There’s a variety of situations in which grandparents might want to seek custody of their grandchildren. Sometimes a child’s parents are unable to care for their child and meet his/her basic needs, yet they might refuse to give up custody. Or perhaps a parent passed away, leaving the child with a stepparent rather than a biological parent.

Parents who are looking to get a divorce often understand that they are both entitled to custody and visitation rights, barring any unusual circumstances. Other aspects of a post-divorce parenting arrangement aren’t always so clear-cut however. At R & S Law Group, LLP, we get a lot of questions about which parent can expect to be “in charge.” In other words, who gets the authority to make important decisions on various aspects of the child’s life?

For a long time, marriage traditions in the U. S. dictated that a bride should take her husband’s last name after getting married. While this continues to be a popular arrangement with couples across the country, there are situations where alternate options need to be explored. For example, in a same-sex marriage, who should take on whose last name? Furthermore, there are many women who would rather retain their full name even after the wedding.

Fortunately, there are plenty of options for couples to choose from in California. For this post, we’re providing a quick overview of married last name alternatives that you and your soon-to-be spouse can consider before the knot is tied for good. As always, remember that you can contact our seasoned family law attorneys directly if you want more information about this topic, or about any matter relating to marriages, divorces, and family law in CA.

As you might have heard by now, the new tax code went into effect on January 1, 2019. This tax code overhaul is significant, and the US hasn’t had such a comprehensive tax code reform in over 20 years. Needless to say, the new set of laws has left people asking all kinds of questions, especially in regards to family law matters such as spousal support.

This month, we want to shed some light on how these new tax laws impact spousal support in California. For a more detailed discussion as it pertains to your specific needs, don’t hesitate to contact us directly at R & S Law Group, LLP. For now, here’s a quick overview of spousal support under the new tax laws.