Modern Family Matters

Modern Family Matters is a podcast based out of Portland, OR that discusses a variety of different topics, ranging from divorce and custody to adoption and estate planning. We believe that there is no such thing as "broken" family, and that true family can take on many different forms. Join our host, Steve Altishin, as he interviews attorneys and other industry professionals on all matters pertaining to the modern family.... Show More

Episodes

What Are the Legal Rights for Unmarried Couples Who Separate in Oregon?

July 10, 2020 • 39 min

If you’re unmarried with children, establishing paternity is incredibly important in the event of separation. If paternity is not established, child support will not be ordered, unless it’s voluntary from one party. Additionally, there could be issues establishing custody and parenting time. If paternity is not established, you might be able to obtain custody and parenting time via third-party rights.

When dividing assets and disent...

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Avoid These Parenting Pitfalls! Strategies to Protect Your Child’s Mental Health During Lockdown

July 2, 2020 • 33 min

Behavior Analyst, Chris Messina, discusses parenting pitfalls to be aware of in order to help protect your children’s mental hygiene during coronavirus and lockdown measures.

Pitfall #1: Don’t double down on kids and try to over-compensate for what is perceived as missed time.

Many parents feel that they need to set hard rules and push for increased accomplishments in order to make up for lost time in school and around peers. This in...

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Special Needs Estate Planning: Preserving Your Disabled Child’s Public Benefits and Maintaining Their Quality of Life

June 24, 2020 • 38 min

• It’s important that an individual with special needs maintains some level of covered benefits, such as social security or Medicaid, amongst other resources. However, without proper planning it is easy for a family or individual to misstep and lose their benefits.

• A special-needs individual can generally have up to $2,000 in their name- anything above that and they may lose their eligibility for government benefits. While this i...

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Deconstructing the Divorce Process: Preparing for a Favorable and Lasting Outcome

June 8, 2020 • 29 min

Landerholm Family Law's Partner, Will Jones, breaks down the divorce process in Oregon by focusing on the last step, the judgment, and working backwards.

The end of a divorce case for most people is called a general judgment of dissolution, which can be reached in three ways: 1) Trial, 2) Stipulation, which means everybody agrees or 3) Default, which is granted when no one responds to the petitioner.

The divorce judgment encompa...

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Estate Planning: Who Should Get One and Why Is It So Important?

May 27, 2020 • 30 min

Landerholm Family Law’s Associate Attorney, Triston Dallas, explains what an estate plan and why it’s important for people of all ages to consider.

An estate is everything you own-everybody has an estate, regardless of their wealth. You don’t need to have millions of dollars to have an estate plan- it isn't based on the value of your estate, but rather it’s based on your specific values and how you want that to pass on to your n...

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Alternative Options for Pursuing Your Family Law Case During COVID-19

May 26, 2020 • 28 min

Lewis Landerholm, Founding Attorney of Landerholm Family Law, discusses the various options available to those who would like to pursue their family law case in spite of court delays due to Covid-19.

It’s projected that there's going to be a large wave of cases coming through in the next few months when everybody does decide to file, so getting your place in line and starting the process now is important.

While the courts are try...

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What is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, and Why Is It Important?

May 14, 2020 • 23 min

-Will Jones, Partner at Landerholm Family Law, explains the QDRO process and aspects to consider when dividing retirement accounts.

- Over 90 million workers in the United States are covered by over 800,000 employer- provided retirement plans, totaling billions of dollars. For many people, these retirement savings represent one of their most significant assets.

- When couples divorce with retirement accounts, these accounts need to b...

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