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What Ancillary Probate is and How to Avoid It
What is Probate Probate, as we know, is the legal process of distributing an individual's property and assets after they pass away. In almost all cases, probate takes place in the state of the decedent’s primary residence. If ancillary probate takes place, the probate...
What is The Difference Between Alimony and Child Support?
Following a divorce there are several reasons why one spouse may be obligated to pay continuous monthly payments to their ex, even after the divorce is finalized. Two reasons for this are alimony and child support. While both are important, it’s important to...
Things to Consider When Appointing a Power of Attorney
Appointing a Power of Attorney is incredibly important when it comes to estate planning and making arrangements for the end of your life. It’s important to know the reasons why POA is so important, as well as what you should consider when designating one. What is...
What is a Postnuptial Agreement and How Can Couples Benefit From One
What is a Postnuptial Agreement? A postnuptial agreement is a document created after a marriage has taken place. Postnuptial agreements are signed when both spouses in a marriage decide to draft one in order to come to an agreement about what will happen to their...
What Post-secondary Support is and When is it Awarded
In our recent blog about how child support is determined we touched lightly on post-secondary support. Today, we dive deeper into what post-secondary support is and when it may be deemed necessary by the court. What is Post-secondary Support? When a couple with...
How to Establish Parentage in 2022
The process of establishing parentage is important for married couples, divorced couples, domestic partners, and expectant expectant mothers to understand, as this process legally states who is (and isn’t) considered a parent to a child. To establish parentage...
Managing Child Custody Disputes
Managing custody disputes and parenting time can be one of the most troublesome parts of divorce or separation. Parents can resolve authority alone or surrender matters to an adjudicator to choose preliminary. An adjudicator will plan a parenting course that keeps a...
How Child Support is Calculated in Washington State
The Washington State Support Schedule dictates how child support is calculated in Washington. The court utilizes the information detailed in this support schedule to define terms, identify legal guardians, and calculate monthly child support payments. What is Child...
How Special Needs Trusts Work
Special needs trusts are a hassle-free way to provide for your disabled loved ones without compromising their eligibility for SSI and other government benefits programs. In most cases inheriting money or property from a deceased relative can be the relief individuals...
Understanding Minor and Legal Guardianships
Minor and legal guardianships are appointed when an individual is deemed by the court system to be unable to look after and care for themselves. Guardians are appointed to individuals (legally termed wards) of all ages, from minors, individuals who may be medically...
What constitutes marital property in Washington State
Distribution of assets can be the determining factor in how long it takes for a divorce procedure to go through. This is because it can take a while to determine exactly who gets what when trying to split up marital assets. What constitutes marital property...
4 Tips for Adoptive Parents to Support Children During the Holidays
The holidays are filled with laughter, smiles, and special moments shared between friends and family. As parents we may be focusing on how to make this Christmas the most magical one yet for those we love. However, if you’re an adoptive parent the holidays are an...
Navigating Holiday Custody
The holidays can be a bright and joyful time full of laughs and memories. Every parents wants to be present for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas day with their children. Sharing small moments during the holiday season can make memories that last a lifetime. But for...
Supporting Young Children during school in a Divorced Home
No matter the circumstances, divorce is a time of mixed emotions and experiences, especially for young children. In a divorced home, successful, cooperative co-parenting demands putting aside anger toward each other to best support the child as a team. Other people to...
How has COVID affected estate planning for the Narrows Law Group
Estate planning is such a delicate matter for everyone involved. And if the past year and a half has taught us anything, it's that life can be unpredictable. COVID-19 has affected every aspect of our lives. But how has COVID affected estate planning? How has COVID...
Helping Children Cope With Adoption: 3 Common Behaviors
Helping children cope with adoption is something we don't always expect during the adoption process. Adopting a child is a beautiful and life changing event. Some people hope their whole lives to be able to give a child a loving home. But for families with biological...
The Irreparable Affects of Covid-19 on Marriage
Anyone who says the past year has been easy is probably lying. With a global pandemic, mask mandates, travel restrictions, and quarantines, we’ve all been feeling the strain. And for couples, the affects of COVID-19 on marriages have been detrimental. Unsurprisingly,...
Adopting in Washington State
Adoption is an important and needed service that can provide for both children in need and parents looking to raise their own. The process of adopting can be long, and sometimes expensive. In addition to federal guidelines, each state has their own requirements for...
How Alimony is Settled
If you're going through a divorce the subject of alimony may inevitably come up. But what exactly is it? Who pays it and who receives? Whether or not it is a factor in your particular case, it's still good to understand what is it and how it works. What Alimony Is...
How Signing a Prenup Helps Avoid Headaches
A prenup shouldn’t be as scary as it sounds. Find out the reasons to get a prenup and how it can benefit you and your partner in the potential future.
Adult Adoption: Can You Adopt Another Adult?
Typically, people associate adoption with formally welcoming in a step or foster child into a family. But while focus tends to gear towards childhood adopts, there are many people who opt for adult adoption. Why People Choose to Adopt Another Adult There are many...
Estate Planning During a Pandemic
It's been a while since we talked about estate planning back in January of last year. Two months later COVID-19 turned our world upside down. The world has changed a lot since then. If this past year has taught us anything, it's that life is unpredictable. In such a...
Annulment: The Difference Between Annulment and Divorce
What Is An Annulment? An annulment is a legal proceeding that typically combines religious tradition and secular law. Annulments are different from divorces because they are not seen as a formal separation. A divorce is defined as the dissolution of the marital bond....
Orbit Wills – Online Estate Planning Alternative
Our estate planning attorney, Annie Arbenz, has created a website called Orbit Wills that provides an alternative to the traditional way of getting estate planning done. By going to the Orbit Wills website and filling out a questionnaire, Annie is able to prepare all...
4 Rules to Have a Winning Custody Arrangement
There are numerous reasons why people turn to divorce after formalizing a marriage relationship. Perhaps the couple drifted apart after years of not building the relationship. Or maybe the couple allowed poor communication habits to bring division in the union....
Can a Father Win Full Custody?
One of the most common questions that arises when a father goes through a divorce is whether he has a chance to have full custody of his children. This question remains because in the not too distant past men were seen as the sole bread winners of the family unit...
Divorce and the Holidays
With the holidays fast approaching it is a good time to consider how to take care of yourself and your children if you are in the midst a divorce. With the frequent gatherings of family and friends and holiday traditions it can be easy to be overwhelmed by the new...
Do you need an Executor for your Estate Planning?
At Andrews & Arbenz we know how it important it is to ensure that your estate is in order at the time of your passing. It takes careful planning and attention to detail to be sure that your assets go the right people and that your affairs are organized at the time...
How Are Assets Valued in a Trust
We have discussed at length on this site the importance of having an estate plan established so that your loved ones can have the added peace of mind knowing that your financial and business affairs in order. By having your legal documents and financial records...
How Being Organized can Help Your Legal Affairs
While it may not seem like a natural connection, being organized can have a direct impact on your legal affairs. If you are able to establish an organized work space, whether at home or elsewhere, that you can devote time and energy to your personal affairs you will...
How can a Father Survive a Divorce?
Going through a divorce, no matter what role you play in the marriage, can be difficult. For fathers, it seems the cards are stacked against you. Mothers often are awarded physical custody and fathers are left to pick up the pieces of their new life without raising...
How Communication Impacts Divorce
In the past divorce was considered to be a topic that was associated with a moral failure or other significant issue. Over time divorce rates have changed along with the reasons for why people get a divorce. While there are numerous reasons why people choose a...
How Divorce Effects You
Going through a divorce can be challenging and will impact the lives of those involved in many pronounced and nuanced ways. If you are going through a divorce and have children going through it with you consider the following items to help make the process a bit...
How Do You know if Divorce is the Right Step for You
While it is the hope of every couple that gets married to stay together for their life time, we know that many marriages do not end happily ever after. People enter a marriage with a celebration and hearts full of joy over their commitment with the support of family...
How does a Divorce Work with No Kids?
While divorce can happen to couples of all types, people often associate divorce for couples with children. Certainly the problems that arise while raising children can be a leading factor for couples to seek a divorce. There are however numerous other reasons why a...
How Long to Keep your Legal Documents
As has been previously mentioned on our site, we believe it is important to have your legal affairs in order so that you can have confidence that you are in a solid legal position. An aspect of building that confidence is having your physical documents in order so...
How Planning for Retirement Impacts Your Estate Plan
For many, having a solid financial foundation is all the estate planning they need to feel comfortable in their retirement. For others, having more than a solid financial foundation is needed in order to establish a sense of security. At Andrews & Arbenz we...
How to be Prepared During Your Custody Dispute
No matter where you are at in the process, custody disputes are stressful for all parties involved. It helps to have a custody lawyer that you trust and feel comfortable working with as you consider the challenging decisions that lie ahead. It also helps to be as...
How to be Prepared for Your Adoption
Whether you are adopting a step-child, relative, adult or foster child, it can be an exciting and stressful time for your family. There is so much preparation and emotion that encompasses this kind of life change. After you have made the decision it can be...
How to Have the Divorce Talk with Your Spouse
Deciding to go through a divorce will be one of the most challenging decisions you will have to make in your adult life. You have made a commitment to your spouse that is no longer able to stay intact. While divorce is a decision that should not be made lightly, once...
How to Prepare Your Kids for Divorce
Divorce is an uncomfortable topic to discuss for every couple. It is especially difficult if you have children. There is no easy way to bring up the topic with your children but if the marriage relationship is indeed finished and moving towards divorce, it is best to...
How to Prevent Your Divorce from Impacting Your Work Part 2
Going through a divorce can be one of the most challenging transitions an adult can go through. What once started as a union of two people brought together by love has now turned into a potentially tense situation with a complicated back story. It is natural when a...
How to Prevent Your Divorce from Impacting Your Work
In our previous article we discussed how going through a divorce can negatively impact your work performance. The emotional stress of having such a transition can take its toll during your daily work. Having a plan in place to help you mitigate the stress can be...
How to Protect Your Estate from Potential Lawsuits
In this day and age, legal exposure is something that you need to consider for your estate and financial situation. We hope that no one has to experience this type of legal action because it can be extremely difficult on your life and finances. Because of this, the...
How to Remarry after a Divorce
Going through a divorce can be hard for many people. The sense of loss and change can be a big challenge for an individual to go through. This can be compounded if there are children involved. But, after the dust settles and time has healed some of the pain, most...
Men, Women and Property
Most divorce attorneys will agree that the most contentious topic in a divorce proceeding is how and with whom the children will be raised. A close second for most couples is the division of property. This is the part of the divorce where all of the assets, both...
Military Members are at Higher Risk of Divorce
There are numerous challenges that our active duty military members face on a daily basis. From the daily routine, physical training and maintaining a level of battle readiness, the burden put on a family can be tough. This is not including the reality of getting...
Power of Positivity in Divorce
Going through a divorce can be a soul crushing experience. The break in trust, the loss of stability and the hurt you feel can be too much for some to deal with. The legal process does not make this change any easier. You will have to discuss in detail your...
Taking Care of Yourself During a Custody Dispute
No one plans to turn to divorce when a marriage first starts but when the decision has been made the fallout that comes with it is very trying for the whole family, especially when children are involved. This is unfortunate, but when parents are unable to agree where...
The Top 3 Reasons You Need an Estate Plan
More often than not the estate plan is the forgotten financial tool for individuals. It is so valuable to adults of any age, marital status, and employment position. It is a vehicle that can be used to ensure you are directing your money, property and assets to the...
Three Reasons why Adoptions are Important
Adoption is an important legal process that helps people of all walks of life find a sense of family. While the process by which someone needs adoption is usually littered with trauma, adoptions provide a sense of hope to an individual that desperately needs it....
What are Reasons that Lead People to Divorce?
While the pervasive thought in the nation is that 50% of couples who marry will eventually seek a divorce, recent data suggests that the divorce rate has been declining steadily over the last several decades. According to economics to Justin Wolfers (LINK), if the...
What Does a Probate Attorney Do
During the time of a loved one passing, it can be difficult to think through all of the details of their estate. The flood of emotions and the grieving process will be at the forefront of your mind rather than on the intricate details of the estate plan. This is where...
What Happens When Unmarried Couples Separate?
A situation that is becoming more common in our society is families with unmarried parents separating. This process is where a couple, who has been in a committed relationship together and may have children either naturally or through adoption, decides to dissolve...
What is a Revocable Living Trust?
For those individuals that are concerned with their estate being properly managed at the time of death, a living trust is a tool that can provide robust protection. While acquiring a living trust may not be for every estate, it is a tool that can offer some added...
What is Custody and How Does it Impact You
There are so many new and trying emotions that occur for children and parents alike when a divorce happens. Working through financial records and settling how certain assets will be handled after marriage can be arduous. One of the most trying aspects of a divorce is...
What is Disability Insurance?
It is well known that the largest asset you have to becoming financially independent is making good use of your income. From your income you are able to pay down debt, invest in property, purchase stocks and buy mutual funds. As a result, it is critical that you...
What is Power of Attorney and Why is it Important?
A power of attorney is a written legal authorization that gives one party to act on behalf of another. This authorization typically involves two individuals. The person who is authorizing the power of attorney is called principle or grantor. The person who has been...
What is Probate Court and How to Avoid it?
We all know that death will come to us all. It is just a fact of life that we don’t live forever, even though we at times think we are invincible. So, when someone we love and care about passes away it is a shock to our whole life. We pause to reflect, grieve and...
What is the Best Way to Handle an Inheritance for Your Children?
In this day and age it can be hard to know if your child is ready for the sudden windfall that comes when you pass. The world today can make it harder for children to navigate into adulthood and as result it is challenging for parents to measure work ethic, integrity...
What to Do When Served?
Many people today are aware at a basic level of what being served is. Often dramatized in Hollywood movies or on the small screen, we can all picture someone being served legal papers by a legal professional. It is challenging however to know what this means for the...
What to Look for in an Estate Planning Attorney
When it comes to making sure that your affairs are in order you need to make sure you find the right estate planning attorney. With so many attorneys available in today's market it is important to realize that there are several factors to consider before you hire an...
What You Need to Know about Divorce
The institution of marriage is a beautiful thing. It is wonderful seeing two people come together who are in love with each other. However, not every wedding leads to a fairy tale marriage. Sometimes marriages, for a variety of reasons, are not able to survive and...
Why Life Insurance is Important for Your Estate Planning?
Life insurance is an important part of estate planning. What is life insurance? In general, life insurance is a contract agreement between you and an insurance company. In exchange for monthly payments, the company provides a lump sum payment to the beneficiaries upon...
Why You Need a Legacy Plan
What is a Legacy Plan? A Legacy Plan is a term many in the financial realm refer to when it comes to your end of life preparation for your family. Specifically, it is the document, folder, or drawer that contains all of your end of life documents. This plan most...
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ABOUT US
The Narrows Law Group is a Tacoma law firm located in the heart of Old Town providing advice and representation in the areas of estate planning, probate, domestic relations, and adoptions.
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