Archives for October 2023

Final Chapter in Kevin Costner California Divorce?

In previous articles, we have following the legal divorce battle between Hollywood legend, Kevin Costner, and his wife of nearly 19 years, Christine Baumgartner. Now the couples has reportedly reached an amicable settlement,  and this article summarizes what appears to be the final chapter of the divorce saga as reported by USA Today.

 

The terms of the divorce settlement were not disclosed. 

  • The terms of the divorce settlement were not publicly disclosed, but it likely included terms relating to child support and legal fees. 

 

 The settlement resolved a contentious court battle. 

  • Baumgartner reportedly requested $175,057 in child support payments during a two-day Santa Barbara court hearing in August, according to People Magazine. 

 

  • The couple shares two sons, age 14 and 16, and a 13 year-old daughter. 

 

  • In the end, per People (see above), Kevin was ordered to pay $63,209 in monthly payments. 

 

 What is next for Christine?

  • During the child support hearing, Christine testified that she was going to have to find a job outside the home to support herself and her children. 

 

  • Although at the hearing, she did not specify the job that she planned, there are reports that she is considering a role on the Real Housewives. 

 

 Divorce lessons from Kevin and Christine.

  • Even with a prenuptial agreement in place, a divorce is not necessarily simple or inexpensive. 
  • As reported by Insider, Kevin was ordered to advance his wife $200,000 for attorney fees and $100,000 for expert costs. 

 

 

 

  • Some experts speculated that the money and the publicity were reasons why Kevin and Christing may have settled. The take-home lesson is that the cost and other downsides of litigation may be important factors in any divorce. 

Contact an Experienced Divorce Attorney

Whether your divorce is a high-profile, contentious litigation or a simple, more amicable split, we can help you here at the Law Office of David Knecht. We have extensive experience with family law, so we have can help you regardless of the issues that you face in your California divorce. Contact us today at 707-451-4502. 



Filed Under: Divorce Advice, Divorce Lawyer

Uncertain Times Call for Creative California Estate Planning Strategies

For many people, today’s uncertain times can be a source of anxiety, with inflation, international conflict, and political uncertainties creating a question about whether decisions today will still be wise in future years. Estate planning in these uncertain times calls for thoughtful and creative estate planning. This article will summarize thoughts on how to do this as published at Kiplinger.com, see 

 

Recognize that regulatory frameworks can change. 

  • The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 increased the estate tax exemption.

 

  • The Secure Act 1.0 and 2.0 made changes to inherited IRA’s, minimum distributions, trusts and more. 

 

  • The 2024 Presidential Election may have implications for your estate plan. 

 

  • Navigating these changes can create challenges for your estate plan, but it can also create real opportunities for strategic and advanced planning. 

 

Creative Estate Planning Requires an Understanding of How the System Works

  • Many tax-advantaged estate planning strategies involve giving up some control of your money to protect it. 

 

  • After spending years accumulating money and property, it may be difficult to give up that control, especially when times of turmoil may have decreased its value or may make you worry about future drops. 

 

  • One strategy is to focus on long-term planning and concentrate on the signals (for example, markets generally rise), and not the noise (daily fluctuations in value). 

 

 What Is the Focus of Effective Strategies 

  • Flexibility is the key to long-term planning. Know what your goals are to make sure that your documents are drafted in a way to accomplish your goals and provide flexibility to adjust for changes in those goal. 

 

  • Balance is a second key to long-term planning. Be reactive but not over-reactive. Many proposed changes do not come to fruition, so be aware that you may need to silence some of the media noise of proposed changes that may never be realized. 

 

  • Staying diligent is the third key to long-term planning. Many people wish that estate planning were a one-time event that they could check off their list, but the most effective estate plans are re-evaluated regularly. Revisit your estate plan regularly to make sure that it is still aligned with your goals and regulatory changes. 

Contact an Experienced Estate Planning Attorney

At the Law Office of David Knecht, we make it our business to stay up-to-date on regulatory changes that impact estate planning. We will customize a plan to help you find creative solutions to meet your estate planning goals, and we will work with you to keep it current and responsive to regulatory changes. Contact us today at 707-451-4502. 



Filed Under: California Estate Plan

Divorce in California and Children with Special Needs

Divorce for parents who have children with special needs can be challenging because issues of child custody, visitation, support and property division can be more complex to negotiate. This article will discuss some important considerations for divorce when children with special needs are involved.

 

 Special needs child custody.  

  • The custody arrangement may need to differ from those of a typical case because children with special needs often require more specialized care and attention. 

 

  • Special needs will likely impact the parenting plan and visitation schedule.

 

  • The non-custodial parent may need to provide additional financial support to cover the costs of any therapy or medical treatments. 

 

Legal custody for special needs children. 

  • Finding the right legal custody plan may be more challenging with a child with special needs because the special needs child may never grow into an ability to make decisions for themselves. 

 

  • For this reason, the legal ability to make decisions for the child’s welfare, such as medical, educational and religious choices may be much longer lasting for a child with special needs than for a typical child. 

 

 Challenges with special needs adults living at home. 

  • Divorcing couples may need to think through how potential challenges will be handled, such as a special needs child being aggressive or noncompliant with taking medications. 

 

  • If the special needs child is high functioning, divorcing parents may want to discuss future issues such as working, driving, access to money, etc.

 

  • Another issue that needs to be considered is how to handle respite care if one parent is taking regular care of the special needs adult, and how to pay for that care. 

 

 Estate planning. 

  • Special needs children may outlive both parents and still need care, so life insurance for the parents and other financial planning for the support of the special needs child is an important consideration in divorce. 

Contact an Experienced Divorce Attorney

At the Law Office of David Knecht, we have extensive experience with both family law and estate planning, so we can help ensure that all the issues are covered for a divorce involving special needs children. Contact us today at 707-451-4502. 



Filed Under: Divorce Advice, Divorce Attorney

How to Change a Custody or Parent Time Order

Sometimes circumstances change after a divorce is final, and one or both parents may want to make change a custody or parent time order. If both parents agree to the change, then the process is to file a stipulation. If the parents do not agree, then the parent who wants the change must file a request for order. The court will also set a mediation date prior to the court date to give the parents an opportunity to come to an agreement. This article will summarize the information published by the California self-help website.

 

Step 1: Fill out a Request for Order form

  • The first step is to fill out a Request for Order form, which can be found here: 

 

  • This is where you tell the judge what the request is and why it is in the best interest of your child/children. 

 

  • If you are asking to change an existing order, make sure you use the original number.

 

Make copies. 

 

  • Make 2 copies of your forms. 

 

 Attach documents to support your case.  

  • Attach any documents that support your case, which could be anything from your work schedule, to school grades, to a list of extracurricular activities your child does, etc. 

 

  • Black out any information that is private and sensitive, such a social security numbers, birthdates, or other private information. 

 

  • You may want to include a witness statement. Go here for more information about witness statements: 

 

 File your forms and serve the other party.  

  • File the original and two copies and pay the fee (or get a fee waiver.)

 

  • The clerk will stamp the forms, write a hearing date, keep the original and give the copies back to you.

 

  • The next step is to serve the document on the other party. 

Contact an Experienced Divorce Attorney

If you need help making a modification, contact the Law Office of David Knecht. We have extensive experience with family law, so we can help you assess whether your modification is likely to succeed, and help you prepare the evidence to be successful in the getting the change that you want. Contact us today at 707-451-4502. 



Filed Under: Divorce Advice