It’s a new year, and with the new year, bring sweeping changes in the tax code as it affects maintenance payments. Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for any new cases after 1/1/19, one can no longer deduct maintenance (alimony) payments, nor are they taxable income to the recipient. In light of that,…
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Revisions to Child support in Wisconsin
Effective July 1, 2018, there are changes to the child support laws in the state of Wisconsin. The standard for determining child support changed, including revising “variable costs” where parents have shared or equal placement of their children. Under the previous law, “variable costs” were defined as “the reasonable costs above basic support costs incurred…
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Relocation Bill passes both houses in Wisconsin
A bill that was recently passed by both the State Assembly and now the State Senate changes the procedures for relocating a child’s residence, when a court grants any periods of physical placement with a child to both parents and one parent intends to relocate and reside with the child away from the other…
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The Milwaukee Justice Center
Last night, my band played an event for the Milwaukee Justice Center at Veteran’s Park, on Milwaukee’s Lake front. This was their 7th annual fun run/walk, to help raise money for the not for profit organization. Our band has played the event several times and it quite frankly, an honor and a privilege to be…
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Lawyer Response Time
I take a lot of phone calls from people looking to replace their current lawyer and the number one complaint seems to be that their lawyer never calls them back. No one likes being ignored. What exactly should the response time be back from your lawyer? What is reasonable? What are your own expectations? What…
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Deadbeat dad gets probation
Did you see the article in the newspaper the other day, about a dad who owed more than $245,000 and was put on probation, after being criminally charged? In a case of one of Milwaukee’s worst deadbeat dad cases, a personal trainer from California was sentenced to five years of probation for failing to pay…
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Lawyer Gets Disciplined For Having Sex With Client
I wrote a previous blog about the ethical rule that indicates that an attorney in Wisconsin is prohibited from having a sexual relationship with a client. SCR 20:1.8 Conflict of interest; prohibited transactions in part, reads as follows; ” (j) A lawyer shall not have sexual relations with a current client unless a consensual sexual…
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A Big Win For Grandparents Throughout Wisconsin!
Our Wisconsin Supreme Court today issued a landmark decision supporting grandparents rights in our state. In a near unanimous decision, the Court concluded that section 767.43(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes, allows grandparents, great-grandparents and step-parents to seek visitation rights, without having to establish a parent like relationship. The case is in re the Marriage of…
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Today is that special day when everyone feels “Irish” for 24 hours. Green is everywhere, including the famous green dye that the city of Chicago traditionally dumps in the Chicago River. It is a good day to go out and have a green beer or some good Irish Whiskey with friends after work, or have…