Legal Information
Alimony and Property Division
Annulment
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Automatic Financial Restraining Order
Bankruptcy and Divorce
Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency and Divorce
Child Abuse (Reporting)
Child Custody and Child Support
Child Support Guidelines
College (Financial Aid and Divorce)
Depositions – Tips for Clients
Divorce Process
Domestic Violence
Do it Yourself Divorce: Don’t Do it
Eavesdropping / Wiretap
Estate Planning, Divorce, and Separation
Evidence
Grandparent Visitation
Guardian Ad Litem
Hague Convention on International Abduction
Health Insurance
Hiding Assets in Divorce
International Divorce: Divorce Laws from Around the World
Jewish Divorce: The Get
Mandatory Self-Disclosure
Mediation
Medicaid Planning and Divorce
No Fault Divorce
Parenting Coordinator
Parent Education Program Standing Order
Prenuptial Agreements
Professional Conduct (Attorneys)
Property Division (Conduct of the Parties)
Removal of Children Outside Massachusetts
Retirement
Shared Parenting
Social Security and Divorce
Taxes
Travel with Children Outside United States
Trusts and Inheritances in Divorce
Uncooperative Spouse
Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA)
Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)
Uniform Probate Code
Uniform Trust Code
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Alimony and Property Division
G.L. c.208 s.34
Alimony Reform Law
G.L. c.208 s.48
G.L. c.208 s.49
G.L. c.208 s.50
G.L. c.208 s.51
G.L. c.208 s.52
G.L. c.208 s.53
G.L. c.208 s.54
Alimony Reform Act (includes uncodified sections)
Alimony (Temporary Award)
G.L. c. 208 s.17
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Annulment
Grounds for Annulment
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Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Custody Disputes Over Frozen Embryos in Massachusetts
A.Z. v. B.Z.
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Automatic Financial Restraining Order
Rule 411
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Bankruptcy and Divorce
Shayna M. Steifeld and Dana Prescott, “After Brenda and Eddie Divorce, Eddie Files for Bankruptcy: The Unusual Life of Defalcation under BAPCPA,” 25 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 67 (2012)
Helen Casale, Jennie Riemer, Shayna Steinfeld, “Set, Match: The Ex-Spouse Nearly Always Wins When Bankruptcy and Divorce Collide—What Can Be Done?,” American Bar Association Section of Family Law Spring CLE Conference (2014)
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Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency and Divorce
“Bitcoin Bitterness Starts to Make Messy Divorces Even Worse,” Hannah George, Bloomberg News (2018) (Jonathan Fields quoted)
Cryptocurrency and Divorce: A Primer
IRS Notice 2014-21: Virtual Currency Guidance
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Child Abuse (Reporting)
G.L. c.119 s.51A
G.L. c.119 s.51B
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Child Custody and Child Support
G.L. c.208 s.28
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Child Support Guidelines
Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Amended 2018) — works only with Internet Explorer
Child Support Guidelines (Amended 2018)
Memorandum Regarding Amendment to Child Support Guidelines (2018)
Report of Task Force (2017) (Jonathan Fields was Member)
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College (Financial Aid and Divorce)
CSS – Reporting Parent Information
FAFSA – Reporting Parent Information
10 Things You Need To Know About Divorce And Financial Aid
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Depositions – Tips for Clients
Deposition Prep for Client Witnesses
Preparing Clients (And Yourself) For Depositions
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Divorce Process
Step by Step Through the Divorce Process
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Domestic Violence
G.L. c.209A
Abuse and Harassment Court Orders
John Hamel, “In the Best Interests of Children: What Family Law Attorneys Should Know about Domestic Violence,” 28 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 427 (2016)
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Do it Yourself Divorce: Don’t Do it
Understanding the Risks of a Pro Se Divorce
Your Divorce is not a Do it Yourself Project
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Eavesdropping / Wiretap
G.L. c.272 s.99
G.L. c.265 s.43 (Stalking – could apply to cyberstalking)
18 U.S.C. s.2510 et seq. (Wiretap Act)
18 U.S.C. s.2701 et seq. (Stored Communications Act)
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Estate Planning, Divorce, and Separation
Separation or Divorce: What Happens to Durable Powers of Attorney Upon Death?
Separation or Divorce: What Happens to Joint Checking and Brokerage Accounts Upon Death?
Separation or Divorce: What Happens to Life Insurance Proceeds upon Death?
Separation or Divorce: What Happens to Medical Directives upon Death?
Separation or Divorce: What Happens to Retirement Accounts Upon Death?
Separation or Divorce: What Happens to Wills, Trusts, and Statutory Shares Upon Death?
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Evidence
Massachusetts Guide to Evidence (2018)
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Grandparent Visitation
G.L. c.119 s.39D
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Guardian Ad Litem
Category E Standards
Standing Order 2-08
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Hague Convention on International Abduction
Hague Convention (Full Text)
List of Signatory Countries
U.S. State Department Information on International Child Abduction
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Health Insurance
Staying Healthy: A Guide to Keeping Health Insurance After Divorce
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Hiding Assets in Divorce
Hiding Assets Part I: Here’s Where Spouses Typically Hide Assets
Hiding Assets Part II: 8 Ways Your Spouse Can Hide Assets Before A Divorce
Hiding Assets Part III: Red Flags That Your Spouse Is Hiding Money
Hiding Assets Part IV: Techniques For Discovering Hidden Assets
Hiding Assets Part V: Hiding Money Offshore
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International Divorce: Divorce Laws from Around the World
Cross-Border Divorces: Where Breaking Up Is Harder to Do
Escaping The Labyrinth – The International Divorce Law Barometer
Foreign Enforcement of Prenuptial Agreements
From Dependency to Self-Sufficiency: The International Spousal Maintenance Barometer
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Jewish Divorce: The Get
Basics of a Get and Why it Matters Even if You’re not Orthodox
Suggested Get Language for Divorce Agreement in Massachusetts
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Mandatory Self-Disclosure
Rule 410
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Mediation
Roger Fisher, William Ury, “Getting to Yes”, Random House (1992)
Robert H. Mnookin and Lewis Kornhauser, “Bargaining in the Shadow of the Law: The Case for Divorce,” 88 Yale Law Journal 950 (1979)
Mediator Confidentiality
G.L. c.233 s.23C
Is MCFM Membership Required to be Mediator?
Leary v. Geoghan (unpublished Single Justice opinion)
Mediator Ethics
AAML on Mediation Ethics
BBA Ethics Opinion 78-1
MBA Ethics Opinion 85-3
MCFM Certified Mediator Requirements
MCFM Standards of Practice
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Medicaid Planning and Divorce
The Medicaid Divorce: Critical Considerations
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No Fault Divorce
Types of divorce to file in Massachusetts
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Parenting Coordinator
Standing Order 1-17
Parenting Coordination: The Emancipation Proclamation (by V. Shemin and J. Fields)
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Parent Education Program Standing Order
Standing Order 2-16
List of Approved Providers
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Prenuptial Agreements
Forbidden Provisions in Prenuptial Agreements (by Jonathan Fields)
Prenups: What Happens if you Move to Another Country?
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Professional Conduct (Attorneys)
Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:07: Rules of Professional Conduct
Bounds of Advocacy for Family Lawyers (AAML)
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Property Division (Conduct of the Parties)
A Spouse’s Bad Conduct and its Impact on Property Division (by Jonathan Fields)
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Removal of Children Outside Massachusetts
The Law of Removal in Massachusetts: What Parents and Practitioners Should Know (by Jonathan Fields)
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Retirement Assets — Division Upon Divorce
Defined Benefit Plans v. Defined Contribution Plans
ERISA Plan Defined (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
IRA’s: Division Upon Divorce
Qualified Joint Survivor Annuity v. Single Life Annuity (Defined Benefit Plans)
QDRO’s: Division of Retirement Benefits Upon Divorce (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
Separate Interest QDRO (Defined Benefit Plans)
Shared Interest QDRO (Defined Benefit Plans)
Spousal Consent Required to Change Beneficiary Designation
Retirement Assets — Division Upon Divorce (Public Sector Pensions)
Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS)
Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
Massachusetts State Pensions
Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System
Military Pensions and Divorce
Public Sector Pensions and Social Security: A Valuation Issue
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Shared Parenting
Child-Centered Residential Guidelines (AAML)
Children’s Bill of Rights (AAML)
Nesting Arrangement Part I: How Nesting Became The Best Way To Co-Parent My Kids
Nesting Arrangement Part II: When Parents Rotate In and Out of the Family Home
Nesting Arrangements Part III: Is Nesting Right for You
Nesting Arrangements Part IV: What Nesting Taught Us
Planning for Shared Parenting: A Guide for Parents Living Apart (AFCC)
Ten Tips for Divorcing Parents (AAML)
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Social Security and Divorce
Social Security and Divorce Part I: The Basics
Social Security and Divorce Part II: Name Change Post-Divorce
Social Security and Divorce Part III: Government Employee Retirement System
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General Info: Divorced or Separated Individuals
Publication 501
Publication 504
Form 8332
Dependency Exemption and Child Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit and Dependency Exemptions: How they Work Together Under the New Tax Law (by Jonathan Fields) [article in Divorce Magazine here]
Head of Household
What is Head of Household Filing Status?
Innocent Spouse Relief
IRS Publication 971
Daniel Gold-Kessler, “Assessing the Hazards to an ‘Innocent Spouse’ of Civil and Criminal Liability for Tax Offenses in a Dissolution of Marriage Proceeding,” 25 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 67 (2012)
Property Division
Tax Implications of Selling the Marital Home (by Jonathan Fields)
Taxation of Property Divisions in Divorce (by Jonathan Fields)
Retirement Assets
Distribution Options for Retirement Assets Settled in Divorce
IRA’s and Divorce Taxation
IRA Distribution to Pay Alimony Taxable
Sale of Principal Residence
Topic No. 701 — Sale of Your Home
Tax Evasion
IRS: Related Statutes and Penalties – General Fraud
Hon. Richard A. Dollinger, “Judicial Ethics: The Obligation to Report Tax Evasion in Support Cases,” 27 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 1 (2014-15)
Tax Filing Status: Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately
Filing Tax Return During Divorce: Joint or Separate Returns? (by Jonathan Fields)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017
Alimony and the TCJA: Common Misconceptions (by Jonathan Fields) [Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly]
Full Text of Law
TCJA Impact on Family Law (by Jonathan Fields)
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Travel with Children Outside United States
International Travel with Children (US Customs and Border Protection)
Sample Consent Form
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Trusts and Inheritances in Divorce
Inheritances, Gifts, and Trust Interests in Divorce (by Jonathan Fields)
Revoking the Irrevocable Trust Part I (by Jonathan Fields)
Revoking the Irrevocable Trust Part II (by Jonathan Fields)
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Uncooperative Spouse
Strategies to Deal with Uncooperative Spouse
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Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA)
G.L. c.209B
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Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)
G.L. c.209D
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Uniform Probate Code
G.L. c.190B
Uniform Probate Code (with Commentary)
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Uniform Trust Code
G.L. c.203E
Uniform Trust Code Committee Report (with Commentary)
