I'm Keeping the Dog! The Rise in "Pet-Nups"
Custody disputes over individual’s beloved “fur babies” has become very common in breakups that it has led to a rise in “pet-nups”. A pet-nup is a type of prenuptial agreement that describes what would happen to a couple’s pet in the event of a breakup. Despite many pet parents considering their fur-babies to be children, in the eyes of the law pets are simply regarded as personal property. In definition personal property is things such as vehicles, jewels, money, and furnitu
Basic Do and Don'ts of Divorce
Listed Below are some Basic Do and Don'ts of Divorce Do Show your children love and attention. Reassure them that they are not the reason for the divorce. Pay all Court Ordered child support and spousal maintenance. Be prompt in pursuing collections of delinquent support that is owed to you. Show respect towards your soon to be ex-spouse, especially in front of the children. Be honest and up front. Use good sense when deciding what to fight for. Be reasonable, knowledgeable a
HOW TO CO-PARENT SUCCESSFULLY WITH A DIFFICULT EX
Tips for Co-Parenting with a Difficult Ex Unfortunately, not everyone has an amicable Co-Parenting situation. Effective Co-Parenting requires two parents genuinely invested in putting aside their own differences to best promote the well-being of their children. However, often it is difficult for one or both parents to lay to rest their past conflict. Much of the time, Co-Parenting difficulty stems from a deep or longstanding distrust of the other parent which can turn th
Shared Parenting and Relocation
In Washington State, when a parent wishes to relocate with children, the residential schedule designated in the Parenting Plan may have significant legal consequences for the impending move. Do the parties have a traditional every other weekend schedule, where one parent is clearly the primary residential parent? Or do the parties have a joint custody type of arrangement, often termed as a shared parenting plan or 50/50 residential time? The type of Parenting Plan involved
BREAKING NEWS!!! Grandparents (and Relatives) Now Have Rights
Grandparents and relatives now have rights in Washington State.
What to do when someone you know is getting a divorce.
Many times when you find out someone close to you is getting divorced, you begin to feel concerned for them and invariably it leads to many questions on what to do next. Our natural reaction is to support them when they are going through this difficult time. How can I help? What do I say? What can I do? Divorce can be very difficult, not only for the family involved, but for those close family and friends as well. Unless you are an attorney don’t offer legal advice or strateg
Children's Sports / Extracurricular Activities
Kids these days are more active than ever before. Between increased school workloads, various after school clubs, extracurricular activities and sports, it’s astounding how busy (and often cluttered) children's lives have become. While all of these activities may look good on a college application or a job resume as the children get older, the fact is extracurriculars and sports are vital to providing children of any age some sense of normalcy as their parents go through a
Things to do Before Filing for Divorce
1. Educate Yourself About the Process Before filing for any family law action, such as divorce (or Legal Separation and Committed Intimate Relationship) educate yourself about that process. This can be beneficial when you decide to move forward. Consulting with an attorney may be helpful. In addition to seeking legal advice, reading other materials may also be useful. Be selective, as there is a lot of inapplicable and misinformation online. As divorce laws vary from state t
A New Year's Resolution to Divorce?
Traditionally, Divorce filings spike dramatically upward in the month of January. In some years, the amount of new Divorce filings are up in January by almost 33% over any other month in the year. Many attorneys see a surge in new Divorce clients in January. In fact, the first Monday of the month is often referred to as "Divorce Monday" by Family Law Attorneys, and the entire month of January, as "Divorce Month." This dramatic increase in January Divorce is also consisten
Trump's Tax Plan Has HUGE Implications Upon Divorce
In Washington State, when a party to a divorce is ordered to pay support (also known as maintenance, or alimony) to a former spouse, that payment is tax deductible. This means the party paying support ("payor") receives a tax benefit for the amount paid and the party receiving support ("payee") must pay taxes as earned income. However, the current tax system is about to undergo a big change. Currently, divorce settlement is often reached when the parties agree to larger pa
