through some of the issues they are experiencing before scheduling meetings with an ...

Posted By Claery & Green 8-Jan-2015

How to Be a Good Divorce Client

Divorce is one of the most emotionally fraught events that you may go through in your life. It is difficult, frightening, and traumatic. But at the same time, it can also be one of the best and most liberating things that anyone can do for ...

Posted By Claery & Green 23-Dec-2014

Tax Rules to Consider Post-Divorce

A divorce settlement will address property, assets, and debts and how these will be evenly divided, but what a settlement does not lay out is how your taxes will be affected by this division. Taxes need to play a considerable role in negotiating a ...

Posted By Claery & Green LLP 18-Dec-2014

5 Tips for a Cheaper Divorce

No matter how amicable the divorce may be, it is still a time consuming, messy, and complicated process to see through. Not only will all property, assets, and debts need to be re-organized and amassed accordingly, but a solid financial plan for the ...

Posted By Claery & Green 12-Dec-2014

What You Should Know About Your Divorce Attorney

Divorce is a relatively common occurrence affecting nearly half of all marriages. With such numbers, it can only be expected that divorce attorneys have seen a wide range of cases, from the mundane to the extreme. No matter what your individual case, ...

Posted By Claery & Green 19-Nov-2014

Financial Advice Following a Divorce

Following a divorce, you will likely be the only one making financial decisions for yourself and it may be overwhelming. Many people have never been in control of their own finances or have no idea what accounts they have or what bills they owe. If ...

Posted By Claery & Green 17-Nov-2014

Examine Your Fighting Style Before a Divorce

One of the things that couples should examine before making the decision to divorce is how they argue with one another. Arguing happens in any successful relationship, and does not necessarily indicate divorce is on the horizon. What may indicate a ...

Posted By Claery & Green 10-Nov-2014

What To Do When Your Spouse Doesn't Want a Divorce

When a person enters into a marriage, they likely do not think of what will happen if the marriage ends. Marriage can be great, especially when building a future with someone. While two people may enter a marriage with the same expectations about the ...

Posted By Claery & Green 31-Oct-2014

How a Pet Can Help During Divorce

When thinking about divorce, a new family pet may not come to mind, but a pet can be an immense benefit to family members in the event of a divorce. Whether a former family pet or a new addition, having a pet can help establish a sense of stability ...

Posted By Claery & Green 21-Oct-2014

Prioritizing the Needs of Children in a Divorce

One of the most important aspects of any divorce is ensuring that the children are taken care of, which includes making sure that they don't experience any blame or bad feelings as a result of the separation. This may be difficult to do, but ...

Posted By Claery & Green 26-Sep-2013

What Is a QDRO?

Qualified Domestic Relations Orders A QDRO is a qualified domestic relations order. This is an order that creates and recognizes the existence of an alternate payee's right to receive the all or a portion of benefits that were payable to the ...

Posted By Claery & Green 5-Aug-2013

Should you Return Wedding Gifts After a Divorce?

When you had your wedding, chances are that you were showered with gifts to furnish and fill your new home with your spouse. Now, if you are getting a divorce, you may be wondering what to do with all the generous presents that were given to the two ...

Posted By Claery & Green 1-Aug-2013

Choosing Hobbies for the Child as Co-Parents

When two ex-spouses are co-parenting, it can be difficult to decide on activities that the child will be involved in. For example, a mother who is very involved in musical theatre may want her children to take voice lessons and dance. Her dream may ...

Posted By Claery & Green 22-Jan-2013

Divorce, Taxes, and Child Custody Exemptions

Tax trouble? If you are in the midst of a divorce things can get complicated when filling out tax forms. It is important that parents follow the law when they claim a dependency exemption for a child following a divorce. According to the ABQ Journal, ...

Posted By Claery & Green 8-Nov-2012

Does an Engagement Ring have to be a clear Diamond?

The type of engagement ring fiancees' typically wear will vary depending upon the particular culture. Engagement rings are jewelry that illustrate that the person wearing it is going to be married in the future. In the western cultures, ...

Posted By Claery & Green 24-Aug-2012

What is a DVRO and do you Need One?

DVRO stands for Domestic Violence Restraining Order. These orders are essential if you feel threatened by your spouse or ex. According to Women’s Law, domestic violence is defined in very specific terms in California. Domestic violence can be ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 6-Aug-2010

How to Make Co-parenting Work During a Divorce

When you're going through a divorce your spouse is usually the last person that you want to be cooperative with. However, being able to effectively co-parent with your spouse is the most important part of the process for your children. Here are a ...

Posted By Claery & Hammond, LLP 1-May-2010

What You Can Do If You Are In an Abusive Relationship

If you find yourself in an abusive relationship there are a number of things you can do and s hould do. First of all, safety is of utmost concern. If you feel you are in danger of physical harm, or if you feel your children are, then this should be ...

Posted By Lance Claery 26-Oct-2009

Preparing for a Family Court Services Mediation

When child custody is an issue in your litigation you will attend a Family Court Services ("FCS") mediation (scheduled by the court) if you are litigating in California. This mediation is exclusively dedicated to your child custody issues. ...

Posted By Lance Claery 25-Oct-2009

Child Custody Move Away Requests

If you are considering moving out of the state of California with your child (a " move away " request) and the other parent does not agree, or if you are trying to prevent a move away, then a great deal of care must be taken to further your ...

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