Parents rely on child support to meet their children's essential needs. Missed payments can create significant stress and jeopardize a child's well-being. Fortunately, several enforcement tools exist to help ensure child support obligations are met in Washington....
Child support mediation can feel more stressful when you do not have the information needed to explain your finances. In Washington, state guidelines and forms use both parents’ income and certain child-related expenses to calculate support. Bringing organized...
Yes, a parent's health can influence child custody decisions. The court looks at numerous factors when making a custody determination, and the mental and physical health of the parents is a key component. The parent's age may also be considered. Generally, this just...
Parents sometimes don’t remain in the same area after they divorce. This means that one parent won’t be in the same area as their children, so they will have to determine how to make long-distance co-parenting work. While this isn’t always easy, it’s possible to find...
Studies have found that your daily commute really could be connected to your odds of divorce. For instance, if you have a commute that is over 45 minutes, the odds that your marriage will end in divorce go up by roughly 40%. This does not mean that divorce is a...
Raising a teenager often costs more than raising a younger child. As a parent in Washington, you might be paying or receiving child support that was calculated years ago. When your teenager's costs go up, you have options to address these changes without turning your...
Many small businesses are jointly owned by married couples. Often, they will operate as business partners, each focusing on one area of the business’s growth and day-to-day operations. They both have an ownership share and they both contribute to the business’s...
Parents who are going or have gone through a divorce often have a difficult time communicating with each other -- particularly if the end of the marriage was contentious. Because you have to continue to raise the children, it’s critical that you and your ex learn how...
A parenting plan is meant to bring structure and predictability to your child’s life, but when one parent repeatedly ignores it, that stability quickly unravels. What starts as a minor issue can turn into a frustrating pattern that affects your time, your child’s...
Divorce can be emotionally and financially demanding, especially when disagreements arise over important issues. Many couples look for ways to resolve matters without lengthy court proceedings. Mediation during divorce offers a practical alternative that focuses on...
