Planning Ahead with a Premarital Agreement Who can enter into a premarital agreement? Nearly anyone of legal age may enter into a premarital agreement, provided both parties are of “sound mind.” The “sound mind” requirement ensures the parties are aware...
Planning Ahead with a Premarital Agreement What is a premarital agreement? A premarital agreement, commonly referred to as a prenuptial agreement or “prenup”, is a contract executed by two individuals in anticipation of their marriage. Historically premarital agreements have been...
What is a collaborative divorce? A collaborative divorce is one that occurs out of court and without a judge; rather, the parties work together with the help of legal, financial, and child custody professionals to come to an agreement outlining...
In many states, surrogacy is not an option for parents, but California courts do honor properly drafted surrogacy agreements and arrangements. Such a legal position is of the utmost importance for couples who are facing issues with conception and/or are of...
Contested Custody: What happens when parents cannot agree on a child custody arrangement? If parents cannot come to an agreement on child custody, then child custody is considered to be “contested” and they can seek the court’s help in determining...
What are the different types of child custody? The list below are some of the different child custody arrangements: sole legal custody; sole physical custody; joint legal custody; and joint physical custody. A parent’s custody of a child can be...
The passing of a loved one is a sad and emotional time. It can be made harder by figuring out how to handle the legal side of distributing a loved one’s property. Sometimes, a will was drafted telling the family...
As we wrote in part one of our estate planning series, estate planning is a method of organizing your affairs. A thoughtful estate plan can make one’s passing less stressful on loved ones and family. Because it states the deceased’s...
What is estate planning? Estate planning is a method of organizing your affairs and assets. You do not need to be wealthy to have assets to organize. Estate planning is for everyone. The most effective estate plan is tailored to...
Under the law, a parent’s foremost duty is to support his or her minor children. Both parents share this responsibility. It is not affected by the parents’ marital status or gender. Adoptive parents also have the duty to support their...