6 Tips When Filing for Divorce in Washington State that Judges Wish You Knew, But No One Will Tell You Filing for divorce can be a daunting and complex process, especially when it comes to navigating the legal system in Washington State. There are a lot of other articles and information you can find that…
Divorce is complicated enough, and when property is involved, things can get even more complicated. 40-50% of couples in the United States get divorced, making the issue of how to divide property a common one. Since most married couples purchase property together, it can be hard to determine who owns what. Understanding marital…
The number of individuals getting divorced who are age 50 and older has risen considerably in recent years. In fact, individuals in this age group are twice as likely to get divorced as they were 20 years ago. These divorces often involve marriages that have been 20, 30, or 40 years in length. As a…
There are a wide variety of retirement plans, from pensions to 401(k) plans, but all of them are potentially subject to division as community property in a Washington divorce. Even if one spouse contributed to or accrued a portion of the plan’s value prior to the marriage it may be part of the overall division…
In every divorce, there is a division of property and one of their most valuable assets may be a spouse’s pension or retirement account. Federal law, however, protects retirement accounts from the division between spouses partly because the federal government wants to make sure all taxes are collected. To ensure Uncle Sam isn’t cheated, most retirement accounts require a…
According to a 2016 study by the American Bar Association, a majority of people who don’t go to a formal advisor for assistance with a civil justice situation neglect to do so because they believe they have “no need for advice” or that such advice “wouldn’t make a difference.” Getting divorced gives you something in common…
In the typical divorce, the spouses’ retirement plans, pensions, and mutual funds often may be the most valuable assets that they own. As a result, the division of these items of property in a divorce can be a hotly contested matter. Under Washington law, retirement funds that either spouse acquired during the marriage are the…
Retirement funds are often the largest assets in a divorce case. People who have spent decades contributing to a retirement plan have often accumulated thousands of dollars of savings into their 401(k) plans, pension plans, and/or other savings program. These types of plans can be very complicated. Most plans do not allow the owners…
After decades of marriage, a couple shares almost everything. In Washington State, a couple who divorces after a lengthy marriage will also have to split nearly everything, including pension accounts. Because Washington is a community property estate, any money earned in a pension or retirement account during a marriage is considered joint property of the…