What is called “fathers’ rights” is movement in the service of the idea that custody decisions should not discriminate against fathers. The sparks start to fly when the custodial mother decides to move with the children, especially an extended distance from the non-custodial father. To read more, see here.
All of the property acquired by a couple during marriage is considered marital property and thus subject to division during the divorce process. In Pennsylvania, separate property is property that is owned by one spouse only. This is property that was acquired or purchased before the marriage, or after the marriage if acquired by…
Getting a divorce? Mediate, Don’t Litigate is a great concept that has fast become the popular trend in divorce. In Mediation, angels of communication will help you negotiate your settlement by guiding you through conversations that you can’t get through on your own; participate in brainstorming a solution that works for both parties; and, provide…
On May 4, 2018 Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed into law Senate Bill 844, which makes some major changes to who can petition a Pennsylvania family court for child custody. It affects grandparents’ rights to ask for custody of their grandchildren; and under certain circumstances, it grants standing for the very first time to…
Caucusing, where a mediator meets with each party to the mediation separately, can be useful in many mediation contexts; however, it also poses a risk to the parties perception of the mediators neutrality. In addition, caucusing can detract from the transformative process mediation typically seeks to produce in the relationship between the…
The state of Pennsylvania recognizes adultery as a fault ground for divorce. This means it is the adulterous spouse’s fault, due to his adulterous behavior, that the marriage is ending. While adultery rarely effects custody, visitation, child support or even marital property distribution, it can effect spousal support awarded before and during the divorce…
There soon won’t be a silver lining to paying spousal support. President Trump’s recently passed tax code will abolish tax deductions on alimony for divorce decrees on Jan. 1, 2019 and thereafter. Divorce lawyers say the higher-earning spouse will have more leverage to argue for lower alimony. The current tax rules allow for matrimonial…
Too many women have let husbands make the long-term financial decisions, leaving them vulnerable when separation or death strikes. For some, it means liberation. For others, loss. For women in particular, the doubling of the divorce rate for the 50-plus crowd since the 1990s can mean something far more prosaic: a need to shoulder the big financial…
If you get married, you definitely need to consider how your and/or your spouse’s loans will affect the other with regard to taxes and in the event of a divorce. If you or your spouse have student loans and you are enrolled in the Revised Pay As You Earn plan, your monthly loan…
Who holds the key to keeping marriages together? Divorce attorneys play a surprising role in identifying what causes a divorce to happen (and are expert advisors on how to keep it from happening to you). Divorce rates have been climbing steadily in the past 50 years, and no one knows that better than the…