Providing Creative Solutions For Your Legal Needs
Three years flew by for newlyweds Harry and Sally, and they soon were expecting their second child. When baby Chloe arrived, they were overjoyed that their first born Claire would now have a sister. The coming of the second child ushered in typical changes in the household: a new bed for Claire so Chloe could take the crib, double diaper…
No. Your parents will receive the proceeds of the life insurance and the 401(k). Your will controls the distribution of your probate assets, which are those assets that do not have a designated beneficiary, such as your house. In order to avoid this type of situation, I encourage my clients to review their accounts – such as life insurance and…
You need to file a parenting time violation with the Friend of the Court (FOC) in your county. In Kent County, there is no cost to file. If the FOC determines there is enough evidence to investigate, they will do so and will make a recommendation to the court. The FOC can recommend anything from loss of parenting time for…
In my Family Law practice, I frequently hear about communication and family issues arising as a result of too much cell phone usage. While we’re all guilty of at least occasionally picking up our phones during dinner or scrolling absentmindedly through emails during a conversation, if left unchecked, too much cell phone usage during family time can have serious consequences.…
When Harry and Sally decided to tie the knot in marriage, they knew that their lives would head down a much different path from when they were single — new joys, family, friends and responsibilities. There were some immediate and simple legal changes for both: a new joint checking account, changes to beneficiaries on work-provided life insurance policies and retirement…
While there are plenty of secondary questions to ask, the primary answer to this hinges on one question: Do you have a business succession plan in place? Without a business succession plan in place, the death of an owner can create significant problems for the business owner’s successor and/or business partner and may lead to the total dissolution of the…
Although Dave and Amber never married, they were in a long-term relationship and had three minor children together, ages 16, 10 and 8. After their relationship unexpectedly ended several years prior, Amber filed for custody so she could force to Dave to pay child support, which she needed to live on her own and to help provide for the children.…
Probate is the process used to ask a judge (usually a probate court judge) to approve a decedent’s will so the instructions in the will can be acted upon. The probate court will usually require an inventory of assets and notice to beneficiaries and creditors before allowing a decedent’s estate to be distributed. Guardianship of minor children can also be…
Blended families – those in which one or both spouses have children from a prior relationship – are becoming more and more common. Estate planning for blended families is complex, especially if one spouse is significantly older than the other, or if one spouse has much more money than the other. Oftentimes, blended family spouses want to provide for the…
As we prepare to file our income tax returns, divorced or separated parents of minor children often wonder – or fight over – which parent gets to claim the dependency tax exemption for the children. If the parents file a joint return, this is not an issue. However, if the parents file separate returns, only one parent can claim each…