Child support can be a touchy issue between divorced parents. While child support is designed to represent the noncustodial parent's contribution to the child's keep, the paying parent may feel like their support is really a secret benefit that's paid to their ex....
Over Three Decades Of Resolving Family Law Issues In Montana
Divorce rate trends by age group
Divorce rates are not the same for all age groups, which is one reason why applying the common "50% of marriages fail" rate to all Americans is misleading. You have to break it down by age group to really see what the divorce odds look like for any specific couple....
Could your career kill your marriage?
Is your career a marriage killer? What about your spouse's career? While job satisfaction (or the lack thereof) can definitely affect your home life in either positive or negative ways, it seems like a bit of a stretch to say that some people are "destined to divorce"...
What formula do Montana judges use to determine child support?
If you're a parent, then you're likely aware that every mom or dad in Montana must provide for the basic needs of their son or daughter. All parents must do this up unless they've lawfully relinquished their parental rights. The child support system ensures that...
Can you refuse visitation if child support goes unpaid?
Child support payments are mandated by court order, and thus they are the legal responsibility of the party ordered to pay. They are not based on either parent's desires or the interactions the two have with each other. These are debts that must be paid to give the...
Creating a functional parenting plan
In the vast majority of cases, a child will thrive when both of their parents work together in their best interests. If you are separated from the other parent of your child, it is, therefore, important that you can put your differences aside for the benefit of your...
Alimony and taxes: What do you need to know?
If your divorce was final last year or is still in process, your attorney likely has told you about the tax changes regarding alimony that were implemented with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed by Congress and signed by President Trump.There was some...
Understanding child support by agreement
Noncustodial parents who earn an income tend to have the obligation to pay some amount of child support to the custodial parent if they request it. Most of the time, the amount of child support that is owed can be calculated through a formula that is based on the...