Minnesota Divorce and Child Custody

The issue of child custody and parenting time can be contentious in divorce proceedings.  I always advise people that it is best to resolve disagreements about child custody and parenting time amicably.  This can happen in discussions between the parties, but more likely it will happen in negotiations between the attorneys or in mediation. If [...]

By |2013-04-03T09:38:40-05:00April 3rd, 2013|Minnesota Child Support, Minnesota Divorce Guru, MN Divorce - Child Issues, Plymouth Divorce Guru|Comments Off on Minnesota Divorce and Child Custody

MN Divorce and Government Shutdown

If you have been following the Minnesota news, you know that the Minnesota state government is going to shut down on July 1 because of lack of funding.  Only essential services will remain open.  This includes prisons, state mental hospital, and, fortunately, aid to local governments. For now, the Minnesota court system is deemed "essential." [...]

MN Family Law and Child Support

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from people is "how is the amount of child support determined in Minnesota?" A few years back, the Minnesota legislature created a set of rules that have been incorporated into what is known as the "Minnesota Child Support Calculator."  You can see the MN calculator [...]

By |2011-06-06T10:19:19-05:00June 6th, 2011|Minnesota Child Support|0 Comments

Minnesota Past Due Child Support

Often I am asked questions about how Minnesota divorce courts handle the issue of past due child support.  The language used to describe late, past due, and child support arrearages is not always applied consistently.  My  understanding is that the term "past due" child support refers to an unpaid child support obligation, and the term [...]

By |2011-01-31T09:22:20-06:00January 31st, 2011|Minnesota Child Support|0 Comments

Minnesota Child Support

The Minnesota Child Support laws underwent a significant change in 2007.  The impact of this change is significant.  Under the old law, the parent who had physical custody of the children received child support.  Whether that parent (the physical custodian) worked or did not work had nothing to do with the calculation. Today things are [...]

By |2010-10-11T09:55:58-05:00October 11th, 2010|Minnesota Child Support|0 Comments

Minnesota’s child support law

People who are getting divorced in Minnesota often ask questions about Minnesota's child support laws.  The Minnesota child support statute changed significantly in 2007.  If you were divorced before 2007, you are probably operating under the "old" system.  If you were divorced after 2007, you are operating under the new system.  You can read the [...]

Minnesota Divorce and Daycare Expenses

People who are getting divorced in Minnesota often ask me about daycare expenses.  Usually, they want to know if their ex-spouse will have to contribute to their daycare or child care costs.  The answer to the question is "Yes," provided that the child care expenses are work-related or education-related. The Minnesota child support statute requires [...]

By |2010-06-24T10:33:33-05:00June 24th, 2010|Minnesota Child Support|0 Comments

Online Divorce Scams

I spoke to someone yesterday who said she had paid $250 for so-called "online divorce."  She said she didn't get divorced and she didn't get her money back.  So called "online divorces" are a scam.  Do not waste your money.  Regardless of what the scammers say, you cannot get divorced online.  At best, all the so-called [...]

Minnesota Divorce and College Tuition

Sometimes people ask whether, as part of their divorce decree, the court can impose a requirement that their soon-to-be ex-spouse pay for college tuition for the children.  The answer is "No." In Minnesota, a divorce court has jurisdiction over minor children only until they become adults.  In most cases, a child becomes an adult when [...]

How To Modify Child Support in MN

People often ask how to modify child support in Minnesota.  Sometimes this process is not complex and it can be done without an attorney.   More often the process is complex and you need an attorney.  I always recommend that people have an attorney when going to court.  Of course, I'm an attorney.  What else would [...]

By |2010-04-08T09:19:53-05:00April 8th, 2010|Minnesota Child Support|0 Comments

Income Tax Returns and MN Child Support

Often I am asked about modifying child support after the divorce decree has been entered.  Sometimes a person receiving child support believes that child support payer has received a significant increase in income and that if child support were recalculated, the child support payment would be higher as a result.  The question is how to [...]

By |2010-02-21T10:48:54-06:00February 21st, 2010|Minnesota Child Support|0 Comments

The Future of Divorce in MN

I have practiced divorce law in Minnesota since 1992.  During that time, there have been significant changes both to the law, and also changes to the court system itself.  In my opinion, the most significant change to divorce law in the past 20 years is the change to the way child support is calculated.  Now, [...]

MN Divorce and Income Tax Exemptions

Often people who divorce in Minnesota forget to address the issue of the income tax depdency exemptions for their minor children.  This issue should not be overlooked because, cumulatively, it could save a spouse tens of thousands of dollars on his or her income tax return. From the perspective of the Internal Revenue Service, after parents [...]

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