ROSS LAW

02/26/2022

Your marriage status on Dec. 31 determines your tax filing status for the entire year. Unless the divorce is finalized by then, a separating couple has to decide whether to file jointly or separately.

Taxes are complicated. Divorces are complicated. Put the two together and the result is an impossibly complex web of personal, financial and legal mistakes just waiting to be made. The first mistake...

02/24/2022

A QDRO is a court order that judges use to split up certain types of retirement plans, like a 401(k), into two equal parts for a divorcing couple. Not every retirement plan, however.

It's a term you don't need to know much about – unless you're headed for a divorce.

02/24/2022

Crashes — and deaths — began surging in the summer of 2020, surprising traffic experts who had hoped that relatively empty roads would cause accidents to decline. Instead, an increase in aggressive driving more than made up for the decline in driving.

Traffic deaths are surging during the pandemic.

02/19/2022

Some aspects of your divorce decree, such as child support and alimony, can be modified after your divorce judgment is finalized. However, property division determinations are altered only in rare instances, such as when a fraud on the court has been proven. Therefore it’s recommended to plan your divorce carefully, to minimize the likelihood that you'll be stuck with an unfair result. A family law attorney can help you seek the best outcome in your case.

02/19/2022

If your car is pulled over by police, you have certain rights and responsibilities. You must produce your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance and take a sobriety test if requested. However, you are not required to consent to a search of your vehicle. Police may do a search only in limited situations. If a search exceeds legal bounds, your criminal defense attorney can later move to suppress any evidence obtained.

02/18/2022

Federal prosecutors have been seeking to limit defendants' rights to win compassionate release from prison in plea negotiations across the country, a practice that advocates say undermines the intent of Congress and produces cruel outcomes.

The Justice Department has been limiting the ability of people in prison to apply for compassionate release. Advocates say that flouts Congress and is cruel.

02/17/2022

Planning ahead of time in case of divorce can make things easier on everyone involved.

If your marriage is strained, it’s not a bad idea to explore some of the basic steps you’d need to take to make a smooth exit. Planning ahead of time in case of divorce can make things easier on everyone involved.

02/12/2022

A short-lived program in the early 2000s allowed married couples to consolidate their student loans for a lower interest rate. Now, with no legal way to separate the loans, some want changes.

A short-lived program in the early 2000s allowed married couples to consolidate their student loans for a lower interest rate. Now, with no legal way to separate the loans, some want changes.

02/11/2022

If you are convicted of a s*x offense in any U.S. state, your name will be placed on a s*x offender registry — a public database that impacts your civil liberties, such as where you can live and work. How long you must stay on the registry varies state to state and depends on several factors. Your criminal defense attorney must be keenly aware of how the local registry law applies in your case.

02/10/2022

Your marital status is not part of your credit history. But it's wise to check your credit reports before and after a divorce.

Your divorce is not on your credit report — and neither was your marriage. But that doesn’t mean your credit was not affected.