Family and Matrimonial

The increased federal estate tax exemption under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may have reduced the number of estates subject to federal estate tax, but for married New York residents, credit shelter trusts remain an important planning consideration.

The Calm Among the Storm – In each post of this blog series, Schneider Bell attorney Veronica Garofoli answers a real question she sees from families, fiduciaries, financial advisors, and CPAs — focused on the moments when a situation first becomes unstable, and what actually protects people under Ohio probate and trust law.

When a parent passes away and leaves behind the family home, inheriting that property involves more than sentiment—it requires navigating estate administration, sibling negotiations, property valuations, and potential buyouts. Understanding the legal and financial complexities of keeping an inherited house can help families avoid costly disputes and make informed decisions about whether to retain or sell the property.

How family law mediation can help parties break cycles of powerlessness, escalation and conflict

Senior Partner Jay Dahlin and Partner Rachel Kolesar examine dissipation of marital assets in Illinois divorce cases, exploring how spending during marriage breakdown affects property division. Through scenarios involving gambling, luxury purchases, and hidden expenses, they analyze what constitutes dissipation, when timing matters, and how courts distinguish ordinary expenses from asset misuse.

When religious traditions intersect with modern estate planning, complex questions arise about inheritance conditions, faith-based marriage requirements, and the enforceability of religious divorce decrees. This episode explores how Jewish and Islamic inheritance principles interact with secular law, examining whether estate plans can legally require heirs to marry within their faith and what happens when religious and civil divorce requirements conflict.

The court will look at each parent’s income to determine issues such as child support or post-secondary support. Imputed income is an estimate by the court of an individual’s income, even if they are not actually earning that amount.

When parents separate, dividing holiday time can be challenging. Each parent may want to continue family traditions, spend Thanksgiving with the children, or wake up with them on Christmas morning.

The Calm Among the Storm – In each post of this blog series, Schneider Bell attorney Veronica Garofoli answers a real question she sees from families, fiduciaries, financial advisors, and CPAs — focused on the moments when a situation first becomes unstable, and what actually protects people under Ohio probate and trust law.