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Starting A Divorce

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

    In order to get divorced in Oregon, one or both spouses must have lived in Oregon for at least six months.

Buying Real Estate With An Unmarried Partner

Thursday, November 8, 2018

    It is not uncommon for couples who are committed and have been living together for some time to buy property together.

    This can present problems both while the couple stays together (or when one partner dies), and if the couple ever splits up.

What Happens If I Have No Estate Plan?

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

    If you have no estate plan and are married and have no children, or if you are married and all of your children are also the children of your spouse, your spouse will inherit everything that passes through your probate.

Cost of An Estate Plan

Friday, October 19, 2018

    An estate plan, depending on the complexity, can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.

Moving With A Child

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

    Judgments of Dissolution in Oregon are required to recite the terms of ORS 107.159, which states the court shall include in its order a provision requiring that neither parent may move to a residence more than 60 miles further distant from the other parent without giving the other parent reas

Finishing Up Your Divorce

Friday, October 12, 2018

    When your Judgment of Dissolution (which used to be called a divorce decree) is final, signed by a judge, and entered into the record, people often think that everything is done.

    Often this is not the case.

Oregon State Estate Taxes vs Capital Gains Tax

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

    People are often anxious to avoid estate taxes when they pass on.

    Federal estate taxes are no longer a problem for most people, since there is no federal estate tax unless the estate is over $11.2 million dollars.

Old Estate Plans Designed Around Old Tax Issues

Friday, September 21, 2018

    At one time not too long ago, federal estate taxes (death taxes) started at $600,000.

    Many people have or had the potential to have to pay estate taxes if they had savings, retirement accounts, and/or a house, when estate tax was due on amounts over $600,000.

Oregon State Estate Taxes

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

    It is only a slight exaggeration to say that federal estate taxes are not a worry for most people unless they have (or control, or have given away) well over eleven million dollars ($11,200,000 to be precise).

Affidavits of Heirship

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

    Affidavits of Heirship can be used to transfer assets of some kinds when the owner is dead, and there is not going to be a probate or a small estate proceeding.

Selling a Decedent’s Car

Thursday, November 30, 2017

    If no probate or small estate affidavit will be filed, sometimes a car owned by someone who has died can be transferred to the heirs at law by an Affidavit of Heirship available at the DMV.  

The Race to the Courthouse in a Probate

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

    In many situations, there is little benefit in a race to the courthouse.  Sometimes, however, it can make quite a difference who becomes the Personal Representative (executor) in a probate.

The Race to the Courthouse in a Divorce

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

    In many situations, there is little benefit in a race to the courthouse.  Sometimes it can make quite a difference what the status quo is when a divorce begins however.  Who lives where, and where the children live, and the like can be important factors to freeze in time with court filings in

False Claims of Oregon Residence

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

    It is not uncommon for people to falsely claim to be residents of Oregon.

    This has nothing to do with one’s legal status in the USA.

Medicaid Estate Recovery, and Jointly Owned Houses

Monday, August 28, 2017

    In Oregon, after a Medicaid recipient dies, the Medicaid Estate Recovery Unit, also called the Estate Administration Unit seeks to recover amounts paid for care by Medicaid from the estate of the Medicaid recipient who has just died.

Dear Abby Isn’t Always Right on the Details

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

    Dear Abby recently (April 17, 2017) contained a letter from a woman who was married, but no longer living with her husband, and who was instead living with a roommate, who her three year old son had looked upon as Daddy for the last nine months.  

Probate Basics

Monday, April 10, 2017

    Probate is the process by which a Will is given effect, and the assets of a person who has died are distributed to his or her heirs and beneficiaries.

    A probate will take a minimum of four months, and usually will take at least five months.  

Divorce - Parenting Plans, Divorces, and the Cost of Litigation

Thursday, March 2, 2017

    In  another article printed on this website there is a discussion of some of the issues that accompany a change in child support, and an example of how much a small change in parenting time can change child support amounts, and total child support paid over the years.

Divorce - Child Support and Deviations from Standard Parenting Plans

Monday, February 27, 2017

    In a situation where (in 2017) a couple has only one child, and there are no joint children, and one spouse earns about $15 an hour, or $2,600 per month (i.e. $31,200 per year), and the other spouse earns about $25 per hour, or about $4,330 per month (i.e.

Trusts as a Way of Planning for the Future

Friday, February 24, 2017

    There are several major kinds of trusts.

    These include Special Needs Trusts and Supplemental Needs Trusts (sometimes called SNT Trusts).

    They also include Revocable Living Trusts (which are perhaps the most common kinds of trusts).

Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

    There are many reasons to do a trust.  

    One reason is that it can simplify things if the person who does the trust ever becomes unable to manage their own affairs.

Legal Separation and Divorce in Oregon

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

    While either a husband or a wife can file a petition seeking legal separation in Oregon, in almost all cases, the other side can convert the case to a divorce case when they respond.

Wills and Estate Planning - Conservators and Trustees for Children

Friday, November 4, 2016

    Having an up to date Will can be crucial to achieving your estate planning goals.

    One of the most important things a Will can do is to name the person or persons who will raise your children if you die before your children turn 18.

Qualified Partnership Plan Long Term Care Insurance and Medicaid Estate Recovery

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

    In general terms, if a person has benefitted from a Qualified Partnership Plan Long Term Care Insurance policy, the person can keep extra amounts from Medicaid spend down that are equal to the benefits received from the Qualified Partnership Plan (QPP) Long Term Care Insurance policy.

Spousal Support and Property

Friday, October 28, 2016

    While a lower income former spouse will often be awarded spousal support following an Oregon divorce, that support may be limited or reduced if the lower income former spouse has access to significant wealth or property.

Divorce and Spousal Support

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

    Spousal support is a very complex area of law in Oregon.

    A great many different arguments can be made as to whether support should be awarded after a divorce.

Divorce and Property

Monday, October 10, 2016

    In Oregon there is (with rare exceptions) no such thing as community property.

    However, property that is acquired during a marriage, unless it is acquired by inheritance, is generally subject to division upon a divorce.

Long Term Care Insurance - Qualified Partnership Program

Friday, July 22, 2016

    Long term care insurance can increase the amount of assets you can keep when you qualify for Medicaid.

    Long term care insurance can also increase the amount you can protect from estate recovery after you die, if you have been on Medicaid.

Changing Your Will or Trust - Challenges and Protections

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

    Sometimes a person wants to draft a new will or trust, or make changes to their existing estate plan including their existing will or trust.

    In most cases, this should not be a problem.

Helping Your Children by Selling or Giving Them a House

Monday, August 31, 2015

    Sometimes people have a child that they want to help become established in a home.

    In some cases, rather than giving the child a down payment, or the like, there is a desire to simply transfer a house that the parent already owns to the child.

What is Involved in a Probate

Thursday, August 13, 2015

    A probate is conducted when a person has died, and has property or assets that need to be administered and transferred to the heirs and beneficiaries.

Powers of Attorney - What to Do if Rejected

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

    What should one do if a Power of Attorney is rejected?

    What CAN one do if a Power of Attorney is rejected?

    It is not uncommon for a Power of Attorney to be presented to an entity, and to have that entity reject the power of attorney.

Tax Issues and Real World Protections for Inherited IRAs and 401Ks

Monday, October 13, 2014

    Even though there can be tax benefits to deferring payouts from an IRA or a 401K, sometimes this benefit is a minor benefit when compared with the risks of having the asset distributed directly to someone who may have problems handling money.

Divorce and Inherited Property

Friday, October 10, 2014

    The rules have changed over the years.

    Inherited property, in Oregon, now, is generally not spilt equally among spouses when they divorce.

IRAs, 401Ks, and Estate Planning

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

    For tax reasons, it is often wise to pass IRAs, 401Ks, and other tax deferred assets outside of probate, by making sure the beneficiary designations on these assets name actual individuals.

Divorce and Property Division in Oregon

Friday, May 23, 2014

    In Oregon, there is a presumption of equitable division of property upon divorce.

    In most cases, where there has been a long term marriage, this will mean a roughly equal division of assets.

Do It Yourself Divorces

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

    One of the great income generators for lawyers can be, curiously enough, the do-it-yourself divorce.

    If something is done incorrectly in your divorce, you may spend a great deal of money trying to fix the matter.  

Mediation and Divorce

Monday, December 17, 2012

    Many people hope to save on costs by entering into divorce mediation without having their own attorney.

    Whether or not your spouse has an attorney, if you are contemplating a divorce, you should have your own divorce lawyer.

POLSTs vs Advance Directives for Health Care - Part 2

Thursday, November 29, 2012

    Advance Directives for Health Care, in contrast to POLSTs (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment - see earlier article), are used to provide information and authority to substitute decision makers who are operating in a less urgent situation.  

Family Abuse Prevention (FAPA) and Border Crossings

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

    Something that seems to catch many lawyers and some clients unaware are the unexpected difficulties that people face later in life if they are ever the subject of a Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) Abuse Prevention Order.
    

Living Together vs. Marriage

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

    It is becoming more and more common for people to live together on a long term basis, without getting married.

    One reason people give for not getting married is that they have been told that it is easier to split apart if they are not married.  This is not usually true.

Domestic Partnership Agreements

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

    No document constructed by humans can perfectly resolve all future conflicts.

    However, if you are living together, but are not married, a formal Domestic Partnership Agreement can give a great deal of predictability to the eventual dissolution of the relationship.

Incorporation as a Shield From Personal Liability

Monday, April 16, 2012

    Small to medium sized businesses often produce more liability than their owners realize.

    Often the risk comes from areas that the business owner does not immediately focus on.

State Booklet Regarding Eviction From Care Facilities, etc.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

    A useful 21 page publication has recently been made available over the internet by the Oregon Department of Human Services.

    This is titled Guidance for Successful Transitions in Oregon Assisted Living and
Residential Care Communities.

Kinds of Conservatorships in Oregon

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

    In Oregon there are potentially six kinds of protective proceedings.

    This article will outline the three kinds of conservatorships that are available.  An earlier article addressed the three kinds of conservatorships that are available.

Kinds of Guardianships in Oregon

Monday, January 2, 2012

    In Oregon there are potentially six kinds of protective proceedings.

    This article will outline the three kinds of guardianships that are available.  A later article will address the three kinds of conservatorships that are available.

At What Age Do Children Get To Decide Where They Live?

Monday, December 19, 2011

    One of the most common questions that divorced or divorcing parents ask is, “At what age do my children get to decide where they want to live, or who they want to live with?”

    The short answer is, at age 18.