Divorce & Separation
Divorce is a new beginning
Just as no two families are alike, the dissolution of a marriage or a long-term relationship is equally unique. Divorce can also be a time of healing, restructuring, and tremendous personal growth. Our experienced family law attorneys can help you explore your options and build a custom strategy designed to meet your family’s goals.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Considering
a divorce?
How you move through the divorce process will have a long-term effect on the outcome. Whether you elect to move through a court or out of court option, we are here to guide you through every step. We work as a team to focus on what is most important.
Our webinar, “What to Think About When Considering Divorce,” could be a helpful resource. Please register to watch.
I have been in your shoes, and I know that divorce can be scary sh*t. It is okay not to be okay. Divorce is an ending and a beginning — the beginning of a new chapter filled with second chances to live your best life.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
How Divorce Works in Washington State
D
State
Assets
Divorce
Waiting Period
Exchange
& Agreements
ALTERNATIVES TO LITIGATION
You Might Not Need a Court
Court is not always the best way to get a divorce. You have many options to help you reach an agreement, from working it out over a cup of coffee to a formal collaborative process. The best outcome for your family may be one reached through more amicable means. The judge does not have to be the ultimate decision-maker over your life. The court system is adversarial. Both parties seek to “win” the judge’s favor and deem the other person the “loser.”
Rather than engaging in a competition, you may prefer to seek solutions that maximize options benefiting everyone involved. That is a win-win-win. Our team of divorce attorneys can design a plan and bring all of the parties together to make alternatives to litigation effective and efficient for you.
IF YOU NEED COURT
Litigation
There are times when divorcing couples cannot agree on their divorce, custody, or other issues. There are situations when working together may not be practical. Sometimes it is clear the structure of the courtroom process is needed. The team at Elise Buie Family Law will work with you to understand your objectives while minimizing conflict.
WE’RE HERE FOR YOU
After Divorce
Well after your divorce is finalized, your family circumstances could change. You may find yourself needing to revisit spousal support, parenting plans, or creating a new relationship agreement with the help of one of our skilled family law attorneys.
HOW TO FORMALIZE
Separation
If you and your spouse have decided to no longer live together, you may be wondering what the next step is to address your marital issues and formalize your separation. There can be several reasons why you might choose this path rather than divorce ranging from religion to the desire to keep health insurance. Please connect with our team to discuss if this option is right for you.
STAY UP TO DATE
Subscribe to our newsletters
FURTHER READING
Blog Posts
Child support is one of the most contentious issues in divorce cases where parties have minor children. Even though Washington state law uses the same complex mathematical formula to determine the amount of child support for each child, there is…
Family law and estate planning often intersect. This is particularly true when contemplating divorce, remarriage, or blending families.
At some point during your divorce case, friends and family members whose own marriages ended in divorce probably told you that it gets better, and it does. Of course, from your perspective, getting out of a bad marriage might be…
Co-parenting over a long distance when you are a non-residential parent does not have to equate to sacrificing involvement in your children’s lives. But it likely does mean you will have to make tweaks in your communication and parenting style to accommodate the new living arrangement.
Despite being divorced, you may still be able to collect social security benefits through your ex-spouse. Even if you went through a high-conflict divorce or are not on good terms with your ex-spouse currently, they cannot stop you from collecting these benefits if you are eligible. Likewise, your ex-spouse does not need to permit you to apply for social security benefits or have previously completed an application themselves.
If you live in Washington State and have an estranged family member, are you worried about them contesting your will after you die? Well, don’t worry quite yet. There are a variety of criteria an individual must meet to contest a will in the state of Washington.
Depending on your situation, there might also be measures you can take as you revisit your existing estate plan or create a new one to cause them to think twice about doing so. Here is what you need to know about whether an estranged family member can contest a will in Washington state.
When parents go through a divorce, child custody can be one of the hardest issues to deal with. But increasingly in American households, pets are part of the family, and separating can create similar concerns over who gets the family pet.
As a Seattle entrepreneur, you’ve undoubtedly dedicated countless hours and resources to building a successful business. You’ve dotted all of your I’s and crossed all of your T’s. But have you considered what will happen to your business after you're…
In today’s world of fast-paced decision-making and on-demand solutions, such as DIY divorces, it is not surprising that many couples contemplate divorce the moment they find themselves unhappily married. Our culture’s fickle mentality often seems to advocate for the idea…
In the wake of divorce or separation, co-parenting can feel stressful. Not only have you just gone through an emotional experience, but you are also now trying to figure out how both you and your co-parent can spend time with…
Far too many families end up fighting, or at least experiencing tension, over a family inheritance, but it does not have to be that way. Having counseled families for years, we offer the following advice to help your family avoid fighting over your property — while you are here and after you die.
If you are getting divorced, you may be worried about what it will do to your finances. Maybe your finances are heavily intertwined with your spouse’s, or you are worried about what your future will look like, given these changes.…
Establishing paternity and parentage is important for many families and parents. Regardless of why you want to establish paternity and parentage, the process has the potential to be confusing, especially if you are unfamiliar with the terms and rules for…
After divorce, you may find yourself living on one less stream of income than you did when you were married and want to find a way to make up for it. Or even if you didn’t lose any income by…
If you are in the process of getting remarried, a prenuptial agreement may be the last thing on your mind. It should be at the forefront of it, however, as it can be beneficial for you, your spouse, and, if…