With Your Family in Mind

Have you ever thought of becoming a foster parent or wanted to adopt a child in need of permanency? Koinonia Family Services is now serving the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys and is looking for families who want to provide safe, caring, and nurturing homes for children who are in need...

 There are two types of support in California. One is child support and the other is spousal support. There are two types of orders in California dissolution cases. One is a temporary order during the pendency of the case, called a pendente lite order. And the other is an order after judgment....

 It’s the month of May, which means we’ll soon celebrate Mother’s Day. If your mother is a senior, consider these thoughtful gifts as a way to communicate your love. • The best gift is your time. If you live nearby, consider scheduling a meal to spend with your mother. If she lives in a senior...

 Tragic death such as suicide can be among the most shocking loss of life. When we hear about someone taking his or her own life right in our own community, the news is emotionally disruptive and evokes a wide range of reactions. Maybe the person was in misery due to drugs, alcohol or a mental...

After a long or even a short hospital stay, anyone appreciates the value of sleeping in one’s own bed. No one to wake you during the night, no more pokes, prods or beeps and buzzes. Just you – snuggled up under your own covers within the familiar sights and smells of home. As wonderful as that...

Our quality of life is rapidly changing. We invest millions of dollars in vitamins, health club memberships, and anti-aging products. However, statistics show that we are living longer, but not healthier. Dementia and other chronic illnesses are now commonplace in our senior population, despite...

 Not only do the public and my clients frequently ask me this question, but also sometimes other attorneys, even estate planning attorneys, ask me this question! So why all the confusion? Well, for starters, both terms, “elder law” and “estate planning” are misnomers to a certain degree. After...

 It’s May, and in schools all over the country children are putting into words and pictures, sometimes with the aid of glitter, poster paint, colored macaroni and the like, just how much their mothers mean to them. On the second Sunday in May, many mothers will be treated to breakfast in bed,...

Spring is an ideal time to put our legal and financial houses in order. Here’s some housework you can do without straining your backs or dirtying your hands: • Prepare a summary of your current assets and debts. Keep open-account records in an Assets File. For each account, list the address and...

Many situations arise where a child would need a Guardian. Guardian is a legal term that equates to having legal, physical, and financial responsibility for a minor, formally referred to as the Ward, when the natural parents can no longer care for a child. Two common circumstances for...

 Many of us have owned a furry friend who has changed our lives. Whether it’s a dog or a cat, we are often drawn to pets because they provide a unique sense of comfort and companionship. As we age, seniors can continue to benefit from owning a pet. Pets are known to reduce stress, increase the...

 “Thank God I found the good in goodbye” -Beyoncé Knowles In 1969, California adopted a new approach to ending a marriage through the reduction of a divisive and hostile legal process. The new law sought to “eliminate lurid testimony and acrimony…” To many, the new “no fault” divorce celebrated...

Have you ever thought of becoming a foster parent or wanted to adopt a child in need of permanency? Koinonia Family Services is now serving the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys, and is looking for families who want to provide safe, caring, and nurturing homes for children who are in need...

Then you become partners with the members/volunteers of Assistance League® Santa Clarita.  You join with us in our mission to make a difference in the lives of families and individuals in our community.  You make our philanthropic programs successful with your donations and then by shopping....

Divorce at any age can cause a blow to your finances, but if you’ve already been married and divorced, there is another level of financial discussions that need to be addressed before you remarry. One of the reasons we offer pre and post nuptial agreements is for this very reason. Having one...

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) is a resource any individual wanting to understand Medi-Cal should use. Their Fall-2017 “Advocate” gives information regarding the Impoverishment Protections to Medi-Cal applicants eligible for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)....

 Effective communication is an important characteristic of strong, healthy families. Research identifies communication as an essential building block of strong marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships. Family Communication Family communication refers to the way verbal and non-verbal...

 It might be shocking to learn, but the truth is that there are a variety of dangers lurking in most seniors’ estate plans. Some potential issues are relatively benign, while others are extremely costly and time consuming to fix - if they can be fixed at all. Unfortunately, the three most...