Vista Family Law Blog
Child support: dealing with an uncooperative ex
Even if spouses decide to go on separate ways, they are still jointly responsible for providing for their child’s needs. While many parents are more than willing to spend for their children’s growth and development, some parents make it unnecessarily difficult to...
Navigating children through the divorce process
Children are at the top of all the casualties that emerge from the divorce process. Left out of their parent's decisions, they are left facing an uncertain future where one household splits into two. Parents must focus on their best interests when the future is...
How to handle unsolicited remarks during divorce
It is not uncommon for some people—typically friends or relatives—to give unsolicited advice or remarks about certain situations in your life, including divorce. When this happens, and it puts you off, remember that the only advice that genuinely matters is that from...
What factors impact child custody decisions in California?
Dealing with child custody matters could be stressful for the divorcing couple and their children. These topics could lead to disputes because each parent has conflicting opinions on what is best for their child. Fortunately, the court could interfere to settle these...
Child support and necessities
If you are divorced and have children in California, but you are not a custodial parent, the court could order you to pay child support. While this payment is typically used for items that your child specifically needs, it can pay for other things that make the life...
Managing kids and money following a divorce
When parents in California go through a divorce, they’re forced to face new realities in multiple areas of their lives. Not only do they have to start creating a new normal for their children, but they also begin life as single-income individuals. There are some...
Child support and tax law
California does not typically consider child support payments as income for the recipient. However, they are also not tax deductible by the individual who pays child support. For the recipient to receive tax-free payment, the court order must clearly state that the...
The concept of the “eight-year itch”
The phrase "seven-year itch" is a well-known term that refers to the idea that many marriages tend to fall apart at around the seven-year mark. But is there a similar phenomenon that California couples experience at the eight-year mark? Does the "eight-year itch"...
How student loan debt is divided when you divorce
Many people in California know that the state uses a community property approach to dividing assets and debts. In most cases, debts incurred and assets obtained during the marriage are split equally when couples divorce. Some divorcing partners wonder about special...
Why is it harmful to argue in front of your children?
Many California couples who get a divorce claim that fighting was a major cause of the breakdown of their marriage. Some argue in front of their children without thinking about the consequences. This can be harmful to the kids for a variety of reasons. Stress and...