Internets Affect On Divorce

The birth of Internet means that everyone has information at their fingertips. This also means that people have access to chat rooms, pornography sites, and other ways to cause problems in a marriage. The following article addresses the affect that the Internet has had on divorce.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/86bfc24c-e4d8-11dc-a495-0000779fd2ac.html

Viagra and Divorce

It seems that Viagra is now jumping into the blame game for divorce. Prior to the birth of Viagra and other male impotence pills, couples were faced with serious problems in the bedroom, which often times meant the road to divorce. Now, it seems that men who are taking this "miracle" drug, are leaving their wives because they have found their sexual stride in old age. While I don't know whether there is truly a tie between divorce and Viagra, I feel that it is troubling to know that some couples are replacing one problem just for another and still ending up in divorce court.

To read the article upon which this blog is based, please see the following:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2008/02/27/2003403093

Getting A Good Divorce

Every now and then I come across articles that provide really good information and advice on how to help people get through a divorce with the least amount of angst. The following article provides practical advice on this very subject and is worth the read.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121402038.html

Sex and Divorce

A South Florida pastor seems to believe that there is a link between divorce and the lack of sex in some marriages. He has challenged his married members to thirty days of sex in order to help couples reconnect and avoid divorce. Its interesting that a member of the clergy is devising such a challenge, and I'm curious to know whether this actually helps troubled marriages. To read about this pastor and his mission, see the following:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/52955

Gay Marriage and Value Voters

I have recently written that Floridians will be voting in November about whether or not to ban gay marriage in our state. This is a controversial subject and most conservative people are for the ban on gay marriage. The following article discusses whether or not true value voters should be supportive of any marriage.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-flbmayocol0217sbfeb17,0,5164987.column

Emails As Evidence In Divorce

With the electronic age, more and more people are using emails to check up on their spouses and using emails and other electronic proof in their divorce proceedings. The following article addresses the pitfalls and warns people to be careful what you put in an email because it can be used against you in a divorce proceeding.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2008-02-13-divorce-email-evidence_N.htm

Claiming The Kids On Your Taxes

One of the issues that arises in divorce, no matter what tax bracket you are in, is who is going to get to claim the kids on their taxes. The person paying child support believes that they should be entitled to that deduction and the person who is the primary residential parent for the child also believes they are entitled to that deduction. Who is right? Well, according to Federal Law, the person who is designated as the primary parent, or the person with whom the children primarily reside, is allowed the dependency exemption. However, this is always subject to negotiation, and more often than not, the parties agree to alternate the deduction on an every other year basis. This is always used as a negotiation tool and can be used as leverage for other things that you may want in the divorce. Before you stall the divorce process because you want the dependency exemption and your spouse is refusing to give it up, you may want to see whether the exemption is actually going to be beneficial to you or not. The following blog from a Pennsylvania Family Law website explains how the exemption and the child tax credit works. However, as in any major financial decision, you should consult with a financial planner or CPA before agreeing to waive any right to a dependency exemption.
http://pafamilylaw.foxrothschild.com/2008/01/articles/support/should-i-fight-to-claim-the-kids-on-my-tax-return/