How Do Depreciation Deductions Enter into Child or Spousal Support? If you own a business or a rental property, you are probably used to taking depreciation deductions against your annual income on your federal and California state tax returns. These depreciation deductions lower your income for tax purposes. When calculating your income to
Courtroom Decorum in a Virtual World When the courts closed early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them turned to virtual platforms, such as Zoom, to conduct family law cases. Rather than a solution to an immediate problem, virtual hearings may continue to be an option for years to come. That’s not only
How Is Child Support Paid in California? In California, child support is based on each parent’s net disposable monthly income and the amount of time the child will be cared for by each parent. The court considers each parent’s income from all sources, whether or not it is reported or taxed under federal
Families and Family Law During the Pandemic: Changes from Remote Working and Learning This article first appeared in the March 2021 edition of Marin Lawyer Magazine. The pandemic and the possibility and necessity of remote working and learning have shifted family dynamics in fundamental ways. Some of these changes, such as children attending
Getting Divorced? Build Your Team Of Experts When you are getting a divorce or separating from your partner, there are numerous personal and financial decisions to make. Divorce is also a highly emotional process, especially if you have children. Building the right team of experts to advise you as you proceed will be
Thinking of Mentioning the Word Divorce? Do This First Understandably, deciding to divorce your spouse or separate from your domestic partner is an emotionally charged situation. You may feel angry, hurt and resentful. You may want to confront your spouse or partner with your decision as quickly as possible, so that you can
My Child Refuses to Be with Me and My Ex Is the Problem As mentioned in a previous post, sometimes after parents divorce or separate, their child may say they don’t want to spend time with one of their parents. It may be a temporary phase, brought on by the child’s feeling angry
My Child Refuses to Be with Me. What Can I Do? After parents divorce or separate, their child may say they don’t want to spend time with one of their parents. Their behavior may be verbal, “I don’t want to go to Dad’s house this weekend,” or nonverbal: dragging their feet when it
7 Tips for Winning Child Custody in Family Court In the state of California, any parent who files a motion to establish or modify child custody or visitation must go to Family Court Services before a judge or commissioner will hear their case. The purpose of Family Court Services is to help the
Has COVID-19 Made You Consider Divorce? Read This First: Attorneys throughout the United States are predicting a rise in divorces due to COVID-19. This prediction isn’t hard to understand. Many couples whose relationships were already strained have been quarantined together, which has magnified their issues. Getting away to have some time apart from