Magnuson Lowell Blog
Each week we post a blog about relevant legal issues. Glance through our various topics to learn more about a particular legal situation.
These articles are for limited informational purposes only and are not, nor are they intended to be, legal advice. You should not rely on this information for your case and should consult with an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.
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- Reconciling After a Divorce Filing
- Dividing Retirement in Divorce - Do I Need a QDRO?
- Options for Dealing with Real Estate in Your Washington State Divorce
- Filing for Immediate Restraining Orders in King County
- Obtaining and Collecting Child Support in Washington State
- Using Trial by Affidavits to Modify Support
- (Redmond/Criminal Defense) Time Matters for a DUI
- (Redmond/Criminal Defense) Field Sobriety Tests - What Not to Do
- (Redmond/Criminal Defense) - The (Redmond/Criminal Defense) - The Ability to Remain Silent
- Battling Father Time: Crafting Your Legacy with Precision
- Tips for Talking to Your Family About Your Estate Plan
- How to Choose Your Personal Representative for your Will
- Renewing a Domestic Violence Protection Order in Washington State
- Little Known Washington Driving Laws
- What`s the Deal with Prenuptial Agreements?
- When to Call it Quits During Mediation
- Legal Implications of Dating During a Divorce
- Should You Keep the Financial Status Quo During Your Divorce?
- Why Expediency is Important After Your Car Accident
- Understanding Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) in Washington State
- It only takes 3 seconds...
- Gotta love our court system!
- (Redmond/Crazy Lawsuit) The Walking Dead: or Not!
- (Redmond/Crazy Lawsuit) Here Comes Football - and Litigation
- Honoring Our Heroes: A Thank You to All Who Have Served!
- Happy Halloween from Magnuson Lowell
- 10 Tips You Need To Know Before Getting On A Motorcycle
- Top 10 Tips You Need To Know Before Getting On A Motorcycle
- Top 10 Tips Riders Need To Know Before Getting On A Motorcycle
- In a Car Collision...Now What?
(Redmond/Family Law) Dividing Community Property
Washington is one of nine states (mostly on the west coast) that follow community property laws when it comes to Estate Planning. This is important to note because it will wholly affect the way you and your loving spouse choose to draft your wills and other estate planning documents. But, what if your loving spouse no longer loves you? These community property laws are also incredibly helpful to understand for purposes of Family Law. For example, if you purchase a home during your marriage, community property helps the judge determine who owns the equity after a divorce.
Community property holds that all assets and debts acquired during the marriage are owned equally by the two spouses. So, in a perfect world, a judge would be able to split all of your divorce assets down the middle. And, in many cases, this will work. However, unlike in California, this perfect world is not the law in Washington. Rather, Washington follows a policy driven law to split all property as is "fair and equitable." This standard can make it difficult for parties to find common ground since one party may believe he or she is entitled to more than half of the assets.
So when it comes to dividing assets, know the law. While 50-50 may be easier for you to calculate, it may not necessarily meet the fair and equitable test applied by the courts. If you want to know how fair and equitable your Family Law plan is right now, contact Magnuson Lowell for a free telephone consultation.