Who Must Pay for Extracurricular Activities? The beginning of the school year brings excitement, fun with new and familiar friends, and a steady stream of expenses for parents of active children. But this year is different, because you and your spouse/partner have separated. Before, you simply paid for their sports and clubs and groups and teams from your joint checking account. Now, you each have separate bank accounts. Disclaimer: The posts and discussions on this blog are

Include specific provisions in your parenting plan to make child exchanges conflict-free.

On its face, the Washington Parenting Plan is a simple, straightforward document that specifies where the children will reside, how decisions are made, and what to do when there are disputes between parents. But…a parenting plan can be so much more! Powerful parenting plans include provisions that establish a baseline for long-term, peaceful co-parenting, in which the children’s needs are met and the parents can effectively manage their responsibilities without conflict. Las

There is a belief that the court system places little importance on the role that fathers have with their children and that mothers are the default primary parent in a divorce situation. While there was a time when the idea of a father having equal or even primary residential time with the children was uncommon, that is no longer true. The courts encourage both parents to have a strong bond and involvement with the children. A Massachusetts study followed 2100 cases over a f

Is it Time to Modify Child Support? Recent statistics show that average incomes across Washington State have significantly increased over the past year. According to the federal Bureau of Labor and Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) report, Washington state has, on average, seen a 6.25% wage increase as of September 2017. King County showed a 10% increase in wages in the report. These wage improvements are not just in white collar or tech industries