If you and your spouse own a home together and now are facing a divorce, you will need to understand how to deal with your home. The decision about keeping or selling a home may be made based on multiple factors, including if you own the home jointly and if you have a...
A Distinct Approach
Firm News
Changes to law may affect federal tax treatment of alimony
As North Carolina couples navigate issues of divorce and spousal support, they may not be aware of how tax planning considerations need to enter the discussion. Forbes explains how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act modifies the federal income tax treatment of alimony or...
What is an essential element of effective co-parenting?
After a divorce, learning how to parent children with your ex-spouse may hinge on how well you communicate. Since you no longer live together, it becomes even more critical that you make every attempt to clearly and effectively discuss the lives of your children. ...
How do North Carolina courts handle same-sex divorce?
If you live in North Carolina and your same-sex marriage is ending, you may wonder whether the state’s courts handle the dissolution of gay marriages differently than heterosexual unions. North Carolina recognizes both same-sex marriage and couples’ rights to...
The signs and symptoms of parental alienation syndrome
According to Psychology Today, parental alienation syndrome — the term for which psychiatrist Dr. Richard A. Gardner first coined in 1980 — occurs when one parent attempts to turn the couple’s child against the target parent. The alienating parent may use tactics that...
What court hears child abuse cases?
Child abuse is a very serious matter. When Child Protective Services begins investigating a case, workers always focus on the child and his or her needs. If you are under investigation due to a child abuse claim, it can be very disheartening, especially if you know...
What happens when a step-parent wants custody?
Losing a spouse is one of the most challenging things a person may have to go through. In some instances, the loss may come at an even higher price. In the case of second marriages with children, a step-parent may take a healthy and active role in raising children....
What is effective co-parenting?
In previous times, it was held that in the event of a divorce young children were better off in the primary care of their mother.This is no longer the case in the modern court. In fact, the general modern consensus is that children are better off in the care of both...
How should you talk to your children about divorce?
When a couple in North Carolina decides that it is time to end a marriage, the situation becomes tricky if they have children, no matter how old they are. Kids react differently to this news depending on their age, but most fear the lack of stability and the unknown....
What should you consider legally before adopting?
Every state has different adoption laws, and North Carolina is no exception. Adding a child to a family is a big decision and it is important that you go into the process knowing what to expect. Whether you are the traditional family, a same-sex couple or grandparents...