With Your Family in Mind

 World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually August 1 to August 7, since 1992!  In recent years, more mothers are choosing to breastfeed. For many decades, breastfeeding was a well-kept secret. With the promotion of formula and lack of support, families were not offered the many benefits of...

 Pets fill a special place in our lives and hearts. They have made great comrades through adolescence, marriages, and raising children. They have provided comfort when our nests have emptied and support through loss and illness. There is nothing quite like the sound of a cat’s purr or the...

A Call to Zonta International (ZI) Convention in Nice, France -July 2 through July 6, 2016- brought together 1,432 members to elect officers, approve projects, resolutions,  standing rules, and revised by-laws for the 2016-2018 biennium.  ZI, a leading global organization of professionals, has...

 California’s budget bill, passed June 17, 2016, incorporated the health budget trailer bill (AB 33) to limit Medi-Cal estate recovery to the limits only required under Federal law.  This includes the most comprehensive Medi-Cal Reform measures since 1993. Sections of this bill provides...

 During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the VA denied thousands of claims for disability or death compensation that Vietnam veterans and their survivors attributed to Agent Orange exposure.  At the time, the VA claimed that Agent Orange exposure was only associated to a skin condition known as...

 Summer went by faster than expected yet again and school is back in session. That means a change of schedule, a change of weather and — when you’re divorced — a change in how you need to interact with your ex. After all, just because you are no longer husband and wife (or boyfriend and...

 Hoping to save his children the cost and inconvenience of a probate proceeding after he died, Joe Client had executed a living trust. He had funded his trust, taking title to his assets as trustee of his trust. Later, Joe re-financed his house. He took the house out of the trust, deeding the...

 Thousands of seniors each year experience injuries and trauma that could be avoided with proper home safety measures. These preventable accidents cause financial, emotional and physical stress and even death. Many people are not aware of the precautions that need to be taken as our loved ones...

 Power: The ability to act or produce an effect; the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Merriam-Webster.Com Power is a factor in every relationship. The relationship is affected by how it is distributed, balanced and expressed. Imbalances,...

 In my law practice, I get this question almost every week. And my answer is always no: You do not get any creditor protection from a revocable living trust. This upsets people sometimes because they really want that protection and they have “heard” they can get it with a trust.  I believe...

Mothering can be both the most rewarding and difficult journey of your life: 1. Babies were not meant to be brought up in isolation: Historically, new mothers received help from those around them when caring for themselves and their infants after childbirth. In today’s world, new mothers living...

 You guys remember George Harrison, right.  The former Beatle.  In 1970 he released his first solo album, “All Things Must Pass”.  A triple album in fact.  Hands down for me at least was his hit track “My Sweet Lord”, otherwise known to rock afficionados as the “Hare Krishna” song.  The song...

 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...

Power: The ability to act or produce an effect; the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Merriam-Webster.Com Power is a factor in every relationship. The relationship is affected by how it is distributed, balanced and expressed. Imbalances,...

 Heat kills by pushing the human body beyond its limits. In extreme heat, the body must work extra hard to maintain a normal temperature. Extreme heat brings with it the possibility of heat-induced illnesses. Simple first aid treatment can relieve symptoms of over-exposure and even save lives....

 Divorce can be one of the most traumatic life events a person can experience. Legal fees, asset division, child support and alimony can ruin otherwise healthy finances. 1. Your Ex Stops Paying for Joint Accounts Many spouses jointly share credit accounts, like a mortgage or credit cards. In...

 Child custody and visitation disputes can face a long and difficult path towards resolution. California courts generally have programs in place to assist parents who cannot resolve their custody/visitation issues themselves. The programs can vary depending on the county the case is in. In Los...

 The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers a pension benefit to low-income veterans (and their spouses) who are in a nursing home or who need help at home with everyday tasks such as dressing or bathing.  The program is called “Aid and Attendance”. Unfortunately for many veterans, the...