Child Custody Evaluations: Helpful or Harmful?

Child Custody Evaluations Tool Under Fire

Divorces can be messy – potentially even more so when children are involved.  Emotions run high and often cause rational thinking and behavior to be thrown out the window.  Because of this, the court system has different “tools” to help it determine what is in the best interest of the children when custody is at stake.

One such tool is a child custody evaluation.  These evaluations are typically conducted by a mental health provider who give the court a recommendation regarding where the children should live, parenting time, and basically an overall picture of the family dynamic as it relates to the custody case.

In theory, these evaluations should help both the parties involved and the court.  However, a recent study seems to show otherwise.

In an article published in Court Review, Dr. Ira Daniel Turkat, a licensed psychologist and family law litigation specialist, conducted what he claims to be the first known quantitative study on the detrimental effects of child custody evaluations.… View Full Article → “Child Custody Evaluations: Helpful or Harmful?”

Take the ‘Gimme’ out of Christmas!

PUBLISHERS NOTE: ‘Tis the season for me to at least think about writing a new blog article for the holidays. I have been publishing the Ohio Family Law Blog for 9 years now, so I decided to go back into the archives and read some of my past posts about the holidays. This one from December 11, 2010, caught my attention. The traditions mentioned in it have continued in our family.  The post stands the test of time (at least in my mind). So, here it is once more!

I haven’t written an article about the holiday season for the Ohio Family Law Blog for a couple of years. At that time, I mentioned that this is certainly an appropriate time to reflect upon core values as well as memories of past Christmas celebrations and traditions.

In our family, we were very involved with a Christmas project providing gifts for needy children for many years while our sons were growing up.… View Full Article → “Take the ‘Gimme’ out of Christmas!”

Divorce Rate Up for Older Women: The Financial Impact Divorcing Later in Life

The “golden years” may not be so “golden” for those couples who choose to part ways later in life.  According to researchers, even though divorce rates in general seem to be stabilizing, the divorce rate among the “baby boomer” generation continues to increase.

This trend is proving to have a disproportionately negative effect on women over 50.  Recent studies show that 1 in 5 women over 65 are still working.  This number is 2 times higher than it was in the 1980s.

Divorce Later In Life Proving Difficult Financially For Women Over 50

Compared to couples who split when they are young, divorcing later in life is proving to have severe, financial impacts on the older population, particularly women. In a recent study, Claudia Olivetti of Boston College and Dana Rotz of Mathematica Policy Research surveyed 56,000 women and found that in comparison to those who divorce at age 30, women age 50 and above are 10% more likely to be working full-time between the ages of 50-74.… View Full Article → “Divorce Rate Up for Older Women: The Financial Impact Divorcing Later in Life”

Do I Really Need a Lawyer for My Ohio Divorce?

Consultation With An Experienced Family Law Attorney Helpful When Filing for Divorce

A lot of people ask or search online for the answer to this question. No one likes to spend money for a lawyer. I have attached a link that the Montgomery County Ohio Domestic Relations Court provides to the public. It is titled The Citizen’s Guide to the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court: Domestic Relations Division.

The Guide is well written, but demonstrates the complexities of the divorce or dissolution process with all the forms and rules that must be followed.

I also came across information on this topic provided by the Legal Aid Network of Kentucky. Their guidance is on point.

Do I have to have an attorney to file for divorce?

No, you do not have to have an attorney to file a divorce, but it would be helpful. It would be easier if you have an attorney, because the attorney is familiar with the divorce laws and with the courts.… View Full Article → “Do I Really Need a Lawyer for My Ohio Divorce?”

Divorce Research Shows Children Suffer No Real, Long-Term Effects of Divorce

Important Steps Parents Can Take To Minimize Negative Side-Effects Of Divorce For Their Children

Divorce can be earth-shattering for everyone, but arguably no one suffers more than the children involved. That being said, while divorce has proven to have devastating impact on these young people at the time, some research now suggests that these children do not experience long-term side-effects.

In an article in Scientific American Mind, authors Hal Arkowitz and Scott O. Lilienfeld acknowledge that while divorce is often extremely trying for children, studies show that as these children become adults, few experience lasting, serious effects.

While the divorce is occurring, and even in the period following, it is typical for kids to experience anxiety, anger, depression, shock, etc. However, Arkowitz and Lilienfeld argue that all of these negative effects are short-lived. In support of this, they point to a study conducted by sociologist, Paul R. Amato.  Amato’s research followed kids whose parents divorced during childhood, into their adolescence and teenage years.  … View Full Article → “Divorce Research Shows Children Suffer No Real, Long-Term Effects of Divorce”

Tax Dependency Exemption: Child Support Payments & Obamacare

Effect of “Obamacare” on Tax Dependency Exemption and Required Medical Care for Separated Parents

Parents frequently complain about how their children do nothing but cost them money.   However, when it comes to taxes, children can actually save their parents some money.  Parents are able to receive certain tax deductions for medical care provided to their dependent child as well as receiving certain personal exemptions for each individual they claim as a dependent.  This has the potential to save parents thousands of dollars on their tax returns, since the exemption will reduce their taxable income by a fixed amount.  For 2016, the deduction amount ranges up to $4,050 for each exemption claimed.

For parents that are together and file their taxes jointly, there is no controversy as far as the dependency exemptions and deductions are concerned, as their child is seen as the dependent of both of them.  When parents are separated or divorced, this becomes a bigger issue since only one parent can claim a child as a dependent for tax purposes.   … View Full Article → “Tax Dependency Exemption: Child Support Payments & Obamacare”

Dissolution: Out with the Old, in with the New?

Marriage Over and Thinking Divorce? Important Information About Ohio Dissolution Proceedings

Do you and your spouse BOTH recognize that your marriage is emotionally and all but officially over? Have you been procrastinating moving forward with dissolution and terminating your marriage? Not a pleasant decision, but sometimes a necessary one. Well, there is still time to accomplish and complete that objective around the first of the year.

Ohio Law permits the filing of both divorce and dissolution actions. Before filing you really should know the basic differences. The primary distinction between divorce and dissolution is the amicable nature with fully agreed upon terms in a dissolution proceeding. In dissolution, both parties must agree to every aspect and term in the final agreement, down to the last penny. Various pleadings are prepared and signed by both parties and submitted to the Court for approval. To be clear, the FULL agreement must be negotiated and executed before filing.… View Full Article → “Dissolution: Out with the Old, in with the New?”

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