At What Age Can My Child Decide Where To Live?

We regularly get asked at what age can a child decide which parent she or he will live with. I was asked this again just the other day. Frequently, the person asking is under the impression that a child can make their own decision after they turn 12; I am not sure where this persistent rumor comes f...
Can Child Support be Retroactive?

Can Child Support be Retroactive?

One of the most common questions we receive when parents are divorcing is whether the court will require payment of retroactive or “back” child support. This question often arises in situations where the parents have been separated for a significant period of time prior to beginning divorce or custo...

On Leaving and Being Left

In most divorces, and indeed in most relationship breakups, there is a person who has chosen to leave the relationship and a person who is being left. A key difference between the person who is leaving and the person who is being left is that the person who has made the choice to leave has had all t...

Karen Bonnell on Holidays with Children

Karen Bonnell, a Bellevue based Collaborative divorce and co-parenting coach, was recently featured on King 5's New Day Northwest.  Karen is a co-author with Kristin Little of the book The Co-Parent Handbook.  In this video she talks about helping your children through the holidays after a parental...

Collaborative Marriage Planning

At the annual Forum of the IACP (International Academy of Collaborative Professionals) this past weekend, I ran into a concept I really liked - Collaborative Marriage Planning, although it might better be called Collaborative Relationship Planning as it is really intended to help couples plan for th...

Dr. Phil on Co-Parenting

A friend recently pointed out an article with some good advice for divorcing parents.  In "Dr. Phil: Dos and Don'ts For Co-Parenting With Your Ex", he makes a number of points about putting the children's best interests first.  Some of my favorites are: Don't disparage each other or allow the child...

When Do We Need to Litigate?

Some couples are able to engage in a peaceful dispute resolution process such as Collaboration or facilitative Mediation to work out their own divorce agreements. However, for other couples that may not be a realistic option, in which case, it may be necessary to litigate. Litigation means using the...

Divorce and Children

I recently was alerted (thanks Daniel, Paul, and Rachel!) to an article on the Diefenbach, PLLC (New York divorce attorneys) website. The article is entitled "Divorce and Child Custody: It’s About the Child". It offers some good advice for divorcing parents. Some of the points I particularly liked w...

Can We Reach Our Own Agreements?

I am often asked whether a couple can reach their own agreements, or whether a Washington State court is going to refuse the accept those agreements and substitute its own decisions. As a general rule, a couple is able to make their own agreements as to things that are just between them. I have neve...

Non-Traditional Families

Families come in many shapes and sizes.  There is the traditional American nuclear family with a husband, wife, and 2.5 children. There are extended families living under one roof. There are blended families, families with spouses of the same gender, families with unmarried adults, families with mor...
1 2 3 6