Everett Legal Issues Blog

If you and your ex-spouse both want to handle your divorce peacefully, but aren’t sure how to work past strong emotions, divorce mediation may be a solution. This practice involves multiple sessions in which a trained specialist guides you and your ex-spouse through the tough divorce issues you’re struggling to resolve.

Still have questions? You’re not alone. Here are five frequently asked questions by those who are interested in the possibility of using divorce mediation.

A good number of Washington residents have social media accounts to which they post photos, videos and their personal thoughts. There is nothing wrong with this as long as one realizes this information shared with the public might be used against them in court. Those going through the divorce process would be wise to reconsider their social media habits.

Dissolving a marriage is often a stressful and frustrating time in one's life. It can be tempting to turn to social media to air one's grievances on the matter. It can be tempting to bash one's ex or overshare private details. Before doing any of the above, think about children -- if applicable -- and if they will see the information being put out there. Think about how this information could be used to hurt one's final divorce settlement -- because it can -- and think about what friends and family really need to know about your private family affairs.

If you have taken the time to create an estate plan, you probably think you are good to go with no reason to look at it again. The simple truth of the matter is this: estate plans often need updating. Failing to ensure an estate plan is up to date could mean it will end up sitting in a Washington probate court for some time after you die.

Why might an estate plan need to be updated? If you created your estate plan at a time in your life when you were still acquiring assets and adding to your family, depending on how you worded your legal documents, they may prove insufficient for your needs. If you created your estate plan while married but then you got a divorce, you may need to change your beneficiaries and advance directives, or your former spouse could end up having a say in things you do not want him or her to have a say in.

In Washington and elsewhere, spousal support is often thought of something only granted to women as part of their marital dissolution settlements. The simple truth of the matter is, this benefit is not just for women. Men who make less than their spouses may also petition the court for maintenance to be included in their divorce settlements.

According to a recent news article in The New York Times, the number of women making more than their spouses or significant others is on the rise. In the 1980s, in 18 percent of all couples, women were to top earners. That number has increased to 25 percent, according to Pew Research Center.