Family and Parenting
Homeschooling Tips from a Homeschooled Millennial
March 24, 2020
Millions of children across the country are now being educated at home. For most parents, it's their first experience homeschooling children. I homeschooled my four children for many years and have asked my oldest child to share some thoughts on what she thinks worked and what didn't based on her...
Managing Quarantine Stress
March 20, 2020
Many families are struggling right now; money is tight, being home together poses new relational challenges, and many parents are navigating schooling at home for the first time. As we enter the end of week one of coronavirus isolation (some of us in Seattle have been at this for much longer…Elis...
Parents of minors need an estate plan
March 3, 2020
Without an estate plan in place, if something were to happen to you, your estate would be managed by a court-appointed conservator and then turned over to your child at 18. Learn how to make a plan today.
Two Documents Every 18 Year Old Should Sign
March 3, 2020
Two Documents Every 18 Year Old Should Sign Whether your young adult lives at home with you, attending college or out on their own, we recommend that your child sign a Durable Power or Attorney for Finances and a Power of Attorney for Health Care. These two estate planning documents, more commo...
How Do Parents Get Their Children Back in a Washington State Dependency Case?
June 14, 2019
A “dependency” case is a juvenile court case where someone, almost always the state through Child Protective Services (CPS), petitions the court for removal of the child from the parents and asks that the court make a finding that the child is “dependent” under Washington State law. A dependent c...
The Intersection of Family Law Parenting Plans and Dependency (CPS) Cases
May 22, 2019
A parenting plan is the order the family law court enters, most typically in cases of divorce and legal separation, to govern which parent the child will live with and when. But what happens to a parenting plan when a child is removed from the home by CPS and dependency case is established? T...
Family Treatment Court – An Innovative, Collaborative Alternative to Standard Dependency Court
May 3, 2019
Family Treatment Court (FTC) in King County is a voluntary, intensive alternative to regular dependency court for parents for whom substance use is central to their dependency case, and who can benefit from a more intensive, less adversarial court process. County dependency drug courts vary widel...
Financial Considerations for Getting Remarried Later in Life
May 3, 2019
As the baby boomer generation has moved into retirement age, many are choosing to make big life moves. Baby boomers are increasingly staying in the work force, pursuing new ventures, as well as getting divorced and remarried. These are often not their first marriages, which means that they may have a web of previous obligations and financial entanglements to sort out. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some key financial points to keep in mind to make this big transition as stress-free as possible:
Discussing Divorce with Your Children – Do this Right!
February 27, 2019
Although going through a divorce is going to be difficult on every member of your family, it's very common for your children to take the news the hardest and to need the most time to come to grips with the reality of what is happening. While there is likely nothing that you can do to make thi...
Who is Living in the House; Who is paying for soccer camp? – Temporary Orders and How they Help
February 13, 2019
Once the divorce process is over, you and your ex will have a plan on how to handle each and every aspect of your divorce agreement. In the meantime, what are you supposed to do about things such as the kids' residential schedule, paying the family bills and child support? “Winging it” is almost...