The amount of child support a parent has to pay depends on the number of children he or she has, and the amount of money that he or she makes. However, not all income is included in child support calculations. Parents are allowed to deduct certain types of income and expenses from their gross income,…
Not every person who procreates is fit to be a parent. When a parent is abusive or neglectful to his or her children, the state can get involved and can terminate that person’s parental rights. If you are seeking to terminate a person’s parental rights on an involuntary basis, you should be aware of how…
The right of a parent to care for his or her children is one of the most fundamental rights in the American legal system. Both the criminal and civil courts recognize that parental rights are more important than just about any other type of right or privilege, and a parent’s right to raise a child…
During a dissolution, a couple is required to split their community property in an equitable way. Community property includes any money, property, debts, or other assets that the couple acquired during the marriage. This is true even if only one spouse earned an income during the marriage. In contrast to community property, an individual may…
If parents share time with their children equally, does one parent still have to pay child support? In the past, many judges awarded mothers primary custody of the children, while fathers were left with limited visitation schedules and an obligation of child support. Today, this is no longer the norm. It is not unusual for…
In Washington State, a married person can file for divorce for whatever reasons he or she wants. In legal terms, the spouse simply has to tell the court that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” But what happens if the other spouse doesn’t feel the same way? Does it matter if one spouse wants to save…
When divorced parents live far away from each other, it can be difficult to come up with a parenting plan that fairly divides a child’s time with each parent. Parents will need to work together to create a plan that takes distance into account and gives each parent as much time as possible with the…
Many couples who are having marital problems wonder if they should file for separation first, and then decide whether or not they want to get a dissolution. While this idea sounds like a good way to test the waters before splitting up permanently, a legal separation should not be considered a stepping stone to divorce.…
After a divorce, it is common for children to act out in negative ways. While the vast majority of children will bounce back from the emotional stress or turmoil created during the separation, parents may still be alarmed when their child’s behavior changes. Rest assured that your divorce did not ruin your child’s life, and…