February 22, 2012

FasTrack Divorce™

We have begun offering a new option for resolving cases through a streamlined hybrid method designed to keep costs down. This method was developed by two Seattle area Collaborative attorneys, Virginia Goldberg and Peggy Hoban. From the FasTrack Divorce™ press release:

THE SIMPLE AND PREDICTABLE DIVORCE PROCESS IS HERE
Two local family law attorneys have synthesized their combined years of experience in litigation, mediation, and collaborative law to create the FasTrack Divorce™; a fast and final divorce option with a predictable fee structure.
In a FasTrack divorce, both spouses agree to use attorneys who will charge the same hourly rate, with the goal of keeping the total billable time to between 20 and 25 hours. The parties will exchange financial and other relevant information through standardized forms, and the case proceeds rapidly into mediation. If the parties are unable to resolve all disputes in mediation, the case will be finalized through binding arbitration. The case can be concluded within 100 days, if both parties follow the recommended schedule.
Many prominent Seattle and Eastside attorneys have agreed to take cases following the FasTrack method and highly qualified mediators, including a retired King County Commissioner, are available to assist in mediation and arbitration. For the first time, attorneys are able to offer their clients a private and expedited divorce process with a cost-structure that is predictable and contained.
To find out more about FasTrack Divorce™, please visit the website at www.fastrackdivorce.com, or call one of the participating attorneys found at www.fastrackdivorce.com/professionals.

 

What happens to child support when a parent is unemployed?

The economy has been a sustained downturn, and even though it has made small gains, it’s often been called a “jobless recovery.” So it’s not uncommon for a parent who has a child support obligation to feel the pinch after losing a job or having their hours cut back.

So what can a parent who is owed child support do when their ex is out of work? And what options are available to the parent that has lost their job but still has responsibility for a child. [Read more...]

Tips for sharing parenting of your children

Generally, each parent has an equal right to participate in parenting, and it’s no longer a given that primary parenting will go to the mother. A growing number of divorced couples are deciding to actively co-parent their minor children.

Sharing parenting can be difficult after a divorce, but it can be easier if both parents truly consider what’s best for the kids. If you are co-parenting with your ex, there are things you can do to make it easier for you – and for the kids. [Read more...]

How to tell the children you’re getting a divorce

Once you and your spouse have made the tough decision to divorce, it can be even more terrifying (and heartbreaking) to figure out how best to tell your children that their parents will no longer be married.

There’s no one right or wrong way to break the news, and different children will respond in different ways, but there are some steps you can take to really help your children cope with what’s about to happen. [Read more...]

Avoid making common divorce mistakes

Divorce is hard enough, but there are some things that divorcing people do that make the road ahead much harder financially and emotionally. By avoiding some common mistakes and taking a proactive instead of a passive approach to splitting up you could avert even more heartache and stress.

For instance, a Daily Finance article Getting Divorced or Separated? 7 Financial Mistakes Not to Make advises that couples separate their finances as much as possible, including breaking up joint accounts, once a decision is made to divorce. “One reason to close joint credit cards and loans is that each of you will be 100% financially liable for debts incurred – even if the other person racked up the bills,” reports Lynnette Khalfani-Cox. [Read more...]

Tips for negotiating during a divorce

It might be one of the last things you want to do, but being a good negotiator is part of divorce that can help you start a new future.

Proper negotiation around issues like who keeps the marital home, financial arrangements, child and spousal support, and more can really make a difference in your new life. Negotiation is an important part of the divorce process, and in the end should be fair for both parties.

There are some things to keep in mind when you start the negotiation process. Divorce Negotiating Tips – 7 Doe’s and Don’ts  at the Divorce with Dignity website gives some helpful advice on getting started. Among those Do’s and Don’t are: [Read more...]