Do same sex couples have the same legal rights as other couples?
Protecting Separate Property in Arizona: Basic Principles
Cryptocurrency is an increasingly common investment in spouses’ portfolios. While cryptocurrency can present unique challenges due to the various exchanges, different forms of recordkeeping, and new vocabulary, the key...more
Blending families often introduce unique dynamics. In addition to the day-to-day challenges and opportunities that blended families create, there is also careful planning to consider when creating or updating an estate plan....more
Under Virginia law, separation occurs when at least one spouse forms the intent to permanently separate. Consider these practical steps to protect your property interests. Originally published in the February 2025 issue of...more
On December 30, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed and remanded a ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi that concerned the denial of Appellant’s motion to...more
Each year, “proposal season” begins around Thanksgiving and ends on Valentine’s Day. Then the planning begins — the date, the venue, the guests — and, for many couples, a premarital agreement....more
The end of the year is upon us, and often parents or other individuals make gifts to their children for the maximum amount allowable to avoid federal and state gift taxes. In the absence of marital bliss, how these gifts are...more
Merriam-Webster defines “defunct” as “no longer living, existing, or functioning.” In Washington, a “defunct marriage” is a term for spouses who have given up any hope of salvaging the relationship, and yet for whatever...more
Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of signing a prenuptial agreement is not just to dictate the division of property in the event of divorce. Signing a prenuptial agreement can also provide significant tax advantages to...more
In Bean v. Bean, a dissenting co-executor sought relief from a probate court regarding whether certain assets were separate property or community property. No. 05-21-00286-CV, 2022 Tex. App. LEXIS 9058 (Tex. App.—Dallas...more
In Leggio v. Florian, the trial court awarded three real estate properties to the wife over an allegation by the husband that all of the properties were his separate property. No. 14-21-00168-CV, 2022 Tex. App. LEXIS 5563...more
What you don’t know about your mortgage could hurt you. In Washington State, we are not a “title state.” Accordingly, placing your spouse’s name on the title of a separate real estate does not automatically make it community...more
In 2019, the Amazon founder and former CEO, Jeff Bezos divorced his wife, MacKenzie Scott. Ms. Scott received almost $34 billion in her divorce settlement and became one of the wealthiest philanthropists in modern day. Ms....more
As a divorce lawyer in Washington State, it is common for new clients to come in to our first meeting with the understanding that Washington is a community property state and believing that this means all property and debts...more
In In re Estate of Wetzel, a widow and independent administrator of her husband’s estate appealed a trial court’s order denying her requested family allowance. No. 05-20-01104-CV, 2022 Tex. App. LEXIS 2618 (Tex. App.—Dallas...more
This presentation covers trust issues that arise in divorce disputes, such as spouses creating an irrevocable trust, fraud claims to void a trust, conflict of interest issues raised by the same attorney drafting both spouse’s...more
In LaPree v. LaPree, a wife had three trusts where she was the primary beneficiary. No. 03-20-00465-CV, 2022 Tex. App. LEXIS 1325 (Tex. App.—Austin February 24, 2022, no pet. history)....more
Up until now, the Israel Tax Authority interpreted the Real Estate Taxation Law so that spouses who signed a prenuptial agreement and maintained separate property were considered a single family unit for the purposes of real...more
Jack Bux and his high school sweetheart, Diane, have been married a few years, but the pandemic has taken its toll on their relationship, and they could soon be parting ways....more
It is widely understood in California that inherited assets, unlike assets earned from labor, are the separate property of the receiving spouse. But what if the assets do not come directly from a parent and instead pass from...more
Inheritance is an event that eventually happens in the life of many. When a family member becomes deceased, or even a close friend, an individual may inherit a piece of their deceased family member’s or friend’s estate....more
One of the more complex issues we see when addressing alimony and equitable distribution relates to inherited assets and the money (distributions, investment experience, interest, etc.) that emanates from them. Under New...more
Celebrities and the very rich may enter into premarital agreements. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones all signed...more
We frequently represent clients who have engaged in some type of transaction with his or her spouse during the marriage that inadvertently causes them to lose certain rights to property unknowingly. This often happens in the...more
In Arizona, a large percentage of divorces proceed without either party hiring a lawyer. As Arizona is a no-fault divorce state, couples do not need a specific reason to file for divorce – it is sufficient that the parties...more
The family farm is a special asset. The family may have worked hard through decades, maybe even generations, to accumulate and develop the farm’s land, equipment and livestock. The children may be grown and successors to...more