Simple legal guides.

An uncontested divorce is one where both spouses agree on all the key issues: property, debts, support and arrangements for any children. It is usually quicker and less expensive. A contested divorce is one where the spouses disagree on one or more issues, which are then resolved by negotiation or decided by the court.

Legal custody is about who makes major decisions for a child, such as education and health care. Physical custody is about where the child mainly lives. Parenting time (often called visitation) is the schedule for time with the other parent. Courts focus on the child’s best interests.

Bring any court papers you have received, recent pay stubs or tax returns, a list of major assets and debts, and your questions. Write down key dates: when you married, when you separated, children’s dates of birth. It helps to think about what a good outcome would look like for you.

Petitioner: the U.S. citizen or permanent resident who files a family petition. Beneficiary: the relative being sponsored. Adjustment of status: applying for a green card from inside the United States. Consular processing: completing the process at a U.S. consulate abroad. Naturalization: the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

Only licensed attorneys and accredited representatives may give immigration legal advice. Be cautious of “notarios” or consultants who promise results or ask you to sign blank forms, and keep copies of everything you file.

After your offer is accepted, the seller’s attorney usually drafts the contract and your attorney reviews it. Once the contract is signed and the down payment is in escrow, the title search, survey and mortgage process follow. When everything is clear, the parties close: documents are signed, funds change hands and the deed is recorded.

How a home is owned (for example jointly with a right of survivorship, or as tenants in common) affects who owns it after a death. It is worth thinking about this, and about your will or trust, whenever you buy or transfer property.

Most adults benefit from a will (who inherits and who is in charge), a power of attorney (financial decisions if you can’t make them), a health care proxy (medical decisions if you can’t make them) and a living will (your wishes about medical treatment). It is also worth checking the beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts.

An executor is the person named in a will to manage the estate. Their job typically includes applying to the Surrogate’s Court, collecting the assets, paying debts, expenses and any taxes, keeping records and distributing what remains to the beneficiaries. It is a responsible role, and executors can get legal help along the way.

Beneficiary: someone who receives property under a will or trust. Executor: the person named in a will to manage the estate. Administrator: the person appointed by the court when there is no will. Intestate: dying without a valid will. Probate: proving a will in court. Surrogate’s Court: the New York court that handles estates. Fiduciary: someone legally responsible for managing property for others.

A revocable trust can generally be changed or cancelled by the person who created it, and is often used to manage assets and avoid probate. An irrevocable trust generally cannot easily be changed once created, but may offer benefits for asset protection or long-term planning.

A will takes effect only after death and generally goes through probate. A funded living trust can manage assets during your lifetime, if you become incapacitated and after death, often without probate for the assets it holds. Many families use both.