Massachusetts children all react to news of a Massachusetts divorce differently. Helping them to understand their feelings and process the emotions they experience can be tricky. It is often hard enough for the adults to deal with, for Massachusetts children it can...
Month: December 2017
Can My Massachusetts Landlord Raise My Rent?
Raising rent is always a contentious issue among Massachusetts landlords and tenants. Are raises in rent allowed? The answer depends upon the rental agreement between the parties: whether there is a lease or tenancy-at-will.A lease is where the landlord and tenant...
Divorce as a Young Person in Massachusetts
It may seem that most Massachusetts divorces occur later in life, at least due to stereotypes of divorcees in movies, and divorces that are widely-publicized, namely celebrities and politicians. Therefore, it may come as a surprise that the average age of divorce is...
May a Massachusetts Landlord Charge an Application Fee? NO!!
The answer is NO! A Massachusetts landlord may not charge an application fee,with one exception. Massachusetts General Laws states that at or prior to the commencement of any tenancy, no lessor may require a tenant or prospective tenant to pay any amount in excess of...
The Five Stages of Grief During a Massachusetts Divorce
Many people have heard of the five stages of grief that we go through when a loved one dies: denial, anger, bargaining, loss, and acceptance. This grieving concept was introduced in 1969 by the late Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her book, "On Death and Dying." Although...
Morality Clauses in Massachusetts Parenting Plans
Parents going through a divorce in Massachusetts have numerous concerns regarding how their children will be affected by the divorce. Each parent may fear that the other parent will be a bad influence when it comes to the children, and want to limit the type of...
Massachusetts Landlord Tenant Disputes: Bring Your Photos to Court
It is common, especially with contentious Massachusetts landlord/tenant relationships, for allegations to surface regarding the failure of one party to properly maintain the property.When one of these situations arises, the old adage that "a picture is worth a...
India: A Safe Haven for International Child Abduction for Massachusetts Children
There has been a rash of cases concerning parents who remove a child from the United States to India without the consent of the other parent and then refuse to return the child to this country. India is not a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of...
When Can a Massachusetts Tenant Break a Residential Lease?
What's a Massachusetts residential lease? A lease, is a contract for the rental of property. As such, a lease is enforceable at law. If a tenant signs a lease which is usually for a one-year term, the tenant is liable for rental payments during that period of time. A...
Don’t Take Advice From Friends During Your Massachusetts Divorce
You just filed for a Massachusetts divorce and went to tell your siblings and parents. You met with your best friend and gave her the news as well. Of course, she has advice about what you need to do next.Friends and family members mean well, but they might not know...