Congratulations on finding love! It can be difficult to translate the joy you feel in your relationship to children facing a new life as a stepchild or new sibling. They may have concerns about their relationship with your partner or how the changes might impact their relationship with you.
There will likely be growing pains as everyone settles into new roles, but you can find success as a blended family with open communication, respect, and love. Our team of experienced family law and estate planning attorneys can help you understand your rights and obligations.
Whether your blended family includes minor or adult children, it is important to consider creating or revising an estate plan to preserve and protect your wishes. You may have assets you want to retain as separate property to pass to your direct heirs or a desire to take care of your stepchildren through a will or trust. Our estate planning attorneys have rich experience helping blended families create comprehensive plans to give your family peace of mind and a clear path forward.
Sometimes when a new partner is welcomed into the family, hiccups can come up concerning co-parenting or following an agreed-upon or court-ordered parenting plan. Our family law attorneys understand the dynamics that can arise with a new stepparent. We can help your family navigate your legal challenges to reduce conflict and create a child-focused arrangement.
Structuring a strong stepfamily should begin with clear communication. Our attorneys have the education and experience to help your family prevent communication challenges before they arise and navigate them when they do.
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.
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…
As a mom of four (now adult) kids, I remember well the flood of emotions that came each time they went to my ex’s, especially during the early days of my separation and eventually after my divorce. Not only was…
In Washington state, if you are involved in a custody dispute, which involves difficult questions related to specific needs for your children or serious parenting deficits (such as mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence), an evaluation service may be…
Divorce can be an emotionally grueling process, especially when you have children. In addition to coming to terms with how your own day-to-day is going to evolve, your children, too, will have to get used to seeing their lives change,…
Divorce can be a time of confusion and complexity. In addition to any emotional or other stress, your divorce can impact both your and your ex’s will. Therefore, it is important to understand what that impact may be and what…
For parents, divorce often raises many questions surrounding extracurricular activities. These questions usually include whether the children will get to participate in the extracurricular activities (sports, performing arts classes, music lessons, art classes, etc.) they did before the divorce, expanded…
Becoming a single parent, especially after being married and having a partner to share in the physical and emotional labor, can be a challenging transition. The role of single parent, even for those in a healthy co-parenting relationship with their…
The expression “in sickness and in health” is common in wedding ceremonies of all faiths. So when most people recite these words, it is probably safe to assume that they envision themselves married at a time when the unthinkable may…
Until 1987, Washington, like most states, awarded “custody” of the children to one of the parents at the conclusion of a divorce or separation case. This changed with the passage of the Parenting Act. Today, instead of ordering child custody,…
Estate planning is one of the most important actions unmarried couples can take to provide themselves with certain protections under the law. Because unmarried couples do not have the same legal authority, this can present issues should one of the…
As a co-parent during or following divorce, you may no longer have the authority to make certain unilateral decisions regarding your children’s health and well-being. The restrictions on making decisions unilaterally are most commonly related to matters that are considered…