Bruce Law Firm - January 2022

Bruce Law Firm - January 2022

January 2022

Meet Zak Martinez! MY JOURNEY TO FAMILY LAW — AND FLORIDA

Hi everyone! My name is Attorney Zak Martinez, and I joined Bruce Law as part of my move fromTexas to Florida. Learning the procedures and requirements at the firm as well as my weekend trips to visit my family several hours away and also being new to Florida have kept me busy. As a brief background, I love Florida and understand why everyone is moving here. The climate is great, the culture is fun, and there’s always something fun to do such as country music concerts or car shows. I also like seeing the palm trees lining the streets as I drive, and I love watching the waves. My parents live in Orlando, and my 19-year-old sister attends the University of Central Florida. It’s great having my family with whom I am close only a few hours away. Growing up, both of my parents were police officers, and so I had a strong interest in law from an early age. After completing my bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University, I studied law at Texas A&M University and am now licensed to practice law in four states. Because of my parents’ work, I was fascinated with criminal law and completed two internships in district attorney’s offices.

It didn’t take long to decide that prosecution of criminals was not a good fit. But during my time with the state, I worked with victims of domestic violence in getting their stories told, securing their protection, and helping them get on the road to a new life. Their stories of abuse, both physically and mentally, moved me.Working with these survivors and seeing their cases through introduced me to family law.With the Domestic Violence Victim’s Unit, I soon realized that family law would better suit my temperament, goals, and desire to build and maintain relationships with my clients. Most importantly, this unique subset of family law satisfied my desire to help people in bad situations get to a better place.

This experience has carried over to my practice today.

requires precision, thought, and attention to detail. Even though I’ve been practicing for years, I still learn something new every day. A real benefit for our clients is having the firm’s collective knowledge, and not just hearing one attorney’s view. All of the attorneys at Bruce Law Firm, and especially Christopher and managing attorney Rosalie, often provide me with valuable insight and, if asked, would act as a second opinion in each of my cases. Truly, when someone hires us, they hire the entire firm. I love working with professionals who desire to help. I’ve had the opportunity to do that every day since I joined Bruce Law Firm. I can’t wait to continue growing as an attorney, helping as many clients as possible, and making the firm the best it can be!

Now, years into my divorce and family law practice, I know that one can only guess what happens behind closed doors. The scars you do see do not show the scars you don’t. My practice which is exclusively devoted to divorce and family law matters, gives me an inside glimpse into people’s lives, raw and unedited. That happy-looking mother who obviously cares for her children is not always happy behind the prison walls of her home. My work allows me to have empathy for and understand clients’ vulnerable positions, yet be strong for them and help them through their most intimate problems. I truly enjoy being able to provide compassionate representation during some of the most challenging times of their lives. Although in Palm Beach and surrounding South Florida areas the divorce process is nearly the same, no two cases are exactly alike. Each

– Zak Martinez

561-810-0170 • 1

Embrace Your Inner Bookworm

Money, Money, Money

Who Claims the Children on Taxes After a Divorce? Divorced parents have a lot on their minds. They’ve got to care for their children, keep track of custody schedules, try to maintain a working relationship with their co-parent, and complete countless other tasks every day. In fact, people have so many concerns during a divorce that it’s easier to overlook some finer details — like who claims the kids on their taxes. Tax season is officially here, and all of the headaches it brings are beginning anew. There are many benefits to claiming a child as a dependent on your tax return. Using the Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, and Earned Income Credit, you can reduce your tax burden or increase your refund. The process is all relatively simple when you’re married and filing jointly. But what about after a divorce? Unfortunately, both parents can’t claim the same child. Though it might sound fair for parents who are both providing financial support, the IRS considers it double-dipping. When there is a custodial parent — one who cares for and lives with the child all or most of the time — they generally get to claim the child as a dependent. Joint custody agreements, however, can get a bit tricky. Many custody agreements specify which parent can claim the child on their taxes. It’s the ideal scenario — no questions and no disputes. Some parents alter the tax credits so one parent receives them on odd years, and the other receives them on even years. Sometimes, one parent will exchange their right to claim the child on future tax returns for other concessions in the divorce proceedings. And in cases of multiple children, parents will sometimes split them down the middle. For example, if they have two children, each parent gets to claim one on their taxes. When there is no agreement and both parents want to claim a child, disputes and even IRS audits can arise. If your original divorce lawyer overlooked the tax implications of divorce, or if you’re having trouble getting your co-parent to abide by the court order, Bruce Law can help. We’ll be glad to review your case and let you know all of your options. Call us today!

4 Secrets to Finding Time to Read as a Busy Parent When you think of reading, you might conjure up an image of yourself curled up next to a cozy fireplace, sipping on coffee, and reading the day away. However, with the hustle and bustle of daily life and raising kids, it’s tough to find the time to truly dive into a good book. We know it’s important to read to our children, but we forget how valuable it is for them to see us reading, too.

So, how can you fit it into your schedule?

DON’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A BOOK.

Whether you are waiting in the pickup line at school, at the dentist’s office, for your order at the coffee shop, or at your kid’s soccer practice, this downtime could be spent reading a chapter of your book.

SCHEDULE READING TIME.

This one sounds quite silly, but as parents know, if you don’t make time for something, it won’t get done. Plan out 30 minutes of reading time each day to allow yourself to get comfortable and read without distractions. The trick here is to make sure you don’t cancel on yourself!

MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR.

Sometimes parents feel guilty when they take time for themselves that could be spent with their children. If this sounds like you, make time to read together — the kids read their books, and you read yours! Some days, this may last 10 minutes, but other times, they may stay captivated longer. Either way, you are creating healthy habits for your kids while getting in a chapter for yourself, too!

SWAP OUT THE MOVIES FOR BOOKS.

Once the kids are tucked in after a long day, it sounds so nice to park yourself in front of the television with a cozy blanket and mindlessly watch a good movie or an episode of your favorite show. However, instead of watching TV for an hour, dedicate some or all of that time to reading. This way, you’re still making progress in your book.

Is your friend or client married to a controlling, manipulative, narcissistic husband?

OUR BOOKS CAN HELP!

No matter how you make the time to read, you will be glad you did. Good luck and happy reading!

The book can be downloaded for FREE at DivorceInformationBooks.com.

2 • BrucePA.com

Just Like Starting Over

Introducing a New Partner to Your Children

Everyone knows that divorce is hard on children. No matter their age, they’ll need to go through a period of mourning and adjustment. A parent’s new relationship can reopen old wounds, so introducing a new partner to your kids is a delicate process. Here are three tips to help make your first meeting a success. DON’T RUSH IN. In general, kids take longer to process a divorce than the split couple does. Many children harbor fantasies of their parents getting back together, so a new partner can lead to anger and resentment. While you can quietly date earlier, wait at least a year or two before introducing any love interests to your kids. Further, rotating adults entering and exiting their lives will confuse children and make them feel insecure. Ensure the relationship has progressed to a point where it feels stable and likely permanent before introductions. PLAN AHEAD. Always have a conversation with a new partner before introducing them to your kids. They may feel it’s too soon or not be prepared to handle your children’s potentially strong emotions. If you co-parent, give your ex a heads-up as well — they’ll find out from the kids, anyway, so they should be prepared in advance. Kids can feel threatened

by having a new person in their house, so pick a neutral location for the first meeting, like a playground or a zoo. Finally, keep the introduction relatively short; too much too soon can backfire. GIVE THEM TIME TO PROCESS. Even if you do everything right, your kids will have feelings about your relationship and a new adult entering their lives. Give them space to process their emotions after the first meeting, but also check in on how they’re feeling. It will remind them that they’re your top priority and make them feel safer about sharing their thoughts. Even if the introduction goes well, give your children time to warm up to your new partner — you’re not going to become a family overnight. Start with short, occasional interactions and work your way up. You know your children best, so when planning your first meeting, take their ages and temperaments into account. Above all, make sure your kids know their relationship with you hasn’t changed — and you love them just as much as ever.

Have a LAUGH

Chicken With Lemon Herb Sauce

Inspired by FoodNetwork.com

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland with this citrusy chicken!

Ingredients

• • • •

1/3 cup and 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

• • • •

1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1/3 cup mint, chopped

4 boneless chicken breasts 1 clove of garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 lemon, for juice and zest

Directions

1. 2.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper if desired and sear it in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Bake chicken until its internal temperature is 165 F. 4. In a blender, add 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, parsley, mint, pepper, and lemon zest and juice and blend ingredients until coarsely mixed. 5. Top chicken with sauce and serve

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1601 Forum Pl. Ste. 1101 West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Meet Our Newest Attorney page 1

Make More Time for Reading Claiming Children on Taxes After a Divorce page 2 Post-Divorce Relationships and Children Chicken With Lemon Herb Sauce page 3

The Street Vet page 4

The Street Vet

Saving the Lives of Homeless Individuals’ Pets

About 25% of Modesto’s homeless population own a pet, and back in 2011, Dr. Stewart noticed that many needed medical attention. This tugged at his heart strings. Knowing that many would come for free pet medical attention if he set up a table near a soup kitchen, Dr. Stewart jumped at the opportunity. What he thought would be a one-time event eventually turned into a regular act of heroism. Now, Dr. Stewart has the ability to step in and save the day for both the pet and owner at no cost. Dr. Stewart has found that the bond between homeless individuals and their pets is unlike any that he sees in his office. “Keep in mind that they are with their pet every minute of every day,” he says. “That’s not the case with most of us.” He notes that seeing these special pet patients makes him feel as if he has a superpower. Dr. Stewart recalls that growing up, he wanted to be either a vet or Batman, and now, he gets the best of both worlds! Dr. Stewart often spends his spare time wandering the streets in search of pets that need his help, offering free vaccinations and medical care. He notes that the homeless population is just like us, but they have fallen on hard times, and their pets are their companions and lifelines. In helping the pets, Dr. Stewart builds a special bond with their owners. To be able to make a difference in the lives of sweet, innocent animals and their owners is the most rewarding type of work — the dream job Dr. Stewart could have never even conjured up before he selflessly started living it.

Veterinarian and animal advocate Dr. Kwane Stewart, known in his docuseries as “The Street Vet,” has his own veterinary practice in Modesto, California, but still makes a point to help the pets of the homeless population in town for free. He began this selfless act of heroism in 2011 after the Great Recession hit and has since helped well over 400 animals, even tending to a Burmese python at one point!

4 • BrucePA.com