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FAQs

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Trial and Order

I have a trial version and need a KeyCode.

Can I run the software on a Macintosh?

What are the key license terms?

How can I restart my free trial of Family Law Software?

Why is there a set-up fee?

What are the system requirements?

My free trial period with the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA) has expired. Can it be extended?

I have signed up for the software, but I am still getting a message saying that I am in my trial period.

Will you waive the set-up fee for me?

Can I suspend my subscription?

Can I get receipts for my monthly payments?

How does Family Law Software compare to FinPlan?

How does Family Law Software compare to Divorce Power Analyzer (DPA)?

How does Family Law Software compare to DissoMaster?

How does Family Law Software compare to EasySoft?

How does Family Law Software compare to SupportCalc?

Getting Going

I have received my KeyCode. How do I enter it and get going?

I did not get the e-mail with my KeyCode.

My software is saying "Reader Edition," or saying I need to purchase a license.

I am getting the message "Error Opening File For Writing" when I am installing the software.

How can my paralegal or assistant install the software, or how can I put it on a second computer for myself?

How can I run the software on an iPad or other tablet?

How can I download the latest version of the software?

How can I move to a new computer (PC or Macintosh)?

My computer crashed. How can I get going again and restore my client files?

How can I make the fonts larger?

How can I remove Family Law Software from my hard drive?

The training videos are not working.

At startup, I get the message "Family Law Software has encountered a problem and needs to close." What should I do?

My anti-virus software flagged Family Law Software as a threat.

How can I change the credit card I am using?

I am getting the message, "Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file."

How should I set up Family Law Software in a Citrix environment?

How can I set up a KeyCode list on a Windows Terminal Server?

I am not able to send e-mail from within the program.

How can I clear the cache in the Windows Chrome browser, to be sure I am downloading the latest update?

I have installed the software, but nothing happens when I click the icon.

Malwarebytes has reported Debenu files from Family Law Software as a Trojan.

Macintosh-Specific questions

I am having trouble installing the Macintosh version.

I have just updated on the Macintosh, but I do not seem to have the latest version. The download seems not to have worked.

How can I completely remove Family Law Software from my Macintosh computer?

How can I use Family Law Software on macOS Catalina 10.15 using Parallels?

The program crashes when I try to start it on my Mac.

Cloud Edition questions

Tell me about your Cloud Security.

Using the Cloud Edition, how can I send a file to another professional?

How can I coordinate my files between the Cloud and Windows/Mac desktop?

Why do the Cloud and Desktop version not automatically synch data?

Client Data Entry

How Does the Client Edition work?

What is the Client Cloud Data Entry process?

How can I work with Client Online Files?

My client cannot find his or her KeyCode.

How can two parties both get their data to me electronically (typically in a collaborative or mediation context)?

How can both spouses work in the Desktop Client Edition Software?

Each party has completed his client information separately. Can I merge or combine the two client files?

I sent instructions to the client on data entry, but he did not get them.

My client sent his file to me but I did not get it.

How can I send a Family Law Software data file to my client?

Are there blank paper data input sheets that I can print for clients?

Storing and Sending Client Files

Where can I store client files?

The program is not remembering the location of my default folder (where my client files are stored).

How can I access files from anywhere (the Cloud), using DropBox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or a similar service?

I can't find the client file(s) on my computer

How can I send a data file to another computer?

Does the KeyCode control access to client files?

How can I send a client file to Tech Support?

How can I send files to other professionals who have Family Law Software?

How can I e-mail a PDF from the software?

How can I send information from Family Law Software to another professional who does not have the program?

How does Family Law Software work with Smokeball?

Printing

How can I change the name that appears in the footer when I print?

How can I change the information in the footer, such as time, date, parties' names, file name, software version, and page numbers?

Why are my footnotes not printing?

How can I show notes on a report when I print?

How can I my firm name and firm logo to print on reports?

Data Entry General Questions

Can I import data from Quicken, Excel, Money Tree, or other software?

Does the Child Credit calculation stop automatically when the child turns age 17?

What do you think about the prohibition against "double dipping?"

How can I use the software as a general financial planning tool?

Family Law Software is giving me a different result than FinPlan, EasySoft, SupportCalc, DPA (Divorce Power Analyzer), DissoMaster, or some other program. How can I get them to match?

Why do you not have pennies or cents in the calculations?

Why can I not just enter my client data on a screen that looks like my state's financial form?

What if my client's gender is neither male nor female?

How can I open a file in a different state?

How do I enter spousal support (alimony, spousal maintenance) of the current relationship?

How do I enter optical insurance and other payroll deductions that are not explicitly listed?

How do I enter a property settlement, and what is it?

How do I enter a buyout of the marital home?

How do I enter separate property?

How do I enter IRA and 401(k) contributions?

How do I enter a defined benefit pension?

How do I enter Social Security income?

How can I enter an expense that ends at a future date, such as child care, or when children leave the home?

How can I change the state where a party lives?

Where do I enter tax withholding or estimated tax payments?

How do I specify self-employment income?

How can I specify that all available income will be spent?

How can I change the order (sequence) in which assets are listed?

How do I show a retirement from a business, or sale of a business?

How do I enter a business buyout note?

How do I compute the child support guideline amount?

How can I enter deferred compensation?

How do I handle reimbursement from marital property for the expenditure of marital assets for separate purposes?

How do I handle reimbursement from marital property for the expenditure of separate assets for marital purposes (Epstein credits)?

How can I handle the reimbursement (equalization) in a situation in which the wife has given separate property to the husband (or vice versa)?

How do I handle reimbursement from marital property for payment by husband of wife's separate debt (or vice versa)?

How can I calculate Family Support?

How can I calculate child support modifications if there is split custody (each parent is custodial for one or more children)?

How should I handle Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) balances?

How can I specify local city wage taxes?

How do I change the first year (current year) for child support calculations, cash flow, taxes, etc.?

How can I handle a net operating loss carryforward?

A third party (such as a grandparent) has custody of the child. How can I calculate the child support that each of the two parents owes to the third party?

How can I show reductions of child support?

How can I show children's assets (including 529 Plans) being used for college?

How can I show investment returns on a diversified portfolio with components of current income, appreciation, and capital gains?

How does the software show compounding of reinvested income?

What is Accumulated Savings?

How can I stop interest and dividends from accruing on accumulated savings?

Can I specify a fixed-dollar reinvestment in specific investments?

How can I enter the future grants of stock options?

I want to show investments appreciating, but not show any current income.

Why am I not seeing any current income on the investments? Or, why am I not seeing appreciation?

How should I deal with the exercise of stock options?

What value should I give to unvested stock options?

How should I enter restricted vs unrestricted stock options?

How can I enter restricted stock units (RSU)?

How can I enter an Employee Stock Purchase Plan?

How can I reflect options, RSUs, etc. on an after-tax ("tax-effected") basis?

How can I enter non-qualified annuities from an insurance company?

How can I handle installment sales and notes receivable?

How do liquidations work in the software?

How can I enter capital loss carryforwards?

How can I enter data from a K-1?

How do I enter itemized deductions?

How can I specify some expenses as "discretionary" in the software?

How should I enter vehicle (car, truck) expenses in the software?

Is it possible to set an assumption that all net cash flow is spent rather than saved and invested?

Why does the total expense number on the financial form not match the Budget Report?

How can I change the description or label of an expense item?

How can I calculate the separate property portion of an IRA?

I entered an IRA and specified regular distributions. I do not see any IRA retirement income in the year my client will retire. What happened?

How can I represent a loan from a 401k that is being paid back?

Why do the IRA distributions seem too low for awhile, then suddenly jump up?

How can I tell if my pension valuation is right?

Do you calculate defined benefit pension valuations for joint lives (survivorships)?

How are pension present value (valuation) and pension payments coordinated?

What do you assume to be the life expectancy, or age of death, or mortality, of the pension plan participant?

What discount rate (interest rate) do you use in the Pension valuation?

What if the pension payments decline or stop?

What if the COLA does not start immediately?

What if I have an employer statement of value that differs from the pension calculation?

I am going to testify in court about the pension valuation.

What should I assume with respect to how long the participant will work, and when she will retire?

For a pension evaluation, can I get a life expectancy table customized to my client?

Why is the pension income not correct?

How can I enter a military pension?

How does the mortgage interest deduction work when the parties are separated?

How do I indicate that a real estate property (home, marital residence) will be sold?

What is the price at which a real estate property will be sold?

How can I enter a real estate property that is partly rental income and partly personal use?

What if part of the home was rented before sale?

How do I handle depreciation recapture?

What if a refinancing is buying out separate property?

What if one spouse has contributed to the downpayment?

How are real estate sale proceeds reflected in the software?

How do I enter a home sale being used to fund a downpayment?

Should I enter a real estate investment property as Real Estate or Cash & Investment?

How do I enter responsibility for the mortgage shifting from one party to the other?

Is the tax shown on the Sale of Real Estate report exactly correct?

How can I more precisely account for the tax on sale of real estate?

Why are the mortgage (and other expenses) not showing up on the financial affidavit or Budget Report?

How do I enter rent for a party who is paying rent?

Can a party who does not live in the marital residence claim the mortgage deduction for it?

How can I find the present value (PV) for spousal support (the lump sum buyout amount)?

How can I implement a spousal support lump sum payment in Family Law Software?

My spousal support present value calculation does not match yours. Why not?

The Social Security income projection seems off. Why?

What if a spouse is going to take half the other spouse's social security?

How do I handle derivative social security benefits?

Can we value Social Security as a defined benefit pension?

How can we negotiate divorced spouse benefits under current Social Security rules?

Why are state taxes different for itemized deductions than for "actual" state taxes?

Why is the child support income higher than the amount I entered?

Why is the software's tax calculation different from what I see on the pay stub?

Does the software flag alimony or spousal support that is "clearly associated with a contingency" -- the so-called "contingency rule"?

Where in the software can I see the impact of the provisions of the 2017 tax act?

Can I change the title of the Marital Property Division Report (Community Property Division Report)?

Can I change the letters "H" and "W" on the Property Division report and data entry fields? (Useful for same-sex couples.)

What are the Summary Totals Spreadsheet numbers?

How can I get reports and graphs into PowerPoint?

How can I see child support, taxes, and cash flows or a prior year?

How can I make a presentation using Family Law Software?

Where can I find the report entitled After Tax Cash and Support?

How can I preview how the financial affidavit will look?

I am going to be called as an expert witness. Is the software accepted in my court?

How can I create different scenarios in the software?

Can I change the fonts or margins in my document?

Why does the bottom line of the Budget Report not match the Spreadsheet for Income After Expenses and Taxes?

Why does the bottom line of the Budget Report not match the net income from the Child Support or from my state's financial statement (Affidavit, Net Worth Statement, Case Information Statement, Sworn Financial Statement, Disclosure Statement, Income & Expense Statement, etc.)?

How can I split spousal support savings between the parties?

How can I tell which party should claim the exemptions for children?

When I change numbers on the What If Analysis, the taxes do not seem to be updating.

How can I figure out whether the the parties should complete their divorce in the current year?

How does Family Law Software compare to DissoMaster [TM]?

How can I match DissoMaster's Child Support results?

I am familiar with DissoMaster. How can I see where to input things in Family Law Software?

Where do I go in Family Law Software to enter each asset from the California FL-142?

How can I get assets to show up on the correct place on the FL-142 (Schedule of Assets and Debts)?

How does Family Law Software spousal support compare to DissoMaster?

Why are you not subtracting debts on Form 150 line 11?

I have printed the Court Forms to a PDF, and I can't see the checkboxes.

How do I enter a Section 2640 reimbursement?

Where do I enter a Moore-Marsden calculation?

Why can I only open one file in my Colorado Child Support calculator?

How can I get health insurance to show up in the correct place on the Sworn Financial Statement?

I am not seeing the life insurance premium on my Colorado Sworn Financial Statement.

How can I handle post-decree cases?

How can I get assets to show up on the correct place on the Sworn Financial Statement?

I am trying to run the free Client Edition of Family Law Software, and I am getting a message that my trial has expired.

I have enough overnights for shared custody (Worksheet B), so why is the software using sole (Worksheet A)?

How can I adjust page breaking on my Sworn Financial Statement?

How can I get an asset to appear in the "Children's Assets" section of the Affidavit?

How can I show a party's rental expenses on the Affidavit?

How can I get the Connecticut Financial Affidavit to show 50% of each party's property?

On the Connecticut Financial Affidavit, where do I put in after-tax payroll deductions such as CIGNA PAC, Fitness Center, and United Way?

Why does child support go up when I increase non-custodial overnights?

How can I change the name of the FL-902c to "Amended" or "Interim" Family Law Financial Affidavit?

Where do I enter last year's’ gross income?

How do I specify contingent assets and debts on the Florida Affidavit?

How do I select Form 902b?

How can I enter footnotes on Form 902b?

When I calculate child support in an actual 50/50 split, I get different numbers depending upon who I list as the parent for custody guidelines.

Is spousal maintenance deducted for the calculation of child support?

Taxes are deducted in the child support calculation. Is maintenance deducted in this tax calculation?

How can I calculate child support in Illinois when custody is shared exactly equally (50/50)?

Why is alimony paid to the current spouse not deducted from income for child support purposes?

I have been using EasySoft. What do I need to know to start using Family Law Software?

For the New Jersey Case Information Statement, what is the difference between CIS income and Full Income?

For New Jersey child support, I have entered more than 104 overnights, why is the software is not showing shared custody?

For New Jersey child support, which tax calculation method should I use: Appendix IX-H, Circular E, or actual taxes?

For New Jersey child support, how do I enter the Other Dependent Deduction?

For New Jersey Child Support, why is the income different (either higher or lower) than what I think I input?

For New Jersey child support, why are the number of tax allowances on Appendix IX-H or Circular E higher than I expect?

What should I do if parenting is exactly 50/50? What is is the Wunsch-Deffler formula?

Why is the effective date on the form earlier than the current year?

How should I handle substantially shared parenting for child support purposes?

How can I print only certain specified pages of the New York Net Worth Statement?

How can I enter New York City taxes?

How can I adjust page breaking on my Net Worth Statement?

How can I create a Gross Income report?

For child support, how should I handle income over $150,000?

Why does alimony paid by the higher-income custodial spouse not generate a tax deduction for purposes of the guideline calculation?

How Do I Enter ...?

How can I open a file in a different state?

How do I enter spousal support (alimony, spousal maintenance) of the current relationship?

How do I enter optical insurance and other payroll deductions that are not explicitly listed?

How do I enter a property settlement, and what is it?

How do I enter a buyout of the marital home?

How do I enter separate property?

How do I enter IRA and 401(k) contributions?

How do I enter a defined benefit pension?

How do I enter Social Security income?

How can I enter an expense that ends at a future date, such as child care, or when children leave the home?

How can I change the state where a party lives?

Where do I enter tax withholding or estimated tax payments?

How do I specify self-employment income?

How can I specify that all available income will be spent?

How can I change the order (sequence) in which assets are listed?

How do I show a retirement from a business, or sale of a business?

How do I enter a business buyout note?

How do I compute the child support guideline amount?

How can I enter deferred compensation?

How do I handle reimbursement from marital property for the expenditure of marital assets for separate purposes?

How do I handle reimbursement from marital property for the expenditure of separate assets for marital purposes (Epstein credits)?

How can I handle the reimbursement (equalization) in a situation in which the wife has given separate property to the husband (or vice versa)?

How do I handle reimbursement from marital property for payment by husband of wife's separate debt (or vice versa)?

How can I calculate Family Support?

How can I calculate child support modifications if there is split custody (each parent is custodial for one or more children)?

How should I handle Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) balances?

How should child care expenses be entered if the party received dependent care benefits?

How can I specify local city wage taxes?

How do I change the first year (current year) for child support calculations, cash flow, taxes, etc.?

How can I handle a net operating loss carryforward?

Children

A third party (such as a grandparent) has custody of the child. How can I calculate the child support that each of the two parents owes to the third party?

How can I show reductions of child support?

How can I show children's assets (including 529 Plans) being used for college?

Investment

How can I show investment returns on a diversified portfolio with components of current income, appreciation, and capital gains?

How does the software show compounding of reinvested income?

What is Accumulated Savings?

How can I stop interest and dividends from accruing on accumulated savings?

Can I specify a fixed-dollar reinvestment in specific investments?

How can I enter the future grants of stock options?

I want to show investments appreciating, but not show any current income.

Why am I not seeing any current income on the investments? Or, why am I not seeing appreciation?

How should I deal with the exercise of stock options?

What value should I give to unvested stock options?

How should I enter restricted vs unrestricted stock options?

How can I enter restricted stock units (RSU)?

How can I enter an Employee Stock Purchase Plan?

How can I reflect options, RSUs, etc. on an after-tax ("tax-effected") basis?

How can I enter non-qualified annuities from an insurance company?

How can I handle installment sales and notes receivable?

How do liquidations work in the software?

How can I enter capital loss carryforwards?

How can I enter data from a K-1?

Living Expenses

How do I enter itemized deductions?

How can I specify some expenses as "discretionary" in the software?

How should I enter vehicle (car, truck) expenses in the software?

Is it possible to set an assumption that all net cash flow is spent rather than saved and invested?

Why does the total expense number on the financial form not match the Budget Report?

How can I change the description or label of an expense item?

IRA

How can I calculate the separate property portion of an IRA?

I entered an IRA and specified regular distributions. I do not see any IRA retirement income in the year my client will retire. What happened?

How can I represent a loan from a 401k that is being paid back?

Why do the IRA distributions seem too low for awhile, then suddenly jump up?

Pension

How can I tell if my pension valuation is right?

Do you calculate defined benefit pension valuations for joint lives (survivorships)?

How are pension present value (valuation) and pension payments coordinated?

What do you assume to be the life expectancy, or age of death, or mortality, of the pension plan participant?

What discount rate (interest rate) do you use in the Pension valuation?

What if the pension payments decline or stop?

What if the COLA does not start immediately?

What if I have an employer statement of value that differs from the pension calculation?

I am going to testify in court about the pension valuation.

What should I assume with respect to how long the participant will work, and when she will retire?

For a pension evaluation, can I get a life expectancy table customized to my client?

Why is the pension income not correct?

How can I enter a military pension?

Real Estate

How does the mortgage interest deduction work when the parties are separated?

How do I indicate that a real estate property (home, marital residence) will be sold?

What is the price at which a real estate property will be sold?

How can I enter a real estate property that is partly rental income and partly personal use?

What if part of the home was rented before sale?

How do I handle depreciation recapture?

What if a refinancing is buying out separate property?

What if one spouse has contributed to the downpayment?

How are real estate sale proceeds reflected in the software?

How do I enter a home sale being used to fund a downpayment?

Should I enter a real estate investment property as Real Estate or Cash & Investment?

How do I enter responsibility for the mortgage shifting from one party to the other?

Is the tax shown on the Sale of Real Estate report exactly correct?

How can I more precisely account for the tax on sale of real estate?

Why are the mortgage (and other expenses) not showing up on the financial affidavit or Budget Report?

How do I enter rent for a party who is paying rent?

Can a party who does not live in the marital residence claim the mortgage deduction for it?

Spousal Support Present Value Calculation

How can I find the present value (PV) for spousal support (the lump sum buyout amount)?

How can I implement a spousal support lump sum payment in Family Law Software?

My spousal support present value calculation does not match yours. Why not?

Social Security

The Social Security income projection seems off. Why?

What if a spouse is going to take half the other spouse's social security?

How do I handle derivative social security benefits?

Can we value Social Security as a defined benefit pension?

How can we negotiate divorced spouse benefits under current Social Security rules?

Taxes

Why are state taxes different for itemized deductions than for "actual" state taxes?

Why is the child support income higher than the amount I entered?

Why is the software's tax calculation different from what I see on the pay stub?

Does the software flag alimony or spousal support that is "clearly associated with a contingency" -- the so-called "contingency rule"?

Where in the software can I see the impact of the provisions of the 2017 tax act?

Reports

Can I change the title of the Marital Property Division Report (Community Property Division Report)?

Can I change the letters "H" and "W" on the Property Division report and data entry fields? (Useful for same-sex couples.)

What are the Summary Totals Spreadsheet numbers?

How can I get reports and graphs into PowerPoint?

How can I see child support, taxes, and cash flows or a prior year?

How can I make a presentation using Family Law Software?

Where can I find the report entitled After Tax Cash and Support?

How can I preview how the financial affidavit will look?

I am going to be called as an expert witness. Is the software accepted in my court?

How can I create different scenarios in the software?

Can I change the fonts or margins in my document?

Why does the bottom line of the Budget Report not match the Spreadsheet for Income After Expenses and Taxes?

Why does the bottom line of the Budget Report not match the net income from the Child Support or from my state's financial statement (Affidavit, Net Worth Statement, Case Information Statement, Sworn Financial Statement, Disclosure Statement, Income & Expense Statement, etc.)?

"What If"

How can I split spousal support savings between the parties?

How can I tell which party should claim the exemptions for children?

When I change numbers on the What If Analysis, the taxes do not seem to be updating.

How can I figure out whether the the parties should complete their divorce in the current year?

California

How does Family Law Software compare to DissoMaster [TM]?

How can I match DissoMaster's Child Support results?

I am familiar with DissoMaster. How can I see where to input things in Family Law Software?

Where do I go in Family Law Software to enter each asset from the California FL-142?

How can I get assets to show up on the correct place on the FL-142 (Schedule of Assets and Debts)?

How does Family Law Software spousal support compare to DissoMaster?

Why are you not subtracting debts on Form 150 line 11?

I have printed the Court Forms to a PDF, and I can't see the checkboxes.

How do I enter a Section 2640 reimbursement?

Where do I enter a Moore-Marsden calculation?

Colorado

Why can I only open one file in my Colorado Child Support calculator?

How can I get health insurance to show up in the correct place on the Sworn Financial Statement?

I am not seeing the life insurance premium on my Colorado Sworn Financial Statement.

How can I handle post-decree cases?

How can I get assets to show up on the correct place on the Sworn Financial Statement?

I am trying to run the free Client Edition of Family Law Software, and I am getting a message that my trial has expired.

I have enough overnights for shared custody (Worksheet B), so why is the software using sole (Worksheet A)?

How can I adjust page breaking on my Sworn Financial Statement?

Connecticut

How do I enter shared custody in Connecticut?

How can I get an asset to appear in the "Children's Assets" section of the Affidavit?

How can I show a party's rental expenses on the Affidavit?

How can I get the Connecticut Financial Affidavit to show 50% of each party's property?

On the Connecticut Financial Affidavit, where do I put in after-tax payroll deductions such as CIGNA PAC, Fitness Center, and United Way?

Florida

Why does child support go up when I increase non-custodial overnights?

How can I change the name of the FL-902c to "Amended" or "Interim" Family Law Financial Affidavit?

Where do I enter last year's’ gross income?

How do I specify contingent assets and debts on the Florida Affidavit?

How do I select Form 902b?

How can I enter footnotes on Form 902b?

Illinois

When I calculate child support in an actual 50/50 split, I get different numbers depending upon who I list as the parent for custody guidelines.

Is spousal maintenance deducted for the calculation of child support?

Taxes are deducted in the child support calculation. Is maintenance deducted in this tax calculation?

How can I calculate child support in Illinois when custody is shared exactly equally (50/50)?

Massachusetts

Why is alimony paid to the current spouse not deducted from income for child support purposes?

New Jersey

I have been using EasySoft. What do I need to know to start using Family Law Software?

For the New Jersey Case Information Statement, what is the difference between CIS income and Full Income?

For New Jersey child support, I have entered more than 104 overnights, why is the software is not showing shared custody?

For New Jersey child support, which tax calculation method should I use: Appendix IX-H, Circular E, or actual taxes?

For New Jersey child support, how do I enter the Other Dependent Deduction?

For New Jersey Child Support, why is the income different (either higher or lower) than what I think I input?

For New Jersey child support, why are the number of tax allowances on Appendix IX-H or Circular E higher than I expect?

What should I do if parenting is exactly 50/50? What is is the Wunsch-Deffler formula?

Why is the effective date on the form earlier than the current year?

New York

How should I handle substantially shared parenting for child support purposes?

How can I print only certain specified pages of the New York Net Worth Statement?

How can I enter New York City taxes?

How can I adjust page breaking on my Net Worth Statement?

How can I create a Gross Income report?

Ohio

For child support, how should I handle income over $150,000?

Pennsylvania

Why does alimony paid by the higher-income custodial spouse not generate a tax deduction for purposes of the guideline calculation?