Claiming one or more dependents on your tax return can yield significant benefits. However, sharing equal custody of your children with someone else may complicate your tax situation. Fortunately, the IRS has specific rules in the tax code to determine which parent...
There are plenty of rumors that circulate about child custody cases. Some people have heard that mothers have superior custody rights. Others have heard that fathers are always required to pay child support because mothers will always have primary custody. There can...
For most families going through the divorce process, there’s no issue more important than custody. The parent-child relationship is so important that North Carolina, like many states, has laws that protect that special relationship and seek to ensure that each parent...
Divorce isn’t easy for anyone involved. It’s a painful process, and even though it may be necessary, it’s very emotional. There are a lot of difficult transitions and changes, and this can be frustrating for everyone – especially children. Moving from one home to two...
Statistics indicate that around 40% of children in the United States are raised in a single-parent home, or divide their time between two parents, or other family members. This is no small number. Divorce isn't an easy process for anyone, and often, especially for...
Of all the issues a couple might confront during a divorce, issues involving children are often the most important. Certainly, parents want to do all that they can to support their children and help them move through the divorce process with as little stress as possible, and onto a better and brighter chapter ahead.
Creating and implementing a custody schedule is not necessarily an easy task. Nevertheless, it is one of the matters that couples confront during a divorce that is often most important to them. Most parents love their children tremendously. This means that both during...
What You Need to Know About Child Support in North Carolina Under North Carolina law, both parents certainly have the responsibility of providing support for their minor children in any number of ways – emotionally, physically, and financially. For the most part,...
Divorce means the end of a marriage, that's true. After a divorce, you'll no longer be husband and wife – but if you have children together, you'll always be mom and dad. That means that you'll be co-parenting together, even after your divorce is finalized and life...
Most parents love their children and want what’s best for them. For many parents, the role of mom or dad is the most important job they’ll ever have, and the one they care about most. As a result, it’s understandable that when going through a divorce, most parents...
While divorce may mean the end of a marriage, parenthood is forever. Although you will no longer be husband and wife, you’ll always be mom and dad. With that in mind, most parents want to know – what can we do to be the best parents that we can be throughout the...
Divorce isn’t easy. There’s no doubt about that. There’s also no question that of all the issues that a couple confronts during the divorce process, child custody is by far one of the most emotionally difficult and complex. This can be even more true when one parent...
They’re your children, so you expect that you can do whatever with them as you so choose and this includes relocating to another state. Though you may feel like this, this is not reality and this is especially so when you share children with another parent whom you...
There are few issues more important to most couples in the divorce process than those involving their children. Issues of child custody are usually first and foremost in the minds of most parents – and of course, that includes child support. What is child support? In...
Without question, child custody issues can be some of the most complicated and emotionally charged issues that any couple will face during a divorce. This only makes sense. For most parents, there is nothing more important in their lives than their children, and it is...
Under North Carolina law, both parents certainly have the responsibility of providing support for their minor children in any number of ways – emotionally, physically, and financially. For the most part, parents want to, and do try their best to provide for these...
While all of us are very different, one thing that most of can agree upon is that more than almost anything, we love our children and want to provide for them. While North Carolina law does, of course, place the responsibility on parents to provide for their...
Without question, the issue of child custody is often one of the most emotional issues that parents will have to face and resolve during the divorce process. Without question, most parents love their children and want the best for them. Determining exactly what that...
If nothing else, we love our children and will typically do anything for them. That includes, working with a co-parent that can be absolutely difficult to deal with. However, for the best interest of your child, it is important to understand the other parents needs...
School days are upon us and everyone knows that as soon as school starts up all of the holidays begin. From Labor Day, to Christmas, every month throughout the rest of the year includes a holiday that most kids are out of school for and is with one parent or the...
The short answer is, yes. Although you may have joint custody of your child, child support is an obligation that one parent will inevitably have to pay, specifically so, if one parent makes a higher income than the other or if the child is one with one parent more...
Without question, the majority of parents what the best for their children, and without question, most parents do their best each day to provide their children with what they need – not only healthy food, and medical treatment, and the necessities of everyday life,...
When you have a child with another person and there is a custody order in place, relocating may not the easiest thing for you to do. Whether it is moving that child away from the other parent, their school and friends, or other family members, relocating can prove...
Let’s face it: not everyone stays in the same place indefinitely. Depending on your life and circumstances, you may decide to move due to a change of job, to be closer to family, or even for better living standards. As if relocating isn’t an overwhelming process,...
Though there are some people who hold on to their homes forever, in today’s times, and with the rapid changes of society, forever homes do not always exist. Perhaps you find another job in another location, or realize that you need to down size your home based on your...
When you are looking to relocate and you have a child custody arrangement in place, it is important that you modify the child custody order before moving. The judge will determine whether the relocation is in the best interest of the children and if you have reviewed...
When you have a parent that is relocating with your children, you may seem lost. The fear that comes with long distance co-parenting can be overwhelming and as if it isn’t hard enough to co-parent when a child lives relatively close, it is so much harder when your...
Change is never easy, however, change is inevitable and it is important that when change occurs that can affect not only your life, but your children lives and lives of other people, it is important to make the best decisions possible. In the case of child custody and...
It is a known fact that hiring an attorney to help with your legal needs can be a costly matter depending on what you are hoping to achieve. It is also a known fact that you get what you pay for and good attorneys are not cheap. When it comes to child custody matters,...
As if relocating isn’t stressful enough, the task can become even more overwhelming when you have a custody arrangement in place. Choosing where to relocate based on a separation agreement can be a daunting task. That is why, in these circumstances, you should seek...
Divorce is certainly an important and significant life change. Often, however, the divorce itself isn’t the only change. A divorce can be one big change that leads to many others, one of which can be relocation. Often, for any number of reasons following a divorce,...
There are several reasons why a parent can decide to relocate. Though most of these reasons can result around positive changes, such as a new job, a new relationship, as well as being closer to family. However, there are times when a parent will decide to relocate due...
Whether you are a mother or a father, not having your children around every day can be overwhelming especially when you are used to seeing their smiling faces. To make matters worse, sometimes life happens at the speed of lightening that make you have to change your...
Happily ever after does not just happen to Cinderella. Happily ever after can happen to anyone, even more than once. However, when that happily ever after forces you to relocate and you have a child custody order in place then that happily ever after can soon turn...
As a nation, we have all been told over and over again, how important obtaining a good education is to your well-being and that it is in most people’s best interest to seek an education, regardless of your age, but when you add in child custody arrangements, the...
If you are like most people, you want the best opportunities possible and like most people this usually resonates in the job realm. Whether it is to receive a higher pay, better, more flexible hours or just more recognition, everyone, at some point, will search for a...
Some changes are harder than others. These changes can come in the form of trying to eat better to become a healthier you, stopping smoking, and in some cases, losing a family you thought you would always have due to divorce or breakup. However, when you add the...
Imagine: You’ve been given a job promotion that could substantially change the life of you and your children. The only problem is, you would have to relocate to another state in order for this promotion to be effective. That wouldn’t pose much of a problem if you...
When you are going through a separation or a divorce, you may feel, not only overwhelmed, but completely alone. If you have kids then you may be trying to determine what will happen with them, will you be able to support them on your own or, maybe, will they feel like...
As a parent, when you are seeking a child custody order modification due to you wanting to relocate, can seem like a big, scary experience. You may not know what to expect nor understand the different ways to make your case seem more favorable and this, alone, can...
Long distance relationships are hard. However, once that relationship is over and a child is involved it can become even more difficult to become a long distance parent. Though difficult, it is not impossible. There are ways that you can still keep a child custody...
As a parent, you love your children, and you will do anything for them. In some cases, this includes dealing with a difficult co-parent. Though this can be difficult, you recognize that your child having both parents in his or her life is of the utmost importance....
Anyone who has lived with another and have children with that person can attest to parenting and sharing a child can be difficult. This is even more true when you have to share a child outside of the same household. Having to rely on another parent that you may not...
If you have a child custody order that has been modified due to one parent needing to relocate with the child, then you already know how difficult and frustrating it can be to not see your child as often as you are used to. If this relocation has your child in another...
You and your child’s parent has decided to go your separate ways and now you are contemplating filing a child custody action. Now what? After you have decided to file a child custody action, you must file a petition with the court. Once this petition is filed,...
Divorce is difficult. There’s no secret about it – and there’s no way around it. Even in the best of circumstances, it’s an emotionally stressful time – and often some of the most emotional issues involve those pertaining to children. It only makes sense. Most parents...
There is no bond quite like the bond that children have with their parents - there are really no words that can adequately describe it. It only makes sense then, that one of the issues that parents worry about more than any other as they are contemplating or going...
As anyone who is a parent knows well, there is no joy quite like the joy that your children can bring to your life. On the flip side of that coin, there’s often no stress and worry like the stress and worry parents feel over the well-being of their children. This is...
One universal truth about parenting is this: It is challenging. It is also wonderful, and life-changing, and full of moments of pure joy – but it isn’t easy. This is true even in the most ideal of circumstances – when parents are on the same page, and living under...
As anyone who has been through adolescence knows well, it isn’t the easiest time in life – for teenagers, or for their parents. It’s a time of significant change and transition for everyone. As teenagers go through these changes and begin moving toward independence...
Without question, divorce can be difficult in any number of ways, and during the divorce process, emotions run high. Perhaps in no circumstance, however, is divorce more difficult, or more emotional than when it comes to resolving issues of child custody. Most...
Divorce is difficult enough even when it goes as smoothly as it possibly can. Even when spouses are able to get along well with one another and cooperate toward resolution of their issues, it is still a process that involves some amount of emotional and financial...
When most of us think of child support, we think of one parent paying support to the other for the children of their marriage following a divorce. And, in most situations, this is in fact the case. After all, parents have a legal duty to financially support their...
Typically, during the divorce process, custody is one of the most emotional, difficult, and potentially contentious issues that parties will have to address. After all, most people consider their children to be the most important, valuable, indispensable part of...
Relocating when having a child involved can be as easy or as hard as you and the other parent make it. And though a child custody order may be deemed as a challenge when relocating, it can actually be helpful to your situation and your child to have a sense of...