As part of our divorce settlement I’m supposed to keep my ex wife on my health insurance. We have no kids. Now I’m getting re-married and I’m wondering what I should do. There is no provision in the divorce agreement about this situation.   Health insurance is very expensive in MA, I can’t afford to cover her health insurance outside of my employer’s group insurance.  Can I remove my ex from the health insurance?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

If your separation agreement does not contain language allowing you to terminate health coverage for your ex wife upon a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain event, such as your re-marriage, your retirement, your ex wife reaching a certain age, etc, then no you may not simply remove her from coverage.  Some separation agreements state that you maintain coverage for your ex so long as it is available at no extra cost to you.  Therefore it is very important that you read your agreement carefully.  If the agreement not does allow you to terminate coverage, then under most circumstances you must file a Complaint for Modification seeking to modify your agreement. 

Worcester Divorce Modifications Attorney, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

All of our financial accounts were in my husband’s name only, which I now understand was a mistake.  He’s taken all of his stuff plus some of my things from our Worcester apartment has left me and the kids.  Also, he changed all the passwords to our bank and savings accounts.  Can he move money and essentially “hide” our assets before we get divorced?   He has disappeared and left me with no money to support myself or our children. What should I do?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

It is imperative that you file a divorce immediately.  This would immediately restrain him from spending, selling or otherwise get rid of assets.  You probably want to do an asset search on your husband as well.  You should go through your own records to ascertain where your husband now has or at least used to have accounts or other assets.  You could follow the trail from there.  You would also have subpeona power with the filing of a divorce so that you could get records from banks, etc. 

Worcester Divorce Lawyer, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

I just found out that my husband has a criminal background and has been using a fake name since I have known him.   Does this qualify for an annulment in MA?  Also, can a court order child support to be paid in a lump sum?  I know he has money now, but he hasn’t been able to consistently hold down a job so I worry that he won’t be able to make monthly child support payments.  What should I do?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Fraud is grounds for an annulment in Massachusetts.  The court has broad powers in ordering the payment and collection of child support.  You certainly have an argument that you should receive a lump sum of money your husband has now as applied against future child support payments. 

Worcester Annulment Attorney, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

I got married about a 6 months ago and I’m ready for divorce.   We got married because I am pregnant with his child. We rent an apartment in Westborough.  He has some money in savings and a stable job.  I do not have any savings and am not working because of a complicated pregnancy.  Will I be entitled to any alimony or support?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Under the new alimony law, scheduled to take effect March 1, 2012, you would receive little or no alimony after a six month marriage.  Assuming you obtained custody of the child, you would receive child support until the emancipation of the child, which could be until his/her 23rd birthday.

Worcester Divorce Attorney, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

My wife and I got divorced two years ago and I got sole custody of our 5 year-old son.  My son and I live in Leicester, MA nearby my brother and his wife.  My question is if I put it in my will that my brother will take guardianship of my son if I die, will that happen or can my wife get custody if she wants?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Upon the death of a parent of a minor, the court will always look to the other biological parent first as to custody.  Without that parent’s consent to custody elsewhere, a third party would need to prove the biological parent unfit in court to obtain custody of the minor.  With that  being said, if the custodial parent does not believe that the child should be with the other parent upon his/her death, it is never a bad idea to put his/her wishes in the will (i.e. custody/guardianship) as a court will have an obligation to follow the decedent’s wishes.  This is subject of course, to the rights of the other parent. 

Leicester Child Custody Lawyer, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

Our grandson is being out up for adoption, as his grandparents can we adopt him?   Our daughter is working with a national adoption agency and I think they have completed a home study with a prospective adoptive family in Worcester.  We don’t have a good relationship with our daughter.  Can the court put a halt to adoption in progress?  Wouldn’t the courts rather the child be with relatives?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Grandparents as blood relatives can file an adoption without using an agency.  It would be up to the court to decide which of the competing adoption petitions would prevail.  Worcester Adoption Attorney, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

I’ve financially supported my wife for over 20 years of marriage. We are going through a divorce and she just received an inheritance of over $200,000.  Will I be entitled to 50%?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Any assets obtained during the course of a marriage are marital assets subject to division in a divorce.  However there is case law in Massachusetts regarding inheritances.  Was it commingled all or in part with joint marital property or kept separate?  Was it used to further the lifestyle of the parties?  In this case the answer appears to  be no, but these assets to your wife could make a difference in the distribution of existing marital property as well an alimony award, if any. 

Worcester County Divorce Lawyer, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

My wife and I are in the process of getting a divorce.  I recently found out that she has hidden assets in her mother’s name and within her mother’s accounts.  I know the account numbers, and they are extensive funds.  The final divorce court date is just a couple of weeks away.  Can my lawyer subpeona those accounts?   If so, can we get a postponement of the divorce date?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Yes, your lawyer can subpeona those accounts.  If you could show that the funds in the accounts are truly marital assets derived from your wife, they would certainly be relevant in any divorce hearing.  Your lawyer would have to file a motion to continue the trial, probably supported by an affidavit stating that your wife fraudulently concealed funds from you and the court. 

Worcester Divorce Lawyer, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

My ex and I have agreed to lowered payments and we have drawn up a new agreement which we both signed. Is what we did legally binding in MA?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Any change of child support or other terms of your child support order is not valid in court.  Even if you and the other parent agree on a reduced figure, the other parent may sue you for the money you did not pay (even with an agreement) unless you legally modify the order by court judgment.

Worcester Divorce Lawyer, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.

My husband and I have been divorced for a little over a year.  The kids live with me full time in the Worcester area and I’m wondering if the provisions of a divorce be changed after finalization?  What is the process and is it difficult?

ATTORNEY ANSWER:

Generally, provisions related to children can always be changed.  The party seeking a change must prove to the court a material change of circumstances.  One example of this would be if the payor got laid off for his/her employment, such that the child support payment would be lowered while that parent was unemployed.  The proper way to amend a judgment would be through the filing of a Complaint for Modification.  Any issues not related to children could also be changed by a Complaint for Modification as well upon a showing of a material change of circunstances.  This filing would depend on wording in your Separation Agreement.  If the Judgment “survives” it is not modifiable.  If is is “incorporated and merged” it is modifiable.

Worcester Divorce Attorney, Geoffrey German, practices throughout Worcester County, Massachusetts and concentrates in family law matters regarding Adoption, Child Custody and Support, Contempt, Divorce, Guardianship, Legal Separation, Modifications, Paternity, and Protective Orders.