If you are co-parenting in California, it is highly likely that your relationship with that co-parent is governed in part by a parenting plan. Depending on when the original order was put into place, you may have been operating under the same set of terms for years.  If your family’s circumstances have changed significantly and your child’s best interests are no longer accurately met by the expectations laid out in your original parenting plan, it might be time to modify it. You will need to consider different approaches to modification based on whether you and your co-parent can agree to ..read more

A big part of any divorce is property division. Property in California refers to anything you can buy, sell or that has value.  Obviously, tangible assets like your home or furniture are “property.” However, it also includes things like stocks, your 401k and bank account. However, things get a bit more confusing when you begin discussing things like copyrights and royalties. Are these divided based on the same property division rules for your other assets? Learn more here.  If it’s community property, it’s subject to division If you have a copyright that was established during your m ..read more

Manipulators are people who seek to take control or influence others in a clever and skillful manner. Often, it is at the expense of others since the manipulator is only out to look for their own interests. If your spouse is a master manipulator, life can get pretty difficult. They may use tactics such as gaslighting, the “silent treatment,” isolation or even lying to have their way. You can get confused and uncertain of what to feel or think if someone always acts like you are to blame for everything that goes wrong. It could be damaging to your self-esteem, mental health, and confidence. Her ..read more

When filing for divorce, there are many factors to consider. Along with diving assets and liabilities, you must figure out things like child custody, who will retain ownership of the house and more.  Some divorcing couples question whether they can be reimbursed for covering the cost of their spouse’s education during the marriage.  What does the law say? According to California Family Code 2641(b)(1), the answer is yes. This law states that reimbursement is provided for community contributions to the training or education of your spouse if it significantly increases their earning ca ..read more

Supervised exchanges occur when a neutral third party facilitates the child custody exchange with your child’s other parent. This is also called a monitored exchange. You may wonder if you should request a supervised exchange for your child custody case. Learn more about this and when it may be beneficial here. Reasons to request a supervised exchange The main reason to utilize supervised exchanges is to ensure the child doesn’t witness conflict between the parents. It’s possible to have a supervised exchange where the parents don’t see each other at all or just to have a third-party present t ..read more

If you are divorcing a narcissist, you know just how challenging it can be. These individuals are masters of manipulation and can make your life difficult. However, it’s possible to divorce a narcissist successfully. Educate yourself about narcissism A narcissist is someone who suffers from a personality disorder that causes them to have an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration and a lack of empathy. Narcissists are often very charming and can be extremely convincing. However, they also tend to be manipulative and exploitative. When it comes to issues, such as divorce, a nar ..read more

While the divorce rate in California has declined in recent years, some professions may face a greater risk of ending their marriages, even when they initially wanted to stay together forever. While some divorces are caused by issues like abuse or infidelity and other people simply grow apart over time, stress can also be a major contributing factor. When couples face financial and personal stress, the tension can also affect the marital relationship. This is one reason why small business owners in particular have seen a rising rate of divorce over time. Financial stress for small businesses F ..read more

After a divorce, formerly married persons must adjust to single life. For some, the process could involve embracing less stressful responsibilities during their married days. Tax season might bring several new responsibilities that require careful attention. The post-divorce process of filing federal and California tax returns could be overwhelming, but anyone required to file must do so. Post-divorce tax filings Married couples often file a joint return, and those newly divorced may opt to file as a single person or head of household. However, the now-single filer might have previously left j ..read more

If you and your child’s other parent are involved in a custody dispute in California, the court will refer you to attend child custody mediation before you return to court. This process can help you resolve your conflicts and might help set the stage for more positive parenting collaboration between you and your child’s other parent. What is child custody mediation? Child custody mediation is a process for parents involved in a child custody dispute to resolve their issues with the guidance of a neutral mediator. The mediator, who is hired by the court, is usually a counselor with specialized ..read more

Divorcing parents in California can make things easier for their children by carrying out a healthy co-parenting relationship. Here are some tips that can help you to achieve that goal. Be respectful of each other No matter what kind of divorce you and your spouse had and how contentious it might have been, it’s important to always be respectful towards each other. Your children are the focus here, so doing so is the key to having a good co-parenting relationship. Your children will fare better when there’s mutual respect between their parents. Communicate clearly You and your former spouse sh ..read more