Spousal support, also known as alimony, could be ordered by a judge in a California divorce court to be paid by one spouse to the other.  It can be a messy process, with a bevy of factors from the marriage weighing in on how much is paid. But if a spouse chooses to stop payments on their own, it could get even uglier financially. Alimony payments are typically made through

Child custody is a bitter battle for many. Moreover, there are not many situations in which the alteration of a child custody agreement is one that is simple and streamlined. These truths usually stem from the fact that both parents want to play major roles in the lives of their children - and understandably so. Despite the good-natured attempts of some of these parents, this is not always in the best

Custody battles can take a heavy toll on everyone involved. It is difficult for children and their parents, but it can also be difficult for grandparents and other relatives close to the family struggling to work out these issues. Grandparents and other relatives may have custodial and visitation rights when it comes to minor children—depending on the circumstances of each case.

Rights of Non-Parental

Many couples who enter into marriage or domestic partnerships in California have a child or children from a previous relationship or one partner may choose to use surrogacy to become a parent. By virtue of the legal status between the partners, the non-parent becomes a stepparent to the children of their partner.  But the status of being a stepparent does not confer any legal rights between the stepparent and the children. Only by adopting a stepchild can a stepparent

California’s food and housing insecurity deteriorated during the pandemic. The fault line in the state’s division of wealth became wider and more unstable. More than a third of Californians live under or near the poverty line. And because of antiquated child support laws, one of the most

Divorce and child custody are among the most contentious and highly emotional life events. When parents do not get along, the children suffer the most.  Whether children are precocious preschoolers or smart-mouthed teenagers, confrontational custody exchanges can have lasting harm. However, there are solutions to reduce conflict. 

How High Conflict Custody Exchanges Hurt

When married partners get a legal separation, they are not divorced, but they are no longer married either. That usually means they live at separate locations, and their children must travel back and forth to see them both. This can potentially cause additional hardship to children who are already going through the painful process of having their parents split up.  The State of California has a keen interest in the welfare of its children. So California law prioritizes the welfare of children when couples separate by requiring

Going through a divorce is painful at every step and in every way – emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially.  Unfortunately, yet another step that is important for couples not to overlook during this challenging time is updating the estate plan that was in place when they were happily married. If they do, assets upon death could be dispersed to an ex-spouse, which is not a happy thought. Even worse, if that ex-spouse remarries, assets could be given to that new spouse and their children. Back in 1994, David Egelhoff lived in Washington state and worked for the Boeing Company. It was a respectable job with a good pension plan and a life insurance policy. He had been married a couple of times. He had two kids with his previous wife and was just coming out of a divorce with his second wife, Donna Rae Egelhoff.  Two months after David signed the papers to finalize the divorce from Donna, he got in a

The Millennial Generation continues to break the traditions of previous generations. Never scared of asking questions and doing things differently, these 25-to-40-year-olds are veering away from joint bank accounts and keeping their money in separate accounts. Millennial parents also have one eye on the future. Almost 30% of them have already started saving for their kids’ college. Although less than half of these parents are aware of 529 plans—tax-advantaged plans used to invest in the education of individual children.