Author Archives: Amos Whitney
Determing the Equity in the Marital Home
In many divorce cases, one of the most valuable assets to be determined and divided is the equity developed in the marital home. For those individuals who have been making years and years of mortgage payments, a substantial amount of equity may have been acquired over time. But even those couples who have not… Read More »
Top 10 Things To Bring To The First Meeting With Your Divorce Attorney
Documents evidencing your and your spouse’s assets; such as: Bank Statements Brokerage Statements 401k, 403b, IRA, Roth-IRA, SEP-IRA, TSP, Pension Statements, FERS or CSRS Statements Bonds Mutual Fund Statements College Fund Statements Stock Option Statements Information evidencing the value of your family home, vacation home, rental properties; such as: Zillow Zestimate Values from… Read More »
QDRO—An Insurance Policy for Your Retirement Interests
Divorcing couples often assume that their house is their largest marital asset and focus their efforts on “who gets the house, do we sell the house?” In doing so, they may overlook their second largest asset, which is their retirement account (and sometimes, these accounts are actually more valuable than their house!) Most assets… Read More »
But Who Gets The Dog?
I recently had a client walk into an initial consult and tell me she was willing to give her soon-to-be-ex everything he wanted as long as she got custody of their fur-baby. The fur-baby in question was a beautiful 70 pound Goldendoodle she and her husband had adopted several years ago, during happier times…. Read More »
The Multibillion-Dollar Gates Divorce, and No Prenup
Bill and Melinda Gates decided to call it quits after 27 years of marriage. As it turns out, they didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement 27 years ago. Was this a massive blunder that could cost Bill Gates half of his fortune? Bill and Melinda have reportedly already signed a separation agreement dividing up their… Read More »
How Old Does My Child Have to be to Decide Where They Will Live?
Any attorney who regularly practices family law has heard some version of the question: how old does my child have to be to decide which parent they will live with? The answer, not surprisingly, can depend very much on the circumstances facing the particular family. Ultimately, the child’s preference is one factor in the… Read More »
A Glossary of Definitions for the 10 Most Frequently Misunderstood Maryland Family Law Terms
Incorporated But Not Merged: Maryland Attorneys often request that the Court incorporate, but not merge, an Agreement into a Court Order. The request can be made for any type of an Agreement; a Marital Settlement Agreement, a Custody Agreement, a Temporary Agreement, a Post-Nuptial Agreement, or a Child Support Agreement, for example. We do… Read More »
Meghan, Harry, and our Fascination with Gossip
It seems like all we’ve heard and talked about this last week has been Meghan Markel, Prince Harry (can we still call him a Prince?), the Queen, Princess Kate, Prince William, Diana and the rest of Buckingham Palace. What is our fascination with the drama of Britain and the figureheads that really don’t have… Read More »
How to Get the Most Out of Your Divorce/Custody Consult
If you are having a divorce or custody consult, generally your situation has already started to deteriorate. While people consult divorce attorneys at different times (just trying to learn about your rights, wanting to separate and start the process, or the process has already started and you need representation), chances are talking about the… Read More »
Can I Get a Legal Separation?
Can I get a legal separation? The short answer is “no”, but that’s because in Maryland, there is no such thing as a “legal separation”. So what constitutes a separation? You and your spouse living separate and apart with the intention of ending your marriage, and without cohabitation or sexual intercourse during that time…. Read More »
