Legal Separation vs. Divorce.

The distinction can be very confusing.  This decision will be one of the most important of your life.  Divorce or legal separation.  Which is best for you and your family?  It is essential to educate yourself on the legal and emotional effects that both possibilities will have on your future.  If you decide to hold off on filing for divorce, making your separation legal is also important to fully understand … it is not just a matter of leaving the household.

In Washington State, a legal separation proceeding is identical to a marriage dissolution, except that the court does not dissolve the marriage.  Your finances are kept separate.  Things like child custody and support as well as spousal maintenance may be ordered by the court.  When you divorce, the marriage is formally ended and you may proceed with your life including marrying someone else.  With a legal separation you obviously cannot remarry. However, a decree of legal separation may be converted to a decree of marriage dissolution later on upon the request of either party.

There is a great deal more to understand from an experienced family attorney.  Before you make an important life-changing decision in the Seattle area call on Lyle M. Clark Jr., a professional family law attorney located in Bellevue, WA.  Call him on matters of family law and tap in to his 35+ years of experience at (425) 452-3092.

Smart Estate Planning.

When you are thinking ahead you are usually thinking smart.  Planning for the future of your family after you are gone is certainly no exception.  Who makes those future vital decisions that celebrate a life well lived?  Start with a clearly crafted, will written with all of the i’s dotted and t’s crossed and you have already achieved great peace of mind.

Some things to remember as you do –

1.  Don’t forget life insurance.  You don’t want expenses to pile up on your loved ones.

2.  We recommend durable powers of attorney so that someone can manage your financial affairs and make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated.

3.  Discuss probate with your attorney.  Probate in Washington State CAN be as simple as filling out some forms and paying a few hundred dollars to have the papers filed.

All of this is the purvey of an experienced attorney.  That is why you call on the veteran expertise of someone who has been dealing with estates in the Seattle area for 35 years.  That man is Lyle M. Clark Jr. - a professional estate planning attorney located in Bellevue WA.  Call him on matters of estate planning from start to finish at (425) 452-3092.

Make Your Labor Day Weekend Plans!

Labor Day Weekend Events!  

(Follow the link above for more information)

"The 2016 Labor Day Weekend takes place September 2-5th. There are many great Seattle and Washington events all weekend including festivals, free concerts, movies, and more."

Get out and enjoy your weekend! 

 

The Differences Between SSDI and SSI.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand is that both SSDI and SSI are for disabled individuals seeking cash benefits due to inability to work.  These two programs differ, however when it comes to financial eligibility.  SSDI stands for Social Security Disability Insurance.  SSI, on the other hand, is Supplemental Security Income.

While both SSDI and SSI require medical proof that a claimant is unable to work, the two programs have different financial qualifications.  SSI is a “need based” program for people of Washington State and throughout America.  It has nothing to do with work history, but rather is available to people without other sources of income and assets from which to support themselves.  SSDI gets its funding by levying taxes on everyone’s payroll.  By working over many years you have “contributed” to this fund and may be entitled to benefits while you remain disabled or until you reach your full retirement age.

The layman would never be expected to know all of the ins-and-outs of SSDI and SSI.  This is why you should call on the professional expertise of someone who has been dealing with their nuances for three and a half decades. In the Seattle area that man is Lyle M. Clark Jr., an experienced SSDI and SSI attorney.  Call him on any and all of these matters at (425) 452-3092.

Some of the Reasons for a Prenuptial Agreement.

Some months ago in this space we defined the prenuptial agreement.  Today let’s look at its pros.  For people with large estates the division of property in the event of a divorce can have an impact on their heirs after death.  This is especially true when BOTH parties have property that they do not wish to have co-mingled.  Property distribution and the assignment of debt are at issue if the union dissolves.

Personal issues such as child support and child custody are NOT part of a prenuptial agreement.  The court has the power to decide those issues based on the laws at the time of the divorce.  What ARE valid subjects, however, are real estate, business interests, significant retirement benefits, stock options, and other investments.  Some people may want to provide for their children from a previous marriage.  To be valid and enforceable, however, a prenuptial agreement must be carefully drafted.

In the future we will discuss the cons of a prenuptial agreement.  In the meantime, please know this…for more than three and a half decades Attorney Lyle M. Clark has been advising people seeking divorce in the Seattle area.  You and a generation before you have known him as a Bellevue WA divorce attorney.  Call him on any family legal matter at (425) 452-3092.

What is a Living Trust?

A trust is one way to hold and manage one’s estate. There are two ways to create a trust:  Either in a will (a testamentary trust) or by means of a written trust agreement (a living trust) that takes effect when you transfer property into the trust.  A living trust is a legal document that can act as a substitute for a will.  The function of this document is to put your assets into the trust so that they may be administered according to your wishes during your lifetime.  When you pass away these assets transfer to your beneficiaries without the necessity of probate.

 

Here are some questions to ask yourself before deciding if a living trust is right for you…

1.  What does a living trust do for ME?

2.  Is it helpful if I become incapacitated?
3.  Who should I appoint as the trustee?
4.  How will my assets transfer to the living trust?
5.  What are the negatives concerning this type of trust?

If you are considering drafting a living trust, contact the law office of Lyle M. Clark Jr.  Sit down for a free consultation with Attorney Clark and he will help you decide the right course of action.

For 35+ years he has been the choice of many as a Bellevue, WA area estate planning attorney.  Pick up the phone and dial Lyle at (425) 452-3092 for any and all questions about wills and trusts in Washington.

Choosing the Right Divorce Attorney.

You are emotionally distressed.  Never in your life have you faced this before.  You have decided to get a divorce in the state of Washington.  Please understand the semantics first and foremost.  In the Evergreen State it is known as a “dissolution of marriage”.  Please take a deep breath and make the correct decision in hiring the right representation to suit your needs and personality.

At a time like this, too many people just go to the internet and look up a list of family lawyers who serve the Seattle and Bellevue area.  This could be a financial and emotional mistake.  Take a minute.  Do you want someone who has handled divorce cases in the area for well over three decades?  Do you want someone who will give you his full attention and not just hand your case off to a junior partner?

Consider the law office of Lyle M. Clark Jr.  When you sit down for a free consultation with Mr. Clark he will listen to your situation with compassion and understanding.  There is not much that he has not encountered in his 35+ years of handling Bellevue area dissolution of marriage cases.  After you have considered all of the variables pick up the phone and dial Lyle at (425) 452-3092.