Life Coach with Rick Jones and Danny Bonaduce

There was no shortage of divorce questions for Rick when he stopped by KZOK last week. And Danny and Rick didn’t waste any time getting straight to the callers' questions.

The first caller wanted to know how he could get his property back. The caller was still in the process of dissolving his marriage and had gone through arbitration to divide some of the marital assets. Unfortunately for the caller, he has been unable to procure the property awarded during the arbitration.

Rick informed the caller that because he has an arbitration award and the divorce isn’t final, the court still has a say in the situation—good news for the caller.  Rick went on to outline the steps the caller will need to take to enforce the arbitration award and advised the caller to make sure the divorce is finalized.

The next caller needed advice on fixing the damage her ex had done to her credit.  The caller discovered that her ex’s debts were on her credit report when she tried to get a line of credit. The caller disputed the debts with the credit bureau, but they refused to remove them from her report. The caller’s divorce papers assigned her ex liability for both personal and business debt. Her question for Rick: “How do I get my ex’s debt off my credit report?”

Rick explained to the caller that the time frame in which the debt was incurred will affect her ability to have the credit blemishes removed from her credit report. Because the caller was unsure if all the debt was incurred during the marriage or after the divorce, Rick provide two answers.

If the debt was created after the divorce, Rick recommended providing the creditors with a divorce decree. This will demonstrate that the marriage is dissolved and the couple is no longer a community.  If the caller didn’t co-sign for any of the debt, then the creditors are more likely to work with her assuming the debt was indeed created after the divorce.

Unfortunately, if the debt was created while the couple was still married the caller will be burdened with the debt. Even if the divorce decree assigns the debt to her ex, that agreement won’t affect the creditors ability to seek repayment from her. Rick advised the caller that if the only way to clear up her credit is to pay off the balances, then she will have to bear that expense. After the debt has been paid off, the caller can take her ex to court to seek compensation for the expense of paying off his debt.

Listen to all of Rick’s advice in the clip below. If you have questions about divorce, custody, or any other family law issues, get answers by calling (206) 448-1010. Speaking with our managing attorney, Ken Alan, over the phone is always free and there is no obligation. Or if you prefer email, you can reach Ken directly by emailing kalan@goldbergjones.com

Rick Jones Answers Questions on Everything from Spousal Support to How Divorce Can Impact a Business

Goldberg Jones managing partner Rick Jones was back in the studio with Danny Bonaduce.  In this installment of  “Life Coach”, Rick tackled questions about everything from how divorce can impact a business partnership to spousal maintenance.

Divorce and the effect on a small business can be complicated. One caller asked Rick how his business partner’s divorce might impact their company and if the company’s assets might be factored into the divorce settlement.

Rick assessed the circumstances with a few sharp questions that quickly cut to the core of the situation.  Because the wife does not appear as an officer on the corporate documents, the wife will not be able to claim any ownership of the business. The effect of the divorce will fall heaviest on the shoulders of the partner getting divorced, as the soon-to-be ex-wife might be able to get community value on what was created during the marriage.

Rick advised the caller that a valuation of the business may happen as a part of the business partner’s divorce. A business valuation will put the company’s books under scrutiny in an attempt to assign a dollar amount to the business.

The next question came from a man that was on the verge of divorce and he wanted a preview on what he should expect in regards to spousal support and asset division.

The caller’s wife had no income history and the couple had been married for more than 30 years. Rick informed the caller that these two factors will have a significant influence on how much spousal support will be required and how the assets might be divided.

Spousal maintenance, often called alimony, is used to recognize a disparity of income between a spouses. When there is a substantial difference in income and the relationship has existed for a significant amount of time the result is spousal payments.

Given the caller’s situation encompasses both significant time and income disparity, Rick informed him that it is possible that he might have to pay spousal support for upwards of 8-10 years and the division of assets and liabilities may not be 50/50. Assets could be divided to be weighted in his wife’s favor.

You can hear all of Rick’s advice in the clip below. If you have questions about divorce, custody, spousal support or any other family law matter, we have answers. Our managing attorney, Ken Alan, can answer you questions over the phone at no charge (206-448-1010). And if you situation requires an in-depth consultation, your initial in-office consultation is a flat rate of $95.

Goldberg Jones March Madness Bracket Challenge [UPDATE]

JOIN NOW

It is that time of year again. Time to scour the internet for stats, brush up on our bracketology, and pick the winners. It is March, and that means one thing—NCAA College Basketball Tournament.

This year Goldberg Jones is excited to host a bracket challenge with a $250 Amazon gift card as the reward. In a winner takes all elimination, we will whittle down the playing field to one champion. That champion will have used their knowledge, intuition, and possibly psychic ability to outwit all others by creating the ultimate bracket.

You can join the Goldberg Jones bracket challenge by heading over to Yahoo Sports and joining the Goldberg Jones group. The group ID number is 21981. You will be able to fill out your bracket beginning on March 17. But don’t lollygag—brackets must be completed by March 21.

Once you have made your picks, you can follow the madness by liking the Goldberg Jones facebook page and following us on Twitter. We will be posting the results of each round and tweeting during games. Be sure to share the Goldberg Jones Bracket Challenge with your friends and leave comments on our Facebook page. We will be giving out free high fives to everyone who participates.

While we are in the giving mood, we are also happy to announce we will be giving discounted consultations to our Facebook friends. Between March 17 and April 9 you can schedule an in-office divorce or custody consultation for only $50. During your initial consultation, you will meet with our managing attorney to discuss your unique circumstances and your rights as a man. That is almost 50% off the usual initial consultation fee. For more info about our March Madness consult deal, head over to our Facebook page.

Goldberg Jones Welcomes Seattle Divorce Lawyer Nathan Gibbs

Goldberg Jones is thrilled to welcome Nathan Gibbs to our team of talented family law attorneys. Nathan joins the team as a fierce litigator and an unwavering advocate for men’s and fathers’ rights. A father himself, he understands the need to protect the relationship between dads and kids.

Nathan is an experienced prosecutor that approaches his Seattle divorce and child custody cases with dedication and meticulous preparation. Nathan applies his experience by carefully assessing each case and creating a strategy that employs the best tactics for the given set of circumstances. For some cases this can mean mediation and careful negotiation; for other cases it can mean trial. No stranger to the courtroom, Nathan is committed to producing meaningful results for his clients.

With a legal practice that can be described as flexible and adaptive, Nathan works with every client to understand and achieve their goals. His compassion is evident in the way he treats his clients with respect and personalized attention.

Managing attorney, Ken Alan, commented. “Nathan’s experience as a prosecutor has made him a sharp negotiator that is comfortable in the courtroom. Nathan understands that family law is about helping people through a difficult time. It is obvious that he really cares about his clients.”

When he isn’t in the office or the courtroom, Nathan enjoys spending time with his family, sharpening his grill-master skills, and honing his drawing and painting talents.

Support After 18? Divorce Attorney Rick Jones Provides Answers on KISW

Have you ever wondered if child support can be extended past the age of 18? Divorce attorney, Rick Jones, answered that question and more during a recent appearance on Seattle’s KISW.

The first call came from a listener  worried about his custody case and curious about how long he will have to pay support. He also inquired if the support will be calculated based on what his ex thinks he earns, and if he'll have continue to pay that support after the child turns 18.

Rick shared that in Washington State, it isn't unusual to extend support beyond the age of 18. This extended support is called “post secondary support” and can last through a college education. Post secondary support is commonplace and has become even more typical over the past 10 years.

Rick addressed the caller’s concern regarding the calculation of support by asking a few questions. Rick quickly established that the caller was employed full time and that the ex’s request for support calculated at a higher wage wasn’t something the caller should be concerned about. Setting the caller’s mind at ease, Rick cited that as long as the caller is working full time and getting paid full time, it is unlikely that a court would impose a higher standard of support.

The next question came from a military serviceman trying to finalize his divorce. The caller is getting ready to retire from military duty and plans to relocate to pursue better employment opportunities. The caller asked Rick for advice about his relocation given the legal circumstances in his divorce case.

Rick informed the caller that Washington State courts are fairly liberal in custody relocation situations as long as there is a facially valid reason to relocate. The caller’s circumstances would most likely meet the requirement because job opportunities are more abundant in the area he is planning on relocating.

Often time additional issues will arise in military divorce and custody cases. If you are serving in the military and have family law questions, we strongly urge you to contact us directly so we can provide you detailed information regarding your particular circumstances.

You can hear Rick’s advice for all of the callers in the clip below. And, if you have a question about divorce, family law, or custody, call our office. We will always answer your questions over the phone at no charge and no obligation.