After a divorce, many people look forward to a fresh start. For some, this may mean moving to a new city, state, or even across the country. When a parent who owes child support moves to a new state, their obligation to pay their former spouse travels with them. When an ex-spouse refuses to pay,…
The costs of attending college rise more and more each year. Many parents help their children prepare for these costs by saving throughout their children’s lives, so that they have support after high school graduation. When parents get divorced, they may be concerned that the costs of the divorce will affect their children’s futures. During…
During a divorce, couples may disagree about the best way to divide their shared property. In Washington State, all of the couple’s property, including their home, their vehicles, and their businesses, can be appraised and split up. If the couple cannot reach an agreement as to how their assets should be divided or if the…
Making mistakes is part of human nature. Unfortunately for some, these mistakes may result in a criminal conviction. When a parent with a criminal record desires residential time with their children, past offenses could come back and haunt them. Whether or not a criminal conviction affects a decision for residential time depends on several factors,…
Parenting plans are supposed to help parents co-parent their children and avoid conflict. So why is every encounter of conversation with your ex World War Three? Ever since you remarried, it has been difficult to just get your ex to sit down and talk about the kids. And the kids are getting older every day.…
Having a child outside of marriage is no longer as taboo as in decades previous. Many people have children together who are committed to each other but have no desire to get married, or plan to marry after the birth of the child. In other cases, the couple may have broken up prior to the…
Child abuse is a parent’s worst nightmare. While many parents are vigilant about protecting their children from strangers, often the abuser is much closer to home. If you believe that your child is being abused by your former spouse or partner, you need to take appropriate steps to protect your children. In an Emergency, Call…
Life is full of unexpected changes. When a financial situation changes or a family emergency occurs, many parents find that they need additional child support from their former partner. Under certain conditions, you can ask the court “modify” an existing child support obligation. Substantial Change in Circumstances Regardless of the reason, a modification of a…
Losing your job is never easy. Often, it takes weeks or even months to get back on your feet after being laid off. For parents paying child support, however, losing a job becomes an emergency which can affect their child support obligations tremendously if not dealt with immediately. Payments Don’t Stop Many people believe that…