Sometimes Life Throws You a Curve Ball

Something happens that you never expected—sometimes life throws you a curve ball. You think that you are happily married and your sex life is great, and then you find out your spouse is having an affair—or he (or she) asks you for a divorce because he’s in love with someone else.  You feel like you’ve been […]

Domestic Violence

Too often society blames victims of domestic violence for not leaving, rather than holding the abusers responsible.  The reality is that financial dependency, concern for the children, and the fear of being pursued or even killed, can make the idea of escape seem impossible. No one deserves to be abused. Everyone should have someone to […]

Women & Children

Not every women is dying to have children and be a mommy!  According to a new study by the New York-based Center for Work-Life Policy, 43 percent of college-educated women between the ages of 33 and 46 do not have children.  This is particularly prevalent in New York City where a significant number of career women […]

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 […]

Social Media

Everyone should have learned a lesson from the Anthony Weiner debacle.  There’s no need to go into the details of the downfall of Congressman Weiner.  Google his name if you don’t know the sordid details! The Internet has completely changed any notion of privacy.  Once you publish words, photographs or videos online, they are “written in […]

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.  […]