Author Posts

What if I Can’t Pay Child Support During the Government Shutdown?

There are few absolutes in the world of divorce, but the unbending nature of the obligation to make court-ordered child support and spousal maintenance payments is one of them. The failure to do so can have calamitous consequences, including the possibility of jail time, a requirement to pay your ex-spouse’s attorney’s fees, garnishment of future […]

Financial Planning with a Special Needs Child

Planning your families’ finances is a daunting task – planning with a special needs child compounds the process greatly. An informative article by the New York Times lends both insight and compassion to this issue. Let our Estate Planning attorneys here at Reed Longyear shoulder some of the financial burden so that you may enjoy every moment spent […]

Anton Cauthorn: C2019 Washington Estate Tax Exemption Released

Every year, both the federal and Washington estate tax exemptions are increased based on inflation. Here are the updated numbers for 2019: 2018 2019 Washington Estate Tax Exemption $2,193,000 $2,261,000 Federal Estate Tax Exemption $11,180,000 $11,400,000 Annual Federal Gift Tax Exclusion $15,000 $15,000   Estate taxes are only paid by people whose total estate value […]

Is your prenup a ticking time bomb?

Just a few years ago, Zack was pulling down a six-figure salary working at a hedge fund. He and his fiancé, Gillian, signed a prenuptial agreement that said Zack would pay Gillian a specific amount of spousal maintenance (aka alimony) if they divorced. Zack would likely always be the primary bread winner in the family, […]

Can you run a business together after a divorce?

  According to the US Census Bureau, more than 2.3 million businesses in the United States are jointly owned by married partners. And nearly 1 million of those are equally operated by both spouses. If/when these spouses decide to get a divorce, they must decide what to do with their business. Normally, business assets are […]

“Trying” to comply with an Order to Surrender Weapons is not good enough

Earlier this month, Washington’s Court of Appeals issued a decision that helps protect domestic violence survivors from gun violence by clarifying 1) that a restrained person has the burden of proving she/he has complied with a court order requiring him/her to surrender weapons and 2) that filing a “Proof of Surrender” form is not conclusive […]

Getting prepared if divorce is your New Year’s resolution

January is a great time to change habits and make a new beginning. It’s also a time when people take a hard look at their lives and make decisions about what they want their future to look like. If you have taken a hard look at your marriage and determined that a future together is […]

After divorce, who pays for college?

Most parents worry about their ability to cover higher education costs for their children. That issue becomes more complex when parents get divorced. For them, the question is not just how, but who. In Washington, child support is usually only paid until a child turns 18 or graduates from high school (whichever occurs later). The […]

Top 10 Questions Asked at a First Consult for Divorce

One of the heaviest doors to open is the one that leads to your first meeting with a divorce lawyer. In addition to all the emotional stress of separating from your life partner, there are usually an endless number of questions about the path you are about to travel. Having met with countless clients who […]