The new tax plan passed by Congress and signed by the President in late December 2017 is affecting the lives of virtually all Americans – especially those are on the verge of, or going through, a divorce. The next tax plan makes significant changes in regard to the alimony deduction and the Child Tax Credit, though the adoption tax credit…
Congratulations – you’re about to expand your family! The decision to adopt a child is an important one, so you want to make sure you have the best attorney for your needs, to help you through the process. We have compiled these five tips for choosing the right adoption lawyer, so you know where to start and what to look…
If you go through a divorce in Tennessee, you’re probably going to have to go through mediation, first. We have found that our clients who come in with some idea of what they want the most are often more willing to negotiate with their spouses, and to give mediation the “college try,” as they say. The idea of an “ideal”…
Probate is the way in which the assets of someone who dies are passed to his/her spouse, children, and other designees, and how creditors are paid. Probate requires that a personal representative be appointed (either by a Will or by the court) to collect, account for, and distribute the decedent’s assets. Typical assets include bank accounts, homes, cars, and retirement…
If you have been separated from your spouse for so long that you no longer know where he or she lives, but you are ready to get a divorce, you can still obtain a divorce. However, we highly recommend that this not be attempted without the aid of a lawyer. If the technical requirements are not followed absolutely, the divorce…
A recent article in the New York Times showed that between January 2016 and January 2017, more than 64,000 people died as a result of an overdose. (The drug that’s pushing those numbers ever higher is fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.) In Tennessee, there are rough estimates at how many deaths illegal drugs cause each year – about 1400 in 2015,…
The legal battle for who would get primary visitation with your child was contentious and full of conflict. Now that the divorce is over and you and your co-parent must exchange the child for visitation, you have noticed a pattern of difficult experiences that you would like to put to an end. What can you do to ensure your child…
Tennessee law enforcement uses sobriety checkpoints ostensibly to enforce DUI (driving under the influence) laws, but they have created a lot of controversy because what they often end up creating a dragnet to catch drivers who might have a broken headlight, are driving without wearing a seatbelt or may have lapsed insurance. Regardless as to why they conduct them, if…
When a couple decides they want to get divorced, one of three things usually occurs. The first, where the marriage is entirely done, with no chance of resolution, leads directly to a divorce. The second involves that kind of vague space known as “separation,” which generally ends up leading to divorce as well. Finally, there are those marriages which lead…
You know when you go into the local office supply store, and there’s that section on DIY legal documents? There’s always a program or two for Wills and estate planning, and a lot of folks we know have been, well, duped into thinking that creating their own Wills is an easy process. But there is something appealing to people about…