Living Trust or Will? Which is best for you?
We cannot stress enough how important it is to have the appropriate Estate Planning documents for your individual needs. There is no “one size fits all” formula. A simple Will is one thing, but there may be better options for you to consider. For example, would you want anyone to be able to look up […]
Updates to your Will & Estate Plan are Crucial!
You’ve taken our advice, sat down and put your Will and Estate Planning documents in place. That’s great! Now, were they reviewed for errors? Are updates needed? Take the case of Anna-Nicole Smith, who died from a drug overdose in 2007. She did the right thing and had a Will, but at the time […]
You don’t have to be a celebrity to need Estate Planning.
Whether you’re a famous billionaire or living paycheck to paycheck, everyone needs proper Estate Planning in place for the inevitable. And notice we say “proper” Estate Planning. Every situation is different, and what works for one isn’t what is needed for another. Also, hiring a qualified attorney to create your Estate Plan is a must, […]
Dividing Community Property Can Be War
We have saved the best for last in our list of family law related films for this week’s Tessmer Tips blog. This movie about a divorcing couple fighting over dividing their community property is one of our all-time favorites. The War of the Roses is a 1989 dark comedy starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and […]
Children of Divorcing Parents Need Special Attention
Divorcing parents should pay special attention to their kids. Don’t get caught up in your own drama and forget that your children are struggling to cope, too. Our next family law movie shows us the destruction of a family through a teen’s view. The Squid and The Whale is a 2005 arthouse film that won […]
Children of Divorce Need Both Parents
There is no question that divorce is painful under any circumstance. Sometimes a divorcing parent feels so hurt and angry, they want to lash out at their soon-to-be ex and they do that through their kids. This is central to the plot of our next recommended family law movie. Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 […]
Divorce and Blended Families
Today, we continue our movie recommendations with a great story about the struggle to produce a happy, blended family after divorce. Stepmom is a 1998 film starring Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon and Ed Harris. The movie tells the story of Luke and Jackie Harrison (Harris and Sarandon), a divorced couple struggling to raise their children, […]
Movies Our Family Law Clients Can Learn From
We all love going to the movies! This week our Tessmer Tips blog will tell you about some movies we love that are about divorce, child custody and other family law issues. Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Starring […]
Learn about SCRA and UCCJEA
There are laws that protect an active duty soldier from being held in “default” for failing to respond to a divorce action. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), divorce proceedings may be postponed for the entire time an active duty servicemember is on duty and for up to 90 days thereafter. An active duty […]
Military benefits should be considered in a family law case.
The medical benefits program available to active duty service members, retirees, and family members is called TRICARE. After a divorce, a service member’s children continue to qualify for TRICARE. Unfortunately for civilian spouses, unless you meet some pretty stringent requirements, you will no longer qualify once you are divorced. You get to keep your TRICARE […]
