Joint Legal Custody refers to decision making by parents for their minor children as it relates to schools, medical and religious decisions. So, what is the problem? Most inexperienced lawyers have in an order or agreement “joint legal custody” with no further details. This is very problematic in the future should issues arise. Specifically, the [read more...]
Best Michael E. Underwood is an experienced matrimonial attorney, highly regarded within the State of New York. Mike has actively practiced family law since 2005 and along the way has earned numerous awards: 2018 – Syracuse’s Finest and Top 100 Lawyer, American Society of Legal Advocates 2017 – Top 10 Attorneys, American Jurist Institute 2017 [read more...]
Michael E. Underwood, Esq. also known as the Bald Divorce Lawyer in Syracuse proudly offers 10% discounts for all current and retired military personnel for their initial divorce retainer! Contact us today for details and thank you for your service! I have over 17 years of experience & resolved over 1,000+ matters in CNY. I [read more...]
Divorce matters are complicated and need to be handled with precision in order to preserve assets or sometimes to even prove that great value exists. Many business owners find themselves in precarious positions when their business is put under a microscope during divorce litigation. For example, business tax returns and jointly filed marital returns can [read more...]
Apr 142020
In an uncontested divorce, my office usually prepares the necessary divorce documents in about 2 business days. Next, the divorce documents are submitted to the appropriate court. The final divorce can take a few weeks to be ordered by a judge. Sometimes it can take a little longer (4-8 weeks) if the court has a [read more...]
Mar 222020
What is a Gray Divorce? A Gray divorce or Silver Splitter or Diamond Divorce is a term referring to the demographic trend of an increasing divorce rate for older (“gray-haired”) couples in long-lasting marriages. The Underwood Law Firm has years of successful trial results* but, we attempt to resolve disputes outside of the court system [read more...]
Mar 212020
The difference between mediation and hiring a divorce attorney is significant. In summary, a divorce attorney can file and obtain a divorce in New York, while a mediator cannot. Mediation involves hiring a mediator to meet with both parties (usually simultaneously) during which the mediator attempts to bring the parties to a compromise. The mediator, [read more...]
Alimony (also know as spousal maintenance) and tax consequences in 2019 In 2018 and in prior years, anyone paying alimony (spousal maintenance) in New York was able to deduct the payments from their income for tax filing purposes and the spouse receiving payments was supposed to claim them as income. Starting in 2019, the federal [read more...]
An action for divorce may be started in New York only when: 1. The parties were married in the state and either party is a resident thereof when the action is commenced and has been a resident for a continuous period of one year immediately preceding, or 2. The parties have resided in this state [read more...]
Below please find the article, “Top Five Questions to Ask Your Syracuse Divorce Lawyer” Choosing a lawyer can be overwhelming. Not only do you want someone to be experienced, but you want them to be approachable too. A mix of professionalism and someone who is personable is necessary during what can be a very stressful [read more...]
