Month: December 2020

December 2020

Holiday Break

December 17, 2020 / Doing Divorce

The pandemic has not been kind to couples. The physical, financial, emotional, mental stressors of remote working/learning/socializing is taking its toll. It is certainly taking its toll on all individuals, but for those couples who pre-pandemic were on shaky ground, the pandemic has now rocked their foundations to the core. I know this because our divorce team has been serving as the first responders to relationship damage. Our clients are crushed. Divorcing during a national crisis is not for the faint of heart. Co-parenting during COVID is a game changer parents could not have seen coming and as amplified the challenges of raising

Never Too Late

December 11, 2020 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

“Your hair’s getting long,” he said, noticing my coronavirus coiffure. Gerry has such an eye for beauty and style that the home he and Bob share was once featured on the glossy pages of the Inspired Living as one of the loveliest in the city. I held my breath, sensing he was about to be honest with me. “You look younger,” he said. I smiled. I thanked him. I didn’t tell him it wasn’t my hair. I was about to turn 65 and I was getting younger. Now there’s no denying that the laugh lines in my face have deepened in the last decade, but for years I have

Shaming or Sharing

December 4, 2020 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

“How are you?” she asked with sweet sincerity. Should I say? Should I be truthful? I pause ever so slightly. “I’m good.” I pause again. “Really good,” I say, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. This year caring inquiries have come from cousins across the country and Facebook friends not seen for years. An extrovert, I’ve lived long enough to amass an abundant army of people who want to know how I’m doing because they care. Sometimes I don’t want to share. I hesitate to tell them that this has been one of the best years of my life. Who wants to hear that? Who wants to hear my happiness when they are anxious

Holiday House

December 3, 2020 / Doing Divorce

Despite the COVID pandemic, my Thanksgiving this year was downright crowded I mused. The day included Oliver, Willie, Mac (my cats) and me, myself, and I. That got my count to my second hand at least. Big sigh. Lucky for me, I have had years – 10 to be exact – practicing solo traditions and holidays. For many of you, this was your first year feeling the sting of a family tradition jarringly altered as families chose to avoid travel, decline big gatherings indoors, and to keep risk of exposure out of our homes. If you felt the ache of

Valuing a Business in a Divorce

December 1, 2020 / Divorce Made Simple

If you or your spouse have an ownership interest in a business, that ownership interest may be considered a marital asset subject to division in your divorce. As with any asset, the first question issue that must be determined is whether (or what portion) of the business interest is martial. If the business ownership interest is marital, then you must determine what the value of the interest is. Determining the value of the ownership interest for divorce purposes can be complex. Some businesses have multiple owners with varying percentages of ownership interests. The type of business entity can also add