The affordable alternative

I was very happy to see the recent NYT’s article – “Can Divorce be Affordable? Yes, but Only if Spouses Want It to Be.” It succinctly makes the case for why I serve as a divorce mediator. Divorce is an emotional trauma for any couple. The last thing divorcing families need is to layer on

As the topics of no-fault divorce and covenant marriages have made their way into the national headlines with the election of a conservative House Speaker, it is worth a quick review of how divorce laws have evolved over time.  Historically, divorce laws allowed divorce only upon proof of fault. Grounds for divorce were enumerated in

Co-written with Matthew Carroll of Keystone Mediation For many, March is the month couples conclude their marriage. March is infamously known as “divorce month” in family law circles. Statistics show that rates spike in the early months of the year, peak in March, then subside, and rise again in August when children return to school.  Why

This article is part of a 5-part series on what divorcing couples might do when faced with the pressing question of what to do with the family home.   This fifth option—swapping the home for other major assets, typically applies when a joint mortgage is not a factor. For example, trading assets may make sense for

This article is part of a 5-part series on what divorcing couples might do when faced with the pressing question of what to do with the family home. This fourth option, continued home co-ownership of the family home post-divorce, is gaining traction for one simple reason – interest rates are as high as they’ve been since

This article is part of a 5-part series on what divorcing couples might do when faced with the pressing question of what to do with the family home.   This third option – assumption of the loan — serves as an alternative to refinancing. Some mortgagors allow one spouse to assume the loan.  A “loan assumption”

This article is part of a 5-part series on what divorcing couples might do when faced with the pressing question of what to do with the family home.   This second option – a cash-out refinance – can make sense if one spouse wants to stay in the home, and the other is fine to cash

This article is part of a 5-part series on what divorcing couples might do when faced with the pressing question of what to do with the family home. It is a decision many families are grappling with throughout the country.  The numbers help to tell the story: 65 percent of Americans own homes; Americans owe