Let’s face it, divorce and custody fights are never easy. And the most difficult part of the process is Family Court. The Family Court system has always favored women, put children at risk, and helped alienate fathers from their own children. But after decades of fighting for our rights, real reform is starting to happen. However, there are also negative changes of the horizon as well. Here’s a short list of the Top 3 most trending topics regarding family court reform in 2019.
A New Push for 50/50 Custody by The Father’s Rights Movement
2019 marks a new era in the fight for equal parenting rights. The Father's Right's Movement has actively sough the creation of new, equal custody laws. In the current system, mothers are almost always entitled to more custody time. The Father’s Rights Movement have pushed to change this. They seek 50-50 custody as a default standard for all cases, rather than automatically giving mothers the advantage. Their website also has an excellent collection of resources organized by state. This is very helpful as different states have different laws that apply. As men, we need to band together anyway we can. I would strongly recommend that you visit the Father’s Rights homepage above to sign up for updates and get this book to prepare for your individual case.
New Tax Reform Laws Regarding Alimony
Trump’s new Tax Reforms start in 2019. Among the various deduction removals comes some major changes to the way alimony will be assessed. Under the old tax code, alimony was tax deductible by the payer and taxable to the payee. However, this deduction is now being reversed.
In divorces finalized in 2019 and thereafter, the payer can no longer deduct the payment of spousal support, and the spouse receiving support does not need to claim the support as income. This is quite significant for men (as we are often the bread winners for our families). This tax bill will disproportionally affect fathers. It’s highly unlikely that there will be any further changes to this ruling and there’s very little recourse for us men. The bottom line here is to simply be aware of the new change.
The Immigration Debate Continues to Strain the Family Court System
Regardless of where you stand on the topic of immigration, one can’t deny its effects on the Family Court System. 2018 was a year of intense scrutiny of child separation programs involving undocumented migrant children found along the US border. These cases caused a blurring of both Federal and Family Court lines, as many of these children have families willing to adopt them in the USA. This resulted in a new “Mixed Status” family standing, for cases being handled in Family Court. These new cases are putting a strain on an already strained court system. As a result, court appointments may be delayed or pushed back as immigration-turned-Family Court cases flood the system. You may find your own court dates being pushed back due to a backlog of these types of cases.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author/writer. It does not express the views/opinions of Daddy's Digest and the content has not been verified by a legal, medical or mental health professional. Always seek the guidance of a qualified professional before taking important family decisions.
