Seattle Family Law Law Blog

If the time has come for you to give serious consideration to estate planning, you may be wondering how to begin.

Your goal should be to become well organized by the time you meet with your attorney, and to do that, you should make lists. Here is a group of five to start you off:

Making a will can give you control over what happens to your assets after you pass away. A well-drafted, specific will with clear provisions can also go a long way towards minimizing potential conflicts and misunderstandings later on.

The first thing you want to ensure is that your will meets basic legal requirements for validity. While these requirements can seem simple on the surface, the amount of litigation that has arisen over the years concerning these issues shows it is better to work with a lawyer rather than assume your will is just fine the way it is.

Many married couples end up getting divorced. In 2015 alone, the state of Washington had over 24,000 divorces take place, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

One of the biggest factors of any divorce is money. Assets get divided, and couples spend a lot of funds on the divorce process itself. People going through this time need to be wise about their finances so that once all this is over, they can be on the right foot fiscally speaking.

Divorce is a frustrating and emotional thing to go through. It can also cause strain on your finances. Any divorcing couple should take stock of their shared assets, including the home mortgage. You might be wondering how to handle your shared real estate during your divorce and who will be responsible for payments. Here are some tips on how to get you through the divorce without financial devastation.