If you have children, you will continue to be in close contact with your former spouse. Together you two will have to face new challenges as co-parents. One of the more unique circumstances during this time is how new people will be brought into your family. Either you, your spouse or both of you may begin new relationships. When this happens, there will be people around your children that you will have to Read More

Do you need a will or a trust? When people create an estate plan, they will likely include both. And people can have multiple trusts. An estate plan is the culmination of documents that you make. Each one serves a purpose. A skilled attorney will build your estate plan using one of these documents as the foundation. Before establishing what each can do for you, remember that a will goes into effect after you pass Read More

You’ve likely heard that California is a 50/50 state. This is true; it is. Eight other states are too. But what does this mean? It comes down to the standard regarding how community property gets divided between spouses. Furthermore, states will differ on how they deem things to be “community property.” States can fall into two different categories: Community property states Equitable distribution Read More

Abruptly losing any source of income is stressful. You depend on the money to take care of your children. Because divorce can be an emotionally charged situation, your reaction may be extreme.  You may become angry at your former spouse. There may be feelings of fear and concern to be able to make ends meet. Every state in the U.S. requires a parent to provide financial support to their children—regardless of Read More

There are a few steps that can and will occur before you get to a review hearing. The process begins when Child Protective Services (CPS) files a petition with the court stating that a child is not safe by living with their parents and why this is the case. During a Detention Hearing, the parties are shown the petition that was submitted, the parents are told what can ultimately happen, and the court will Read More

Despite the reasons, having a family breakup is both emotionally and physically challenging. It can become even more so when you need to fight for custody of a child because they are at risk.  Educate yourself in the emergency custody process to know what to expect. In California, the first step is to determine which kind of case is appropriate. Married persons can file a Petition for Dissolution or a Petition to Read More

All divorces have one thing in common- the marriage didn’t work out. Even couples who are determined to be amicable may find themselves overwhelmed by feelings of anger and regret, leading to arguments. When your spouse is argumentative, a minor disagreement can escalate fast. It is in everyone’s best interests to diffuse any arguments that arise. You will be able to focus less on your angry feelings and more on Read More

Living trusts are a highly-effective estate planning tool that can spare your loved ones the expensive and time-consuming probate process. Once established, they allow a third party (known as a trustee) to hold and manage assets on behalf of your beneficiaries and when you pass, these assets are passed on to the designated recipients instead of going through probate. Other benefits of a living trust include: Read More

While a will is a good starting place for your estate plan, a strong plan will utilize many other tools to determine what will happen to your assets after you pass away, or what will happen if you become ill or incapacitated before that time. Today we’re highlighting one of the most useful estate planning tools under the sun: the power of attorney. What would happen if you were alive, but unable to express your Read More

When a baby is born to a married couple, California law assumes that the mother’s husband is the baby’s father. That man gets all the benefits of legal paternity, such as the right to pursue custody if the pair divorces. But did you know that if you aren’t married to your child’s mother, you actually need to take steps to be granted legal paternity? It’s true! In today’s blog post, we’re looking at some of the Read More