Federal Way Divorce Law Blog

Washington parents who are divorced or separated should take care when claiming their children as dependents on tax returns. Complications can arise if both parents claim the kids as dependents.

Claiming children as dependents means that parents will be able to claim the Head of Household filing status. They could also potentially claim the Earned Income Tax Credit Child Tax Credit and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, all of which can help reduce a tax burden and increase tax refunds.

Whenever parents split up, dealing with child custody can be especially tough. In fact, this is often one of the most emotional and draining aspects of divorce. After all, a child's future is at stake and a parent's ability to maintain a relationship with their child may even be threatened. Every custody case is different and may pose unique challenges, but some parents face an especially hard time. For example, a young parent may have a number of obstacles to overcome if they find themselves in the middle of a custody dispute or fighting for their visitation rights.

Some young parents are still in school, such as those who are trying to finish a college degree. Many may be enrolled in college so that they can earn a degree and pursue a more lucrative career to provide their child with a better quality of life. Unfortunately, custody disputes can interfere with college and vice versa. College students dealing with a custody dispute may have a hard time focusing on their studies and thoroughly exploring their legal options during a dispute over child custody.

Many people in Washington criticize the way children interact with phones, tablets and other electronic devices, particularly when it comes to social media. There have been many reports about cyberbullying and other inappropriate online behavior. However, these technologies have also brought positive effects into many families' lives. After a divorce, electronic communications can help to ensure that children are never far away from both of their parents.

According to a recently published study, even when exes don't get along well after a divorce, parent-child relationships remain strong so long as the children remained in direct communication with both parents. This communication did not necessarily need to be in-person; video chats, texts and other interactions also helped to foster a sense of love and well-being for the children. Researchers found that even when children and parents rarely saw each other in person, electronic communications were vital to bridging the gap. Even the children of high-conflict divorces felt connected to both of their parents through texting and social media.

Ending a marriage can bring up hard feelings, and it can interfere with daily life in different ways. Some people become very anxious and stressed out about what they are going through, while others may feel sad or even experience positive feelings such as optimism and relief. Everyone has a different experience when they work through the divorce process, but for some people it can be quite hard. If you are facing challenges as you work through your divorce, it is important to do what you can to maintain a sense of normalcy—especially if you have kids.

There are various ways in which you may be able to retain a sense of normalcy even though you are experiencing major changes in your life and have a lot of uncertainty. For example, you could benefit from focusing on the positive aspects of your life that remain unchanged. It is important to prevent any divorce-related stressors from interfering with your work, which could lead to additional issues if left unchecked (poor job performance could result in a demotion or the loss of a job, for example). You should also try to prevent your divorce from adversely impacting your other relationships.