Schools are closed through the school year, which means children are going to be home for the next five months. In divorced or separated families, the parent who has primary custody is now with the children 24/7, all while still trying to work from home. “This can be tough for […] Read more »
In the last three weeks, millions of U.S. workers lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Tenants nationwide are now struggling to pay rent and landlords are seeing their revenue significantly drop. The solution to this situation–communication. “It’s essentially a one-on-one discussion or negotiation you must have with the […] Read more »
Governor Northam officially declared a Stay-At-Home order until June 10, 2010, leaving divorced or separated parents concerned about how to handle their custody agreement. During the summer, when both parents are working and children are off from school, separated parents often lean on the grandparents to look after their children. […] Read more »
SmolenPlevy’s Dan Ruttenberg says the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) can be the lifeline your small business needs to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Among the highlights: it can cover two and a half times your average monthly payroll costs, including salaries, wages, retirement benefits, group health insurance and more. Even better: […] Read more »
Schools in Virginia are officially closed for the school year because of COVID-19, leaving many people wondering how they’re going to share custody of their children with the other parent. The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts has the following guidelines for divorce or separated parents: 1. BE HEALTHY. Comply […] Read more »
While some people who are anxious about the novel coronavirus are stocking up on toilet paper and Tylenol, others are calling lawyers to get their affairs in order. Rockville estate attorney Steven Widdes says that in just one week he’s seen an increase of about 50 percent in calls from […] Read more »
It’s a perfect storm. You and your soon-to-be-former spouse are legally separated, but for whatever reasons — often financial — you both remain living in the same home. That’s been working, because at least one of you has managed to be gone a lot, thanks to a job or other […] Read more »
Dear Clients, Colleagues and Friends: As we all work to meet this challenge and ensure that our families are safe, please know that SmolenPlevy is here to assist you. Each day brings news of different changes in how our local governments and courts will be operating and how the federal […] Read more »
Silver linings are difficult, but not impossible to spot at the moment. One bright spot: the free time we’re faced with provides a perfect opportunity to take care of your long-delayed estate plan. Why not get it off your plate and off your mind? Estate planning attorney Dan Ruttenberg offers […] Read more »
If you’re planning on buying a home that you wish to one day pass on to your adult children, a joint purchase can reduce estate tax liability, provided the children have sufficient funds to finance their portion of the purchase. With the gift and estate tax exemption now set at […] Read more »
Jane hugged her two children for what turned out to be the last time. Her husband, John, was distraught and started drinking — again — to handle the stress as her illness progressed. Jane’s parents were in the room, too, and had grown increasingly concerned about what would happen to […] Read more »
Most of us would like to be remembered for who we were, not what we had. Still, if you have any assets that you’ve accumulated during your lifetime that you plan to leave behind, it’s on you to figure out who gets what. That decision can be particularly fraught if […] Read more »
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Richard E. Gardiner sided with a clinical psychologist who wanted to withhold a patient’s mental health records. As Virginia Lawyers Weekly reports, SmolenPlevy represented the clinical psychologist, Dr. Jeffrey A. Schulman, in the matter. The records were sought by a father involved in a long-running […] Read more »
Once again, SmolenPlevy is ranked by U.S. News & World Report in the 2020 edition of “Best Law Firms.” SmolenPlevy is recognized for: Business organizations Family law Trusts and estates Family law mediation Tax law This is the sixth straight year SmolenPlevy is honored with this achievement. The “Best Law […] Read more »
Federal estate tax liability is no longer an issue for many families, now that the gift and estate tax exemption stands at $11.4 million for 2019. But there are still affluent individuals whose estates may be subject to hefty estate tax bills. If you expect your estate to have significant […] Read more »
