Donald G. Tye, a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Family Law Section Council and the chair of a joint task force on family law legislation, testified before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary on Tuesday, July 23, with other members of the family law bar.
Tye spoke in favor of MBA-drafted legislation, filed by Rep. Sheila Harrington (R-Groton), that would bring Massachusetts into conformity with the changes made by the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which eliminated the taxable nature of alimony. Current Massachusetts alimony law provides for alimony based on certain percentages that take into consideration the tax consequences when alimony was taxable to the recipient and deductible by the payor. To see the bill, click here.
Tye voiced the MBA’s strong support for legislation filed by Sen. Cynthia S. Creem (D-Newton) establishing a Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act (UCCJEA), which would provide reasonable access to the courts for parents whose children are lawfully moved out of state. Currently, Massachusetts is the only jurisdiction that has not adopted the UCCJEA. To see the UCCJEA, click here.
Tye was also joined on the panel by attorney Fern Frolin of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Academy of Matrimonial Attorneys, attorney Gayle Stone-Turesky of the Boston Bar Association, attorney Rachel Biscardi of the Women’s Bar Association and Marc Bello, CPA of Edelstein and Company and an expert in financial areas of divorce actions.