by rhornberger | May 14, 2019
Alimony, also called “spousal maintenance” on Long Island, is a payment usually made from the higher earning spouse to the other to replace a portion of lost income until the lower earning spouse is able to financially support themselves independently. Often, one spouse will give up career opportunities while the other pursues theirs to keep the home and/or take care of children, leaving them at a distinct financial disadvantage in the event of a divorce. Spousal maintenance was originally designed to bridge that gap, and since its inception, many laws have been created to govern how and when alimony is paid and taxed. (more…)
by rhornberger | May 7, 2019
If a Long Island court orders you to be paid child support, it must be paid on time and in full according to the order. If you are a recipient of child support and your support has gone unpaid or partially paid, this post will help you understand your rights under New York law and what your next step should be. (more…)
by rhornberger | Apr 23, 2019
Child custody cases and other types of family law cases in Nassau or Suffolk on Long Island often involve a guardian ad litem, a court-appointed attorney that looks after the child. If your case does, it’s important that you understand who this person is and what role they play in a family legal case. Here’s what you need to know about guardian ad litems and what you can do to get legal help for child custody and divorce cases. (more…)
by rhornberger | Feb 26, 2019
If your ex-spouse calls Child Protective Services, or CPS, your divorce in Nassau or Suffolk County court can become exponentially more difficult. Dealing with CPS is rarely a pleasant experience and even if your ex-spouse has made false claims against you, CPS still has to do its due diligence and fully investigate the situation and ensure the safety of the children in your home environment before closing the case. CPS investigations can make you feel vulnerable. Children may not understand why you are being investigated, and it can be difficult to explain. If your ex-spouse reported you to Child Protective Services, here are the five steps you should take. (more…)
by rhornberger | Feb 19, 2019
When you’re heading into a Long Island divorce, it’s natural to feel apprehensive and unsure of what you should do next. You’re in unfamiliar territory, which can be made harder if your spouse is being difficult or is unwilling to compromise. You may be worried that you won’t get a fair divorce settlement and you’ll be left with little to nothing to start your new life with. Here are 5 effective strategies to help you present your best case for a settlement that you and your lawyer decide is appropriate. (more…)
by rhornberger | Jan 22, 2019
Once you’ve been ordered to pay child support or alimony by a Long Island court, there are very few circumstances in which you can stop or even lower your payments. One of these is if you lose your job. However, this does not mean that as soon as you lose your job that you can simply stop making child support or alimony payments — doing so could cause you a great deal of trouble. Here’s what you should do if you’re making child support or alimony payments on Long Island and lose your job or receive a reduction in salary. (more…)
