Category: Marital Finances

Maintenance in Manhattan: When Does Lifestyle Matter More Than Income?

Maintenance in Manhattan: When Does Lifestyle Matter More Than Income?

Divorce in New York isn’t just about dividing property: it’s also about figuring out whether one spouse owes the other ongoing support, known here as maintenance (what people in other states call “alimony”). And in Manhattan, where lifestyles can include doormen, Hamptons shares, and $150 spin classes before breakfast, maintenance awards aren’t always driven by numbers on a W-2. Sometimes, they’re driven by lifestyle.

So when does lifestyle matter more than income? The answer is: when the standard of living during the marriage creates expectations the law is designed to protect, especially in marriages with big disparities in earnings. Let’s talk about it:

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Nicole Kidman’s Divorce: What High-Profile Splits Teach the Rest of Us

Nicole Kidman’s Divorce: What High-Profile Splits Teach the Rest of Us

Nicole Kidman has filed for divorce from country star Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage, and the headlines are everywhere. It’s not just Hollywood gossip, it’s a case study in what happens when love, lifestyle, and law collide at the highest level.

A Marriage in the Spotlight

The couple married in 2006 and built nearly two decades together, raising two daughters along the way. On the surface, it looked like one of the rare celebrity marriages that beat the odds. But in recent months, cracks appeared. Reports suggest Keith moved out earlier this summer, and while Nicole fought to save the marriage, she officially filed for divorce at the end of September.

Nineteen years is a long marriage in any world, but especially in Hollywood. And while we can all sigh over another “happily ever after” that didn’t last, what’s more interesting to me as a divorce lawyer is what’s at stake when marriages of this scale unravel.

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Alimony & Child Support in New York: Why the Math Matters

Alimony & Child Support in New York: Why the Math Matters

Alimony? Child support? Income caps? If your eyes glaze over when divorce finances come up, this post is your no-nonsense crash course. People hate math, but they love money. And nothing proves it more than a divorce consult. The minute I start talking about support numbers, everyone suddenly becomes a “math expert.” Spreadsheets appear, calculators come out, and suddenly it’s all about the formulas.

But here’s the truth: support in New York is part math, part strategy.

In this blog, I cover the basics, run the numbers, and show you how people actually negotiate support in real life. Spousal maintenance and child support can make or break a divorce settlement. This post demystifies New York’s latest support laws, complete with updated 2025 caps, sample calculations, and smart strategies for high earners, caregivers, and everyone in between.

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How One Woman Quietly Took Back Control, and Her Freedom

How One Woman Quietly Took Back Control, and Her Freedom

I know an incredible mother of four, let’s call her Anne. She’s now in a happy, stable second marriage with her supportive husband, a fellow schoolteacher. They’re raising twin toddlers in a home complete with a white picket fence. But her life wasn’t always so peaceful.

Anne’s first husband was a controlling, verbally abusive police officer who drank heavily and cheated often. When Anne pushed back, he threatened to use his job and income to take the kids and ruin her in court. But instead of giving in to fear, Anne made a quiet plan, and started with her finances.

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