Juli Hincks, Attorney

12/09/2024

On January 1, 2025, three significant changes to New Hampshire's parenting and child support laws will go into effect.

For parenting, it will now be the state's policy to support approximately equal parenting time between a child
and both parents if it is in the child's best interests. Previously, the standard was "frequent and continuing contact."

For child support, the legislature has rewritten how the law applies to shared parenting situations. Now, if the parents are each paying half of childcare costs, uninsured medical expenses, and agreed-upon extracurricular costs, the new law allows for the court to order no child support or reduced child support based on similar incomes of the parents (within 10%) and the amount of time each parent has under a shared parenting schedule.

In addition, the legislature has increased the "self-support reserve" to 130% of the federal poverty level. This is the amount of income that is reserved for that paying parent's needs, and is not subject to child support.

I recommend speaking to an attorney about your individual situation to see if these new child support changes apply to you. If you would like to consult with me, please call my office at 1-603-671-5911 to set up an appointment.

10/15/2024

Significant life changes are an excellent reason to start or update your estate planning. I'm happy to help you.

Make sure your family is protected and your wishes are honored by meeting with an estate planning attorney after:
- marriage
- birth or adoption of a child
- divorce
- death of a loved one named in your current documents
- significant change in what you own
- move to a new state or country

10/07/2024

It's never too early - or too late - to plan for the worst. I can help you to: write a will, avoid probate, prepare a trust, plan for your children, name medical decision-makers, draft a nuptial agreement, and more. Reach out now to schedule a time to tell me what help you need to get your estate planning accomplished.

Juli Hincks practices estate planning, probate administration, and unbundled family law at Davis Hunt Law in Franklin, New Hampshire.

12/12/2018

If you are managing someone else's money as an agent under a power of attorney, or as trustee of a trust, you may find these helpful--the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has just released a series of guides for consumers in this situation. The guides were written in conjunction with the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging. Note that the guides are general, not New Hampshire-specific. If you have any specific questions about acting as an agent, I would be happy to speak with you.

Millions of Americans manage money or property for a loved one who’s unable to pay bills or make financial decisions. To help financial caregivers, we’ve released easy-to-understand guides.

11/21/2018

If you have minor children, preparing a will gives you the opportunity to nominate guardians for your children after your death. The best guardian is someone you and your children are comfortable with, who is stable and has good judgment, and who will raise your children in accordance with your values. This person may be a family member, but does not need to be. Before nominating anyone as guardian over your minor children, it's important to speak with them and make certain they are willing and able to serve.

A note: if your child's other parent survives you, they will receive custody. If you have reason to believe they should not, you can state that in your will and ask the court to appoint a guardian after your death.

11/21/2018

A second marriage is a cause for celebration! However, estate planning can be tricky for blended families. In order to design an estate plan that works best for you, it's important to sit down with your new spouse as soon as possible and discuss your goals. How would you like your assets used and distributed after your death? Do your goals change depending on which spouse passes away first? Are there heirlooms that should pass to your children immediately? What burial arrangements would you prefer? Our office is sensitive to the issues of blended families and can help you prepare an estate plan that meets your needs.

11/21/2018

Do 20- and 30-year-olds without children need estate planning? Yes! This article explores some of the reasons why: frequent travel makes a healthcare power of attorney imperative, wills and trusts can include planning for the care of your pets after your death, and your documents can authorize your representative to manage or delete your social media accounts.

I’m twenty-four. I don’t have a home, a family I support, or any of the assets I typically see in an estate plan. On top of that, I’m young and plan to live at least into my sixties, so what is t…