Category Archives: Divorce
Initial Steps to Take When Planning for Divorce
The decision to get a divorce is one of the most overwhelming you may ever have to make. Dissolving a marriage is often a complex and difficult process. Planning in advance can help you make choices based on careful consideration and attention to your needs. When preparing for divorce, especially if you have financial matters… Read More »
Dividing a Business During a Divorce
Divorcing spouses spend significant time and energy deciding how to divide marital assets. But for some couples, it is important to consider how to divide ownership in a business. In Pennsylvania, either spouse’s interest in a business that has been established or developed over the course of the marriage is potentially subject to equitable distribution… Read More »
Support While Your Divorce is Pending
Alimony may be awarded to a spouse in need of financial assistance in meeting living expenses after a divorce. But Pennsylvania law also recognizes the right of some spouses to receive financial support prior to the divorce being filed or while it is ongoing. There are two types of support that can be ordered prior… Read More »
Steps to Protect Yourself Financially When Facing Divorce
If you are divorcing your spouse, protecting your finances is vital to securing a fair and equitable settlement. Here are some constructive steps that you can take to protect your finances in a divorce: Assess your financial situation — Get a comprehensive understanding of your debts and assets, particularly if you were not the spouse… Read More »
Special Issues Arising in Gray Divorce
While the divorce process is the same regardless of age, there are unique challenges and issues that are faced by couples who divorce later in life. A breakup involving spouses older than 50 is sometimes dubbed “gray divorce.” Longer life expectancies and a growing acceptance of the normality of divorce are two contributors to the… Read More »
Assets That Need Special Attention During Equitable Distribution
Some divorcing couples have relatively straightforward assets that are reasonably simple to distribute among the parties: one house, a vehicle or two, and some bank accounts, for example. Other Pennsylvania couples own assets that are harder to value and divide. In those situations, assessing the value of the property can require more time and attention…. Read More »
Unique Challenges in High Net Worth Divorces
Money can buy a lot of things, but unfortunately it can’t buy marital bliss. When an affluent couple divorces, the complexity of the marriage dissolution process can be much greater than normal because of the extensive assets involved. Property division is an essential part of a high asset divorce. Both spouses have become accustomed to… Read More »
What Happens if a Spouse Dies During Divorce?
As with any litigation, a divorce case may outlive one of the parties involved. A spouse may die due to illness, an accident or natural causes while the divorce case is pending. The death — coupled with uncertainty over the parties’ marital status — can have a profound effect on the property rights of the… Read More »
Immigration and Marriage: How Does Divorce Impact the Affidavit of Support?
A U.S. citizen or permanent resident can bring their spouse or fiancé into the United States and sponsor him or her to become a lawful permanent resident. As part of the immigration process, the sponsor must sign an affidavit of support — a contractual assurance that the foreign spouse will not end up requiring welfare… Read More »
Are You Responsible for Your Spouse’s Student Loan Payments After Divorce?
Pennsylvanians are carrying approximately $68 billion in student loan debt, among the highest burdens of any state. The average student graduates more than $39,000 in debt, which can follow them well into adult life. But what happens to that debt when a married former student gets divorced? Pennsylvania’s equitable distribution rules call for most of… Read More »