College Expenses: The Impact Of Student Loan Debt On Your Child

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   June 8th, 2013

The ABC’s of College Loans – Plan How To Pay For College!

College tuition has risen drastically in the past 15 years.  In 1980, a public university cost around $2,000 a year for just tuition.  The average in 2010 is at $8,085 and continuing to rise at a rate of almost 4-5% a year.  With these rising costs, one would be surprised to notice the drastic increase in college applicants.  Today, nearly 1 in 3 young adults have a bachelor’s degree, and nearly 70% of young adults have some sort of college experience.  This increase in college tuition and applicants has led to a large accumulation of student loans.   Below, we’re going to take a look at some hypothetical scenarios, and some recent developments in legislation that can affect the future of new students and can have significant impacts on the choices they make.

First, we will take a look at what FAFSA is, and what it can tell you.… View Full Article → “College Expenses: The Impact Of Student Loan Debt On Your Child”

Child Abuse and the Penalties for False Reporting

By Guest Contributor, Daniel Pollack   |   May 25th, 2013

False Allegations Of Child Abuse Can End Up In Civil, Criminal, Or Juvenile Courts

The Jerry Sandusky criminal trial is over; the civil lawsuits are in active settlement mode. Undoubtedly, the entire country is more tuned into child abuse than it ever was. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that about 105 bills on the reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect have been introduced in 2012 legislative sessions in 30 states and the District of Columbia. All of them include a penalty for failing to report suspected child abuse.

Oregon is one of the states which recently enacted child abuse reporting legislation. It added to the list of mandated reporters any employee or volunteer of an organization providing child-related services or activities, any employee of a higher education institution, and any coach, assistant coach or trainer of child athletes and any individual who provides guidance, instruction or training in youth development activities and youth camps.… View Full Article → “Child Abuse and the Penalties for False Reporting”

Divorce: How Employment Affects Men’s and Women’s Decisions to Divorce

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   May 18th, 2013

Divorce, Employment And Marriage – An Analysis

Studies have often attempted to examine the intricate details of divorce by indicating what causes it, which party causes it and how can it be prevented.  Below is an analysis of the National Institution of Health’s study by Liana C.  Sayer of The Ohio State University about how the changing spectrum of society can affect marriages.  First, we’ll review two theories, then compare these and evaluate an opinion based off of these theories.

Institutional Perspective

The study on divorce and employment is broken into two theories, the first of which is considered the “Gendered Institutional” theory.  This theory seeks to classify marriage as it has been traditionally, where the male is often the breadwinner and the female is often the caretaker of the home and children. This view is often referred to as the codified version of marriage (as most states don’t allow same-sex marriage).  … View Full Article → “Divorce: How Employment Affects Men’s and Women’s Decisions to Divorce”

Computer Cybercrime Legislation: Spillover Tendencies

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   May 11th, 2013

How Computer Cyber Security Laws Can Impact Family Disputes Differently From State To State

With the recent buzz surrounding computer cyber communications and email hacking, one should be informed on the general principles and laws of their state.   These laws have come about due to the recent explosion in email hacking, bank hacking, and corporate espionage that have plagued the telecommunication industry in recent years.  An attempt to curb these crimes has led to adoption and passing of harsh penalties that accompany the acts.

The harsh penalties that accompany these laws have the capability to cause “collateral damage.”  That is, damage to individuals whom the laws are not meant to injure.  These cases, such as the ongoing case in Michigan, often involve family disputes.  Let’s take a look…

Walker v. Walker

Facts to understand:  Leon Walker began to suspect his wife of cheating on him.  Acting on this suspicion, he accessed his wife’s email without first obtaining her consent to see if his suspicions were warranted.  … View Full Article → “Computer Cybercrime Legislation: Spillover Tendencies”

Legacy Trust: A Premarital Planning Tool

By Joseph E. Balmer   |   May 4th, 2013

Estate Planning Specialist, Joseph Balmer, digs deeper into the new Ohio Legacy Trust Law Act, and reveals how it can be used as a protection tool in the area of Family Law.

Effective March 27, 2013, the Ohio Legacy Trust Act became law.  With the passage of this act, Ohio became one of 14 states to allow self-settled trusts.  Ohio also, arguably, has one of the 4 or 5 strongest legacy trust act laws with respect to protecting one’s assets against creditors.  This repeals the long held English rule that one cannot set up a trust for himself or herself and protect his/her assets against one’s potential future creditors.

In a nutshell, with a Legacy Trust, a settlor can set up an irrevocable trust with a third party as the trustee.  The unique aspect of this trust is that, generally, a settlor’s creditors cannot attach trust property, even if the settlor is a trust beneficiary (both income and principle) and has retained powers over the trust property.  … View Full Article → “Legacy Trust: A Premarital Planning Tool”

Divorce: Welcome to the Roller Coaster!

By Guest Contributor Donna F. Ferber, LPC, LADC   |   April 27th, 2013

How To Ride Out The Roller Coaster Of Emotions During The Pain Of Divorce

Nothing toys with our emotions like the break-up of a relationship. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross describes the six stages of grief as:

  1. Shock
  2. Denial
  3. Bargaining
  4. Anger
  5. Sadness
  6. Acceptance

When one is going through divorce, add another feeling: FEAR.   During divorce, it is possible to feel all of these things at the same time. This deluge of emotions can complicate how the person sees, thinks and feels about the issues thus distorting their perspective when faced with a mountain of decisions.

In contrast to the above list, here are a few more (sometimes surprising) feelings people going through divorce may experience:

  • Relief
  • Joy
  • Empowerment
  • Exhilaration
  • Freedom

“Am I going crazy? How can I feel all these things, many of them conflicting at the same time?” divorcing clients often ask. No, you are not going crazy. You are going through transition.… View Full Article → “Divorce: Welcome to the Roller Coaster!”

Divorce: Time to File Now and Attempt Negotiations Later!

By Anne Shale   |   April 20th, 2013

Four Common Reasons Why A Spouse Will Initiate A Divorce

In the arena of family law, also known as domestic relations law, there are occasions when negotiations take place with the hope that a dissolution of marriage might result or a “non-contested” divorce action might ensue.  These negotiations are intended to achieve settlement of disputed issues and to avoid the very costly and emotionally consuming action of a “contested” divorce.  But, while trying to negotiate settlement of certain issues, there are times when it becomes apparent that a divorce proceeding must be filed forthwith.  This article shall address those times when it is imperative to end negotiations and file the Complaint for Divorce.  I shall address common fact-situations that should trigger the filing of a divorce proceeding:

  1. The primary causative reason to file a Complaint for Divorce is when you have a situation with a very financially advantaged spouse (with high income) and a financially disadvantaged spouse (with little to no income).  
… View Full Article → “Divorce: Time to File Now and Attempt Negotiations Later!”
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