by rhornberger | Oct 23, 2018
When we started our Long Island Divorce and Family Law practice years ago, the question of which spouse kept the beloved dog or house cat was rarely, if ever, raised in divorce proceedings on Long Island. However, in today’s society, many people treat their pets as members of the family. In many cases pets are treated just as well and loved nearly as much as they treat and love our their own children. This is all well and good until one spouse initiates a divorce and the reality of establishing two separate households, and the fact that the beloved family pet will only reside in one of those households, kicks in. (more…)
by rhornberger | Oct 16, 2018
Can the Internet & Technology Cause the Breakdown of Your Marriage?
”The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” is a phrase most Long Islanders have heard, and at times even understood. For our purposes, the “grass” is the temptation outside of the marriage. This is an issue as old as marriage itself, however, the pervasiveness of the Internet in our lives today, including online chat forums, online gaming and Internet dating sites, multiplies the temptation opportunities immeasurably. You don’t even have to leave your house or be anywhere near the source of the temptation. It’s on your computer or traveling with you on your phone. Today’s technology allows unhappy spouses to readily seek comfort, sympathy and reassurance outside of the marriage or relationship, which heightens the sense that the grass is in fact greener online. (more…)
by rhornberger | Oct 2, 2018
As a Long Island Divorce and Family Law Attorney, I constantly meet with prospective clients seeking to reduce their child support payment. Just this week, my law firm successfully defended two separate petitions brought by fathers seeking to reduce their child support payments. In both cases, the court determined that the fathers did not prove a sufficient change in circumstances which would allow the court to reduce their child support payments. (more…)
by rhornberger | Sep 25, 2018
Many Long Island couples dealing with divorce or family law matters find that, even once they reach an agreement regarding the custody and parenting time of their children, they are still faced with difficulties in effectuating that agreement.
We have found that one of the biggest concerns of our clients, who are also parents, raise is that they feel they cannot have a civil conversation with their soon-to-be ex-spouse about their children.
Naturally, our clients get frustrated, upset and overwhelmed that they thought the hardest part of their divorce or family law matter is behind them, and it appears that it is not. As time passes and the parents’ wounds begin to heal, communication naturally gets easier, ex-spouses become less argumentative with each other and are able to co-parent more effectively.
However, before reaching that point, our clients look to us for guidance and assistance in their attempts to establish a civil relationship with their soon-to-be ex-spouse. Following are tried-and-true methods to get through this difficult period with as little conflict as possible. (more…)
by rhornberger | Sep 18, 2018
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has many implications for your Long Island divorce, as it pertains to Spousal Support (aka Alimony) and the Child Tax Credit. The new tax rules may mean you want to speed up your divorce to have it settled before the end of the year (when the new rules take effect). (more…)
by rhornberger | Sep 4, 2018
Why the Client Narrative is So Important
One of the key pieces of information your Long Island divorce attorney will need to best represent you in your divorce is known as a “Client Narrative”. Your help in providing a descriptive story of your family will prove to be invaluable to your case. Your attorney’s ability to effectively represent you depends on the information available to him or her. Therefore, in order to successfully handle the many important issues surrounding your divorce, it’s critical that you provide your attorney with a detailed history of your marriage. In doing so, you should provide the following information: (more…)
