Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.
– Denis Waitley
Legal terminology can sometimes seem confusing, even misleading, to the layman. The names of some legal documents can suggest one meaning while actually operating as something else. Within estate planning law, for example, living wills and powers of attorney are two well-known but often misunderstood staples. A living will is not actually a will at […]
In Virginia, unmarried parents have the same rights and responsibilities to their children as married couples do. However, parents who were never married may face some additional steps when they establish child custody after a breakup. Paternity frequently complicates the process of determining custody in cases where the parents were never married. If either party
Never-married parents face extra steps when establishing child custody Read More »
Adversarial divorce is perhaps the most visible type of divorce in pop culture. With this approach, both parties hire a divorce lawyer to hash out the divorce in court. This is a lengthy process that can lead to fighting over every detail of the settlement. The adversarial approach usually leads to a trial in court.
Varied approaches to divorce offer couples different structures and tones Read More »
A properly executed will is always high on the list of essential documents in sound estate planning. The decision to write a will is fundamentally important, but so are the choices made in storing the paper document once it has been produced. Somewhat surprisingly, it has been estimated that only 30 percent to 50 percent
Proper estate planning includes tracking a will’s location Read More »
In divorce cases, child custody and child support (its possible financial corollary) have, traditionally, been skewed heavily in the mother’s favor. But changing legal doctrines, social mores and economic factors have been changing the balance. Statistics from recent decades show that women were consistently awarded custody of children from 1993 through 2007 — 83 percent
Women Have Usually Trumped Men in Child Custody, But More Men May Win custody Cases Read More »
Increasingly, divorcing spouses who wish to conceal their assets are turning to electronic currencies like Bitcoin. Bitcoin is the most popular of a host of computer-generated currencies that are used to buy all manner of goods and services. It rivals cash in terms of its anonymity and surpasses it in its ease of transfer and
Watching for deception: Bitcoin may be used to conceal assets in divorce Read More »
Disabilities that sometimes develop with age can inhibit long-term planning skills. If you deal with such a condition, you may need to adjust your plans for the future so that they can support you and adhere to your wishes under any circumstance. The best advice is simply to start early. If Alzheimer’s or another form
Extra estate planning support may be necessary for those with dementia Read More »
One of the advantages of a living trust is that the assets held within it are not subject to probate, which can be a complicated, drawn-out and costly process. As such, many people automatically choose living trusts as they plan their estates. But there is another type of trust: a testamentary trust. While probate is
Because estate planning involves preparation for the disposition of assets after death, people often feel uncomfortable discussing it. It can be especially challenging for people to face planning with their children. But serious challenges can arise from a lack of communication between estate grantors and their children (their most likely beneficiaries and executors) before death
Good estate planning depends on good communication with loved ones Read More »
Divorce proceedings can be expensive as well as time-consuming and emotionally draining on the main parties involved. An array of issues, including the division of property, child custody, alimony and other items of contention can prove to be the catalyst for a contentious, drawn-out affair in court. Mediation is often suggested as a viable alternative
When Mediation Is Not the Best Way to Resolve a Divorce Read More »
