Mediation and similar alternative dispute resolution techniques help many couples come to an agreement about difficult family law matters like child support or the division of assets and debts. When divorcing couples are willing to work together, they can often accomplish more in less time than if they had gone to court. In a high…
Marital debts, just like marital assets, are fairly divided between spouses during a divorce. Because Washington is a community property state, all income, property, and debts that either spouse acquires during the marriage belongs to the marital estate, and must be split relatively equally between the spouses. The responsibility for a marital debt can be…
According to The Economist, the length of the average American marriage before divorce is eight years. In comparison, the standard length of a mortgage is thirty years. It’s no surprise then many mortgage contracts outlast the marriage of the people who signed them. In Washington State, any property that is acquired during the course of…
Not many people want to continue living with their former spouse during or after a divorce. However, many former couples simply cannot afford to move out as soon as the relationship falls apart. Other couples may need to wait until they find a buyer for their home before either spouse can afford to leave. In…
Adopting a child is a lengthy, but exciting process. In an adoption, the legal relationship between biological parents and a child are terminated and a new legal relationship between adoptive parents and a child are created. Many adoptive parents cannot wait to take their child home permanently, and look forward to the day when the…
While Washington law does not deal in terms of “custody” and “visitation”, Washington Parenting Plans must designate a custodial parent so that the order can be understood in other states and for purposes of Federal Law. The designation must be made even when both parents have about the same amount of residential time. Under Federal…
Statistics show that nearly 40% of all marriages involve a partner who has been married at least once before. Second and third marriages are more common today than ever before, and so are the prenuptial agreements that go along with them. Prenuptial agreements are more common in second and subsequent marriages than they are in…
The ASPCA estimates that between 37-47% of American households have at least one dog, and another 30-37% have at least one cat. For many people in these households, their pets are as much a part of their family as their children. When a couple gets divorced, pets are often a large source of contention. While…
Dependent Care Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) allow individuals to keep a portion of their tax-free earnings to pay for dependent care expenses. The Internal Revenue Service allows families to set aside up to $5,000 per year to pay for expenses like daycare or home health care for dependent children or elderly/disabled adults. The $5,000 per…