Author: JGL Law

This may seem like a fairly obscure legal question, but questions along these lines have become fairly common. As divorces between working couples become more prevalent, so do the concerns of not just dividing marital assets, but also funds for retirement and what qualifies as income.

As a general rule, you can contribute to a regular IRA or a Roth IRA, if you have qualifying income.  So what counts as qualifying income?

There are three categories of qualifying income:

• Amounts earned as an employee
• Self-employment income, and
• Alimony income.

For purposes of making an IRA contribution, taxable alimony income counts as qualifying income. This is a special rule that permits you to build retirement savings in an IRA even if you rely on alimony income for your support. To qualify, the alimony must be paid under a divorce decree or separation agreement.   So, even if you don’t work, your alimony received is sufficient to meet the compensation requirement. The rule applies only to taxable alimony income, though. You can’t include nontaxable items such as child support.

But there are limitations on whether you can contribute to a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA.    

Traditional IRAs stop accepting contributions in the year that you turn 70 1/2 years old, even if you have lots of alimony or other compensation income. For example, if you turn 70 1/2 in December 2017, you can’t contribute at all during the 2017 tax year. If you’re interested in contributing to a Roth IRA, your age is never an issue.

Roth IRAs have income limits instead of age limits restricting who can contribute. These limits count all your taxable income, not just your alimony, so if you have non-compensation income, such as dividends or interest that counts toward the limit, too. For example, in 2017, a single filer can’t contribute to a Roth IRA if his or her modified adjusted gross income exceeds $133,000.  These limits update annually.

Note that there is a perfectly legal technique called a “Backdoor Roth IRA” that may allow you to circumvent this limit. It allows you to convert a Traditional IRA into a Roth IRA, and there are no income limits for conversions.

A skilled divorce attorney is not only knowledgeable in family law but he or she must have a strong understanding of both the tax code and retirement options and should work with strong network of professionals .   Does your divorce lawyer have that? 

Reza Golesorkhi is widely recognized as one of a handful of elite divorce lawyers in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington DCarea.  He is a partner and divorce attorney at Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, P.A., a firm with an established track record of working tirelessly to get exceptional results.  You can reach Reza directly by email at rgolesorkhi@jgllaw.com or at 240.399.7892.

Joseph Greenwald & Laake principal attorney Jay Holland participated in a panel discussion with retired Court of Appeals Judge Harrell and retired Court of Special Appeals Judge Salmon during the Maryland Employment Lawyers Association Conference on Dec. 1. The conference took place at the Greenbelt Marriott Hotel in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The event’s focus was on presenting familiar employment law topics from the perspective of the bench, and it gave attendees the opportunity to mingle with fellow employment law practitioners. Aside from the panel, the lineup included both state and federal judges, as well as other participating jurists.

Jay Holland is a principal in JGL’s Civil Litigation Group, and the chair of the firm’s Labor, Employment and Qui Tam Whistleblower practice. He is a renowned employment and qui tam litigator known for taking on tough cases and achieving exceptional results. 

Joseph Greenwald & Laake principal Jay Holland commented on a story about NBC’s recent firing of Matt Lauer on November 29 for Law360. Lauer, the former co-host of The Today Show, was fired after the network received allegations of workplace sexual misconduct on November 27.

The company’s actions came before these allegations were made public, making NBC one of the first companies to take this type of swift, preemptive action following allegations of this type. Jay spoke to Brandon Campbell about the accusations and about whether this type of swift action will be something that more companies do moving forward.

In the article, Jay said that Lauer’s firing is “notable for its apparent swiftness,” and that NBC “appears to be raising the bar for employers as it relates to swiftness of action.” However, Jay also noted reports that NBC “may have known about the allegations for quite some time.”

Jay Holland is a principal in JGL’s Civil Litigation Group, and the chair of the firm’s Labor, Employment and Qui Tam Whistleblower practice. He is a renowned employment and qui tam litigator known for taking on tough cases and achieving exceptional results.

To read the article in full, click the image below. 

Joseph Greenwald & Laake principal attorney Timothy Maloney was quoted in a Maryland Daily Record article regarding the case of acting Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader and former acting Planning Secretary Wendy W. Peters, and the constitutionality of budget language meant to prevent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan from paying them.

While Schrader has not been paid since July 1, Peters’ was transferred to a new position and began receiving a paycheck in late September.

Maloney represents both Schrader and Peters, and has asked Judge Ronald Silkworth to declare the language of the budget unconstitutional. In the article, he said that the use of budget language to limit recess appointments was a “usurpation of the governor’s power” and “opens the door to wholesale legislating in the budget without the checks and balances of an executive veto.”

Maloney said, “The Senate does not have the authority to limit recess appointments nor have the power to restrict paying recess appointments.”

Maloney is a preeminent trial lawyer who has obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for his clients in a wide variety of matters, including civil rights, employment discrimination, whistleblower actions and high-stakes business litigation. He is a committed advocate for the public good who has held leadership roles with many civic and charitable organizations.

To read the article in full, click the image below.

Joseph Greenwald & Laake senior counsel Eleanor Hunt hosted a Sip & Shop event sponsored by The Maple Lawn Women’s Networking Group. The event, which took place on Nov. 30, was held at Maple Lawn Community Center in Fulton.

Event attendees had the opportunity to shop local boutique vendors while enjoying drinks, snacks and live music. Over twenty vendors such as Urban Pallets, Beautycounter, Tidal Salt Jewelry, doTerra Essential Oils and LuLaRoe donated items towards three raffles that took place during the course of the evening. JGL provided refreshments, a wine and craft beer tasting, and information about the firm to more than one hundred attendees.

The event benefitted the Sisters 4 Sisters Network, Inc., a non-profit organization that supports and empowers women to reach their fullest potential by focuses on issues that impact women and their families.

Eleanor is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Maple Lawn Homeowners’ Association and founded the Maple Lawn Women’s Networking Group. She is an attorney in the firm’s Family Law practice, representing clients in issues such as divorce, adoption, child custody and visitation disputes, domestic violence proceedings and more. She also counsels individuals and families in estate planning issues such as wills, trusts, power of attorney, advanced medical directives and probate administration. 

JGL principal attorney Timothy Maloney has been named one of the top lawyers in the Washington DC area by Washingtonian magazine. The “Top Lawyers” list, which comes out every two years, appears in the December 2017 issue of the magazine.

Tim is a preeminent trial lawyer who has obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for his clients in a wide variety of complex matters, including civil rights, employment discrimination, whistleblower actions, and high-stakes business litigation. He is a “go-to” lawyer who clients rely upon for some of the most difficult and challenging cases, and he has successfully taken on the government in numerous police misconduct and criminal defense cases.

Tim frequently speaks and writes on significant legal developments, and gives legal education presentations to Maryland lawyers on topics such as the rights of incarcerated people and employment litigation in federal court.

All of our attorneys, and the entire JGL community, are proud of Tim for this impressive accomplishment. 

Senior Counsel Matthew J. Focht recently worked with the National Business Institute to lead a webinar for lawyers wishing to continue their education. The webinar, titled Plaintiff’s Personal Injury: Advanced Practice, focused on the complexities of personal injury litigation including jury selection techniques, Medicare liability and smartphone data.

Focht holds years of experience in personal injury litigation. Focht is known for his “surgeon-like approach,” due to his tireless dedication and unwavering skill in solving clients’ legal issues.

The National Business Institute is dedicated to providing continuing legal education. They provide educational materials in a variety of formats including live webcasts, books, and videos. Their topics range from family law to government law and every-where in between.

To learn more and watch the seminar in full, click the image below.

Principal Timothy F. Maloney recently lead a panel presentation on some of the most impactful appellate court decisions of 2017. Maloney focused on some of the prominent civil cases of the year, while other panelists covered topics such as criminal cases and legal insights. The presentation allowed attorneys and other members of the legal community a chance to network while discussing some of the most important appellate decisions of the year. The panel also featured Carrie Williams, from the attorney general’s office, and retired Judge Glenn Harrell.

Maloney is a preeminent trial lawyer who has obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for his clients in a wide variety of complex matters, including civil rights, employment discrimination, whistleblower actions and high-stakes business litigation. He is also a dedicated public servant. Most recently, Maloney was awarded for his help in chronicling the history of civil rights jurisprudence in “The March for Civil Rights and the United States District Court of Maryland.” The permanent exhibit is on display at the U.S. District Courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland.

JGL principal Reza Golesorkhi co-sponsored the Fourth Annual National Conference of the Iranian American Bar Association in Washington DC The two-day event featured a formal welcome dinner reception on Friday, Nov. 17 at the Westin Georgetown, and an all-day continuing education and networking conference on Saturday, Nov. 18. Reza attended the event, which included presentations by nationally and internationally recognized experts in their fields.

The IABA is a nonprofit professional organization that educates and informs the Iranian-American community about legal issues of interest, and ensures that government representatives and officials are aware of matters concerning the Iranian-American community. With nine chapters nationwide, the organization fosters and promotes the achievement of Iranian-American lawyers and legal professionals.

Reza is widely recognized as one of a handful of elite divorce lawyers in the Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia area. He has gained a reputation as a skilled trial lawyer with a unique command of the courtroom that sets him apart. Reza handles a broad range of family law matters, and has a keen understanding of Family Law and Business, making him the go-to lawyer for high net-worth individuals.

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Joseph Greenwald & Laake and principal attorney Timothy Maloney are continuing to represent families who have filed civil suits following a child sex abuse scandal at Sylvania W. Woods Elementary School in Glenarden.

Deonte Carraway, a 24-year-old former teacher’s aide at the school, was sentenced to a 75-year federal prison sentence on 15 charges of child pornography. Simultaneously, he was sentenced to 100-years on 23 counts of child sex abuse and pornography by Prince George’s County Circuit Court on Sept. 28.

The Washington Post reports that the elementary school’s top administrators dismissed and ignored many student complaints of Carraway’s inappropriate behavior since he was originally hired in late 2014. Lawsuits filed by the firm assert that the school board and staff members are liable for emotional and physical injuries to the abused children, because their failure to report Carraway’s behavior created an unsafe school environment.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/lax-management-ignored-complaints-created-unchecked-breeding-ground-for-abuse-lawsuit-in-md-school-sex-case-asserts/2017/11/14/e55433ca-c884-11e7-8321-481fd63f174d_story.html?utm_term=.157b5697fd97

Maloney is a preeminent trial lawyer who has obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for his clients in a wide variety of matters, including civil rights, employment discrimination, whistleblower actions and high-stakes business litigation. He is a committed advocate for the public good who has held leadership roles with many civic and charitable organizations.