Category Archives: Divorce
Is Recording a Conversation with Your Spouse Considered Illegal Wiretapping in Pennsylvania?
Divorces, custody battles and support disputes can turn ordinary people into detectives, feeling the need to “get the dirt” on their spouse or ex-spouse to strengthen their own case. They may do it using technology, like smartphones, that make it easy to record conversations. Then, they bring the recordings to their lawyer claiming they have… Read More »
What If One Spouse Wants to Keep the Marital Home Rather Than Sell it in a Divorce?
Among the most common disputes in a divorce is what happens to the family home. Sometimes, both parties just want to sell it, split the proceeds and move on. However, there may be economic reasons for not selling at that time. In other cases, one spouse or the other may want to remain in the… Read More »
How Pennsylvania Courts Decide Requests to Relocate With Children
After a divorce, changes in circumstances may lead the parent with primary child custody to seek to move out of town or even out of state. In Pennsylvania, court approval is required for any proposed change in residence that would significantly limit the non-relocating parent’s ability to exercise custodial rights. Relocation requests are often… Read More »
Are Lawsuit Proceeds Considered Marital Property in a Pennsylvania Divorce?
Property division can be one of the most contentious aspects in a divorce, with controversy often centering on the identity of assets as marital or separate in ownership. One type of asset that can be disputed is an award or settlement received by either spouse in a personal injury lawsuit. Whether or not lawsuit… Read More »
How Spousal Support Differs from Alimony in Pennsylvania
When you’re going through a divorce, you’ll be exposed to an array of legal terms and phrases, some of which have specialized meanings that may differ from your common understanding. As an instance of possible confusion, alimony and spousal support are not the same thing under Pennsylvania law. Alimony is paid by one spouse… Read More »
Deciding Who Gets the Family Pets After a Divorce
For many people, pets are like part of the family. However, they are not treated that way in a divorce. The law in Pennsylvania, as in most states, doesn’t provide for awarding pet custody or visitation. Pets are considered personal property subject to equitable distribution. That means a judge will grant ownership of the… Read More »
How a Divorce May Affect Your Credit Score
A divorce doesn’t have an automatic or direct impact on your credit score. It won’t appear on your credit report, and no debts or judgments between you and your spouse will be listed either. However, divorce involves property division, which is likely to mean changes to your score. This is especially true if one spouse… Read More »
The Importance of Estate Planning After Your Divorce
Estate planning may not be high on your list of priorities as you go through a divorce and its aftermath. However, divorce alters personal and legal relationships in ways that can affect how you wish your property to be treated in the event of your disability or death. It’s critical to review and update… Read More »
Who Claims the Dependency Exemptions for the Children After a Divorce?
One of the financial issues surrounding a divorce or legal separation concerns which of the parents gets to claim the children as dependents for tax purposes. While recent changes to federal law have eliminated the dollar value of the dependency exemption, it is still necessary to claim the exemption in order to qualify for other… Read More »
Special Issues Facing Pennsylvania Couples in High-Net-Worth Divorces
Divorces between wealthy Pennsylvania couples may develop into complicated and lengthy proceedings. Spouses with valuable and diverse assets will face issues unlike those that arise in a typical divorce, chiefly concerning the identification and valuation of property for purposes of equitable distribution. High-net-worth divorces often involve complex assets, such as multiple real estate interests, pension… Read More »