29 March, 2009

Regarding income tax debt, even if the divorce is final, you may not be exempt from future tax liability. For three years after the divorce, the IRS can perform a random audit of a divorced couple's joint tax return. If it has good cause, the IRS can question a joint return for seven years. To avoid any potential problems down the road, your divorce agreement should have provisions that spell out what happens if any additional penalties, interest or taxes are found as well as where the funds come from to pay for any expenses associated with an audit.

Most divorce decrees call for one of the parties to obtain a life insurance policy to insure the value of alimony payments, child support or some other financial need. If you are the person for whom the insurance is obtained, it is critical that you are either the owner or irrevocable beneficiary of the policy.

A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst can help you project several years into the future and determine if you'll have enough resources to support your current lifestyle as well as your retirement years. This analysis should be completed prior to a settlement. If it is determined that you will be unable to maintain your lifestyle with the proposed offer, you have established a good case to request more assets, alimony or child support.

There are multiple resources and methods used by financial professionals and attorneys to uncover potential hidden assets. Being aware of these may help you avoid being victimized by a dishonest spouse. Forensic accountants are generally the most commonly utilized professionals to assist in this area.

20 March, 2009

Anyone Planning on Buying Chris and Rihanna's Abuse Awareness Book?

This is just so wrong on so many levels, need we even say them out loud? Chris and Rihanna are already writing a book about domestic violence? Together? With Clinical Experts?

Can Brown turn it around?

He's back with Rihanna, but legal and image woes remain

Comments

March 6, 2009

BY BILL ZWECKER Sun-Times Columnist

Even as singer Chris Brown faces two felony charges for his alleged brutal beating of girlfriend and fellow music superstar Rihanna, I've learned his management team is working feverishly on a plan to turn around his fast-sinking career options.

Brown appeared Thursday in a Los Angeles court, where his arraignment on charges of assault likely to cause great bodily injury and making criminal threats was postponed at his request.

The charges stem from an incident early Feb. 8. A police affidavit says the couple got into a fight after Rihanna found a text message from another woman on Brown's cell phone.

Brown pulled his car over and tried to push Rihanna out, but she was still wearing her seat belt, police said. Brown pushed Rihanna's head against the window, punched her with his right hand and then continued driving while hitting her, the affidavit states. He also bit her on the ear, the affidavit says.

The 19-year-old R&B star remains free on $50,000 bail. If he's convicted, the possible sentence ranges anywhere from probation to four years and eight months in state prison, said a district attorney spokeswoman.

Before Brown loses any more endorsements or movie deals, a plan is in place to rehabilitate his badly tarnished image. ''The only way Chris can possibly reverse things is to come clean and help raise awareness about abusive relationships,'' said a source close to Brown's legal time.

Along those lines, I've learned Brown and Rihanna -- who has taken him back (but with key provisions outlined below) -- will co-author a book about abuse and go on a talk show whirlwind to speak directly to their fans and the general public. It is widely expected that Brown's high-profile attorney, Mark Geragos, will broker a probation deal for his client that will involve no jail time.

In the meantime, the Brown team's working title of his career-recovery plan is ''Project Mea Culpa.'' It will involve not only Brown's telling of his increasingly abusive behavior toward Rihanna, but also partnering with clinical experts in the field to add credibility to the couple's efforts.

''Obviously this is a public relations campaign, but it only will work if there's genuine healing, contrition and a path to preventing future problems. ... It's another example of trying to turn a bad situation into something good ... where people can learn to change habits,'' said the source.

• Part of the deal involves a contractual agreement between Rihanna and Brown. Word has it, the alleged abuser has agreed to pay Rihanna ''as much as $10 million'' and possibly more ''if he as much as squeezes her arm the wrong way,'' said the Brown insider.

13 March, 2009

Crazymaking - Drives You Nuts!

CRAZYMAKING -- THIRTY-FOUR EXAMPLES OF ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR

==== Abusers often engage in 'crazymaking'

When you are told to do two opposite things and then chastised because you did one and not the other, that is an example of crazymaking.

Crazymaking is a guaranteed way to control someone because you can never be right. If a person requires two opposite things from you, point out that this is impossible and that you cannot do this.

Here is an example from an old joke: A mother gave her son two shirts. At a family gathering the son made a special effort to wear one of these to please his mother. When he arrived, his mother was angry. "Why?" he wanted to know. "Because you did not wear the other shirt, " she replied.

Crazymaking can happen in a variety of ways. For example, in a discussion a person might say two opposite things. You are lead to believe that he/she changed his/her mind and you accept the last statement as what was meant. But later in the week, when the issue comes up, he/she says, "Well, I already told you such and such" which was the first thing he/she said. In short the discussion with you was set up so that no matter what happened the person can say that he/she did what was agreed. Note: 'crazymaking' really will make you crazy after a while...

The Loneliness of Crazymaking

By Dr. Margaret Paul
December 31, 2006

In order to manage another's crazymaking behavior, you need to name and manage the painful feelings of loneliness and helplessness that occur when you are at the other end of crazymaking behavior.

Trust Me, It Isn’t You

October 25th, 2008

Please permit me to get straight to the point. If you are married to The Crazy-Making Husband, in his head and heart, your very existence is the problem.

Yes, you read my words correctly. What you do or don’t do, think or don’t think, feel or don’t feel isn’t what activates his crazy-making. It’s the fact that you exist.

Though he may deny it, the core reason is that The Crazy-Making Husband doesn’t want to be a husband. In fact, he doesn’t want to be a grownup. As his wife, your existence ‘demands’ he be both. Take a survey of women whose husbands drive them crazy. I guarantee not one will report that her husband accepts responsibilities willfully, or gracefully — especially relational responsibilities.

12 March, 2009

Postcards from Splitsville- Children Expressing Themselves About Divorce

A website where children can share their divorce-related feelings anonymously and parents can get a new perspective on how this life-changing experience impacts their children’s lives.

11 March, 2009

LMAO!!!

Featured Evidence

What An Ass!

There are those moments that will stick with you forever. Your first kiss. Your wedding day. The birth of your first child. And of course, the first time you walked into the bathroom and saw something this insane. You don't know whether to laugh, cry or scream.

You would think this would be one small step for man. That's right. Just slip the little piece of cardboard right off the holder and into the garbage can. There's no special clip. You don't have to tinker with any tough latches. Nope, it's just a simple flick of the wrist. But nooooooooooo... It would be so much easier to just place a brand new roll right on top of the old empty one. Perhaps keep it there for posterior. Or maybe it has sentimental value... For the love of God, there has to be some reason, he's decided to leave it there.

10 March, 2009

Don't Read This Blog

Super-uber funny, brilliant and wise, not to mention contagiously cute...just like my precious forever cousin who wrote it, click the link below and read...it's a good one. ;)

Don't Read This Blog

ABOUT ME

09 March, 2009

Women in Crime Ink: Murder in Disguise

by Susan Murphy Milano