Blog Posts
Child Support Offset for Social Security Disability Payments
If a parent is receiving social security retirement or disability payments, the children should also receive social security benefits directly. ...
Interest Rates on Debts and Mortgage Payments May Go Down When a Person Enters Military Service
When an obligation was incurred before entry on active duty, the interest rate goes down to 6%, unless the creditor (bank, finance company, credit...
Physical Placement is Not One Size Fits All
When clients ask me about physical placement of their children, each client’s situation must be considered and weighed on an individual basis. What...
Student Loan Forgiveness Act in Effect
Two out of three college students graduate with student loans averaging $23,000.00. The Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act gives...
Divorce in Wisconsin – A Practical Guide for Divorce
Attorney Linda S. Vanden Heuvel of Vanden Heuvel & Dineen, S.C. published Divorce in Wisconsin this month. The book is a practical...
Psychiatrist vs. Psychologist
A Psychiatrist is a medically-trained practitioner who completes the requirements for an M.D. and who typically uses medicine to target...
No to Same-Sex Marriage in Wisconsin; 19 States Allow Same-Sex Marriage
Yesterday the Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to hear a petition brought by a same-sex couple seeking to strike down the State’s constitutional ban...
Wisconsin Enacted the Wisconsin Social Media Protection Act
On April 9, 2014, Wisconsin enacted the Wisconsin Social Media Protection Act. The Act protects employees by restricting employer’s access to...
Maintenance
Maintenance, which was previously referred to as spousal support or alimony, is a payment from one spouse directly to the other. It is...
Money Talks – United States Supreme Court Strikes Down Limits on Election Spending
On April 2, 2014, the United States Supreme Court struck down a cap on the total amount one individual can contribute to Federal candidates in a two...
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
The Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center acts as a national legal resource supporting grandparents. The Grandfamilies State Law and...
Is Your Pet “Property” or a “Member of the Family?”
Even though many people treat their animals as important members of their family, when it comes to divorce, Wisconsin pets are generally considered...
Healthcare Reform–Impact on the Elderly
On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law healthcare reform. The legislation that President Obama signed addresses publicly funded...
What is gross income for child support purposes?
The child support definition generally includes all gross income from every source. Instead of arguing whether something is gross income, argue...
How Does a Court Determine if a Spouse is Entitled to Maintenance?
A court will consider the following factors to determine if a spouse is entitled to maintenance: 1. The length of the marriage. 2. The...
Domestic Partnership Registries in Wisconsin Upheld
On June 20, 2011, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Daniel R. Moeser ruled that Wis. Stat. Chapter 770, which legalized registries for same-sex...
Factors Determinative of Standard of Living
In order to ascertain maintenance, one of the criteria the court looks at is the Standard of Living of the parties while married. These criteria...
Earning Capacity and the Economy
The economy has made a determination of earning capacity a much more difficult analysis. People both in and out of the job market are being forced...
ATTENTION BUYERS AND SELLERS – WHY YOU NEED A REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY!
Real estate attorneys save you time, money, and sometimes your house. Your real estate attorney can review any part of your real estate transaction...
10 STEPS TO PREPARE FOR DIVORCE
1. The most important step in filing for divorce, annulment or legal separation is to select an experienced divorce attorney who...
If You Have Been Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence, You May be Denied the Right to Purchase a Handgun
You will be denied the right to purchase a handgun if: Wisconsin disqualifiers: 1. You have been convicted of a felony in Wisconsin or...
Wisconsin Law News: The Union Law Ruling Battle
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Wisconsin is currently up in arms over a recent union law ruling which bars unions from voting each year on...
What is the innocent spouse rule?
The IRS allows leeway when one partner in a marriage prepares joint tax returns that the other spouse signs without knowing what is actually in the...
Expungement of Court Records/CCAP
Request is being made by the Wisconsin Bar Association to provide judges with broader powers to expunge court records because the records are too...
Social Security Benefits for a Divorced Spouse
Social Security benefits may be paid to the spouse of a contributor in a divorce, after at least a ten-year marriage. Benefits are based on the...
What is the Family Medical Leave Act?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) offers employees up to 12 weeks of excused absence from their jobs each year. Employees may qualify for the FMLA...
What is a Reverse Mortgage?
1. The homeowner borrows against the equity in his/her principal residence. 2. Payment to the homeowner is received in either a lump sum on a...
What is income for child support purposes?
Gross income means all of the following: 1. Salary and wages 2. Interest and investment income 3. Social...
What are the legal rights and benefits offered by marriage?
1. File joint income taxes. 2. Create a family partnership under federal tax laws. 3. Create a marital life...
What is the Family Medical Leave Act?
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) offers employees up to 12 weeks of excused absence from their jobs each year. Employees may qualify for the FMLA...
