In my previous blog post, I discussed the same-sex marriage federal benefits conundrum as receipt of federal benefits fall under two different standards: "place of residence" and "place of celebration." As further illustration, let us examine "place of residence" and...
Mediating Conflict,
Embracing Peace
Year: 2013
Same-sex marriage: federal standards for benefits after DOMA
In Unites States v. Windsor, the US Supreme Court repealed Section 3, of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This historic decision results in federal recognition of same-sex civil unions and the attendant federal benefits that flow from that valid union. But the...
Federal benefits for same-sex marriages now that DOMA is repealed
Under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), gay couples who were legally married in their states were not considered married in the eyes of the federal government and were ineligible for federal benefits that come with marriage. The repeal of DOMA, Section 3, means that...
US Supreme Court recognizes gay marriages
The title may be catchy, but the short answer is yes and no. Yes. The Supreme Court's ruling allows state same-sex marriages federal government benefits previously denied to these unions. This affects federal benefits for tax, retirement, estate, immigration and...
Divorce – introducing a new love interest to the children
If you are going through a divorce or recently had your marriage dissolved, you may want to slow down on introducing the kids to your new love. There are several reasons why putting the brakes on a new relationship and taking things slow is ideal. First, divorce can...
Parenting plan and summer break
If you are in a child custody dispute, either you are in the process of preparing a parenting plan or you already have one entered. Either way, as summer is the time when people typically take vacations with their children, your parenting plan should address the...
Co-Parenting why you should acknowledge your ex on Father’s Day
I imagine you are thinking since you are no longer together, shrugging off Father's Day seems like a no brainer. But an end in a relationship does not signal the end of your co-parenting duties with your ex. Like it or not, co-parenting means you should acknowledge...
Co-Parenting when your ex bad-mouths you in front of the kids
Co-Parenting is difficult. Emotions run high when parties separate, especially if they are involved in a child custody dispute through a divorce or parentage action. When a relationship ends, hurt feelings about the other parent can trickle down to the kids....
Child custody – are your children safe?
I had a dream that made me think about child custody issues. I went to pick up the kids and they were not where they were supposed to be. My family members and I searched frantically through the night driving to different places where we thought they might be. It was...