Unallocated Family Support

Although most people are somewhat familiar with child support and alimony, there is a third category of support that you may not be familiar with.  Unallocated family support doesn’t get much attention compared to the more common forms of support. It is a combination of child support and alimony, but receives the same tax treatment of alimony. Labelling payments unallocated family…

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Are child support and alimony taxable?

  Are child support and alimony taxable? Can you deduct your support payments? The cost of child support and alimony are important elements of many Massachusetts divorce cases.  When thinking about the types of support you might receive or pay, understanding the tax implications is crucial.   For higher-income families, some divorce agreements or even temporary orders may provide…

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Medfield Summer Concerts – 2014

Medfield Summer Concerts We are big music fans at Next Phase Legal. Next Phase Legal founder, Attorney and Mediator Stephen McDonough is an experienced percussionist and performs with the Mike Tarara Band and the band Mistah Rooney. Upon opening his new family law firm in Medfield, Stephen joined MEMO, the Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization.  MEMO was founded in 1979, and consists…

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Benefits of Mediation

On our website/blog, you may have read about the benefits of mediation, much of it relating to mediation in the divorce and family law context.  But what if you are not getting divorced but need to resolve a dispute related to your business, employment, or non-profit? When a conflict goes public, it stops becoming merely a dispute between two…

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Real Estate Legal Issues

Are you involved in a “condo war” with other residents?  Resolving real estate legal issues with mediation is a smart choice on many levels. Condominiums, especially those with fewer than ten units, can become nests of difficult, stressful conflict. As unit owners come and go, it is difficult to ensure that everyone lives within the rules…

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Talking About Divorce Mediation With Your Spouse

How to Talk About Divorce With Your Spouse Congratulations!  Divorce mediation is usually a smart alternative to a high-conflict court-based divorce.  You did your homework and read about Massachusetts divorce and related issues. You even learned about the different ways to navigate the divorce process, and decided that divorce mediation is the best option. In the following article…

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Should You Discourage Litigation?

Abraham Lincoln encouraged lawyers to “discourage litigation” and to “persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser – in fees, expenses, and waste of time.”  Years of practicing law and engaging in conflicts gave Mr. Lincoln first-hand insight to the real problems associated…

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Fixed Income Attribution for Child Support

Attribution of income is a relatively common issue in Massachusetts child support cases, whether as part of your divorce or a post-divorce modification.  Besides child support cases, attribution of income can also be a factor in alimony cases.  Alimony is also known as spousal support. Attribution of income occurs when the court makes a finding that a person is…

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Divorce & College Expenses, Part One

Divorced parents paying for college? The combination of divorce and college expenses is full of potential traps. Paying for college is challenging for families under the best of circumstances.  When you add divorce into the mix, including the additional expenses of maintaining two households, budgets may stretch to the max. Now that I made you…

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Are the Child Support Guidelines Increasing Conflict?

Why do some divorcing parents handle the issues surrounding parenting in a respectful and thoughtful manner, while others adopt mean-spirited and inflexible positions?   As a Norfolk County Divorce Lawyer and Divorce Mediator, I have seen both extremes, but there is no simple answer to the question. High conflict over parenting during and after divorce is like a disease. …

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