Same-Sex Divorce

If you thought that the fight for same-sex marriage was difficult, now that same-sex marriage has been legalized in New York and several other states, until it is recognized by the federal government, there are going to be many complications—the most important one being divorce. New York State’s law, for example, allows same-sex marriage not […]

Spying On Your Spouse

An appeals court in New Jersey ruled in 2011 that a suspicious spouse can now legally use a GPS device to keep track of their spouse.  It ruled that secretly placing a GPS device in a family car does not constitute  “invasion of privacy.”  What next?!!!!

Credit Score

Starting July 21, 2011 as part of the broader financial regulatory overhaul, a new rule comes into effect.  If you’re turned down for a loan or don’t qualify for the best interest rate, the lender must send you a free copy of the credit score it used to make its decision. This applies to credit […]

Same-Sex Marriage

Now that same-sex marriage has gotten over a major hurdle and passed in New York State in 2011, the biggest hurdle will be getting it to become a “law of the land.” On the surface it seems that gay couples will be on even footing with heterosexual married couples—but that is not the case. Same-sex married […]

Deadbeat Husband

On February 9, 2011 Congressman Steve Cohen from Tennessee reintroduced Jane’s Law, a bipartisan measure that was crafted to close a legal loophole that enables people to avoid paying court-orderd property distributions by crossing state lines. The measure was named after Jane Maharam, who has been fighting since 1983 to force her ex-husband to return […]

The Alimony Guessing Game

The emotional costs mount for people wanting to get a divorce from an unhappy marriage.  Some people stay married indefinitely because they don’t know if a divorce will leave them with enough money to make it on their own. In marriages where domestic violence exists, some wives endure years of abuse because they can’t be sure […]

Formula for Alimony

Family Court judges have needed a formula to avoid unfair settlements, because the amounts and payment schedules are usually decided by them. Judges are on their own in deciding how to prioritize the various factors and how to translate them into dollar amounts—resulting in wildly inconsistent alimony awards. The unpredictability of alimony rules imposes unnecessary costs.  […]

Protecting Your Credit

Everyone should be proactive about monitoring their personal financial data.  Credit reports have become consumers’ passport to the financial world.  It is very important that you make sure that the information in your report—that is used to formulate your credit score—is accurate. You are entitled to one free report annually from each of the three credit bureaus—Equifax, […]