Fayetteville Law Blog

When should I ask for a child support modification?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in family law on Saturday, January 19, 2019.

After an Arkansas court makes a ruling on your child support case, setting the amount of support you pay or receive, this is not the end of the road. You will have a chance to request a modification in the future if you need one. However, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, there are clear rules on when you can ask for a modification to your child support order.

If you think about it, restrictions on modification requests makes sense because there are so many child support cases in the state. If you could ask for a change whenever you want for any reason, it would clog the system and make it very difficult to ever get a ruling. So, the state sets specific guidelines for requesting a change to your child support order.

Are you worried the executor of an estate is untrustworthy?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

Do you know what to watch out for in an executor? If you are the beneficiary of an estate that is in the hands of an untrustworthy executor, do you know your legal options? Executors are bound by law to perform their fiduciary duties honestly, but not everyone is up to the task.

How can I prevent conflict over my new fence?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in land disputes on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

Setting up a new fence on your Fayetteville property is a major but rewarding construction project that can protect your yard from animals and other trespassers or provide added beauty for your home. Unfortunately, finishing up your fence may not be the end of your troubles. Your neighbor or perhaps the law could end up having issues with how your fence is constructed or placed.

If you are worried that your fence might invite some conflict with other parties, then you should consider some preliminary action before you set down a single fence post on your land. Better Homes and Gardens recommends a few crucial steps you could take prior to starting construction on your new fence.

Should you include social media accounts in your estate plan?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in estate litigation on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

Social media is a part of daily life for many people in Arkansas. It is often something people engage with on a regular basis. It becomes an asset, containing information, photos and memories. As an asset, you might consider how it will play into your estate plan. Forbes suggests including social media accounts in your will or other estate documents so your executor can access the accounts when you die.

Many times, surviving family members end up with no access to social media accounts. The security surrounding access to these accounts is very strict. Unless you have specific legal documents providing permission for access, after you die, your account may be lost to your family. At the very least, you should take steps to provide someone with your passwords and legal access to your accounts.

How does divorce affect taxes?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in family law on Monday, December 24, 2018.

One of the last things on your mind when you get divorced in Arkansas is probably taxes. However, once tax time rolls around, you may wish that you were more concerned with it. This is because divorce can have major implications on your taxes, according to TaxAct. Understanding what to expect can prevent the major shock when it is time to file your taxes.

To begin with, if you have children, you must plan ahead for who gets to claim them. Claiming dependents probably entitled you to deductions and many credits in the past. This lowered your tax liability. You may not have paid anything and received quite a bit back in a refund. However, once you divorce, you may not get to claim the kids. If this happens, you could be in for a real shock when you see how much your owe or how little you get back. Typically, who claims the kids on taxes is decided as part of your divorce settlement. Make sure you know when it is your year to claim them.

What can I expect while working with a land surveyor?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in land disputes on Thursday, December 20, 2018.

If you have managed to find a good surveyor to determine your land boundaries, you might wonder how your professional relationship will proceed. If you are planning to build a new building, such as a garage, on your Fayetteville property, you want your land survey to go off without a hitch. The key to a successful collaboration is to understand what a surveyor is obligated to do and how surveyors conduct their work.

According to Realtor, when you hire a surveyor, you should keep in mind that the surveyor does not answer to you in every respect. The land survey that the surveyor will produce may not necessarily match your expectations. If the survey shows that your property line ends a few feet short to create your new garage or shed, the surveyor can do nothing to give you those extra feet.

Righting a wrong with estate litigation

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in estate litigation on Monday, December 10, 2018.

If you have recently suffered the loss of a loved one in Arkansas, you probably hope that your family can come together to support and help one another in this difficult time of grieving. We at Gramling Estes Law Firm hope that will be the case for you and your family, but unfortunately, it is not uncommon for disputes over wills and trusts to arise in the wake of a death, tearing families apart at a time that they should be coming together. Though it is not pleasant, sometimes the only way to resolve these matters is through litigation.

You may be reluctant to stir up trouble by contesting a will, but if you have reason to believe that it may be invalid or fraudulent, you have a responsibility to speak up, not only for yourself but for other beneficiaries who may not get a fair inheritance, as well as for the deceased whose wishes in regard to distribution of property and assets have not received the respect they deserve.

Grandparents increasingly take custody of children

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm on Thursday, December 6, 2018.

Nearly one in five senior citizens in Arkansas don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Most are on fixed incomes that don’t pay enough for utilities, medical expenses and food. The problem is multiplied for grandparents caring for their grandchildren.

In Arkansas, more than 11 percent of children live with their grandparents or another non-parent relative, and roughly 25 percent of those live in poverty. Programs like state aid for food don’t provide much help: The Arkansas Food Bank says the state Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (food stamps) provides about $12 a month – so little that many don’t bother applying.

Ways people can protect themselves in a dispute over land

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in land disputes on Sunday, December 2, 2018.

People pay a lot of money for property ownership in Arkansas and want to make sure that their neighbors observe their property lines so they can claim what is rightfully theirs. However, there are undoubtedly times when people disagree over where one property ends and the next one starts. In these situations where a land dispute arises, it is imperative that people understand how to protect themselves without compromising their integrity.

According to educef.home, some of the most common reasons why a land dispute may occur include the following:

People did not use a qualified authority to regulate their property lines or their boundaries were incorrectly calculated.
The property was not surveyed at the time it was first sold, which has led subsequent buyers to make their own estimations of where it begins and ends.

How can I find a good surveyor?

On behalf of Gramling Estes Law Firm posted in land disputes on Wednesday, November 28, 2018.

Whether you want to avoid a turf battle with your Fayetteville neighbor or need to satisfy local land ordinances, finding a good surveyor can be your best bet to properly define the boundaries of your land. But if you have no experience with professional surveyors, you should make sure that you find the best person to take a survey of your land.

Sapling recommends that you start with talking to individuals who are experienced in real estate. You might find help from your real estate attorney, or you can turn to a real estate agent or a title representative. A title company actually might be your better bet because surveys are occasionally needed for a title insurance policy.