North Carolina Divorce Lawyers Blog

Articles Tagged with covid19

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As COVID-19 persists in our daily lives, the war on vaccines rages on. Many parents continue to disagree about vaccination status concerning themselves and their minor children.  Two parents who currently reside in New Brunswick, Canada, have found themselves in a heated disagreement with each other over vaccines and sought a judge to rule on the disagreement.  The parents, who are not identified in the court ruling, separated in 2019 and share custody of their three children. Continue reading →

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In case you have not heard, deepfake videos are multiplying online. “Deepfake” is a term coined in late 2017 by a Reddit user of the same name.  With origins in pornography, the use of deepfakes has transcended well beyond the explicit. A deepfake generally refers to media manipulation where a person in an image or video is swapped with another person’s likeness. A more recent deepfake depicts Belgium’s prime minister linking the coronavirus pandemic to climate change during a manipulated recorded speech. Although some deepfakes are created for parody and entertainment, others are not. Creation of deepfakes has also led to bullying, harassment, and other criminal offenses. Continue reading →

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The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (hereinafter “Plan”), also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, was passed by Congress and officially signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021.  The Plan seeks to aid the economy in recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One significant change the Plan provides for is a new federal enhanced child tax credit beginning July 15, 2021. Statistics show that the credit will go to roughly 39 million households with about 65 million children. For the 2021 tax year, the enhanced maximum child tax credit is $3,600 for children younger than age six (6) and $3,000 for children between the ages of six (6) and seventeen (17).

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In July and August of 2020, the Cleveland Clinic’s MENtion It program surveyed 1,180 men, ages 18 and older, on how COVID has affected men’s mental and physical health. The study focuses on the effect of COVID on the current health of men and how men are coping with the changes. Continue reading →

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Spring in Greensboro brings certain things. Pollen, unexpected rain showers, warmer weather, and taxes. The American Rescue Plan was enacted as part of ongoing Covid-19 relief. This plan provides an additional relief check, subject to income-cap requirements based on either 2019 or 2020 tax returns (most recent filed). The Plan also provides for an advance on half of a potential child tax credit for next year. These payments may both be at issue in a divorce case. Having tax return money in contention between divorcing spouses is hardly a novel concept. But due to the legislation providing pandemic relief, many spouses must find creative ways to divide relief funds when they were based on joint filings. The child credit advance presents a new wrinkle in divorce and custody cases. Continue reading →

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Everyone knows how COVID has affected our daily routine and forced an increase in the use of technology. The court system and attorneys have adopted technology to keep cases moving forward. At the beginning of this process, attorneys discovered that using virtual meetings to conduct client consults and client meetings was not only effective in preventing exposure to COVID but, in the long run, could increase productivity without losing the human interaction or attorney-client bond. Continue reading →

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The recent rollouts of the COVID-19 vaccines have revealed differences of opinion as to who will and who will not take the vaccine. When you are separated or divorced, who decides for the children? Continue reading →

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To say the coronavirus has thrown a wrench in many couples’ divorce plans would be an understatement. With courthouses in and around Guilford County having to shut down repeatedly due to reported positive cases within the courthouse, obstacles abound when it comes to the dissolution of marriage nowadays. It is vitally important to practice patience. Although this may be hard given that divorce is a stressful and emotional process, trust that your attorney is doing everything possible to move your case along.  Continue reading →

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People all over the United States are suffering from the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – emotionally, physically, and especially financially. The CARES Act § 2202 has authorized special distribution options for retirement plans and has expanded loans from certain retirement plans. Under the CARES Act, the IRS will not deduct the 10% additional tax from early distribution of a retirement account for individuals directly affected by COVID-19. The explanation of the benefits of this specific section of the CARES Act is outside the subject of this blog. What happens if you are affected by COVID, you and your spouse are separated, and you withdraw money from your retirement under this program? Continue reading →

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Link to Comments from Superintendent Contreras

As we’ve written before, the plan is still to begin the school year on August 17, with complete remote learning. Some parents, especially co-parents who share custody, may have concerns regarding the technology that will be used for the remote learning, such as, what if I don’t have internet at home? Or what if I don’t have devices? Or what if I have devices/internet, but my co-parent does not. On August 11, 2020, the Guilford County School Superintendent Sharon Contreras gave comments regarding the reopening procedures for schools, including some news on technological issues. Continue reading →