In response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, businesses and schools have been closed, and public social activities have come to an unanticipated, screeching halt. The government has imposed unprecedented restrictions on our movements, including a mandatory social distance between individuals and anyone other than their spouses and immediate family. Couples have been hanging out Read More
If you struggled through the stress of the holidays while preparing yourself for a divorce in 2020, you are not alone. Many couples choose to stick it out even when they are not getting along, waiting for a new year and a fresh start. Here are some suggested New Year’s Resolutions to help you Read More
Parental Alienation, sometimes known as Hostile Aggressive Parenting, is behavior by a parent which could cause alienation in the relationship between a child and the other parent. Parental Alienation occurs most often in divorce and custody disputes, where a child may be turned against a parent by a series of actions or statements by Read More
Most pet owners consider their dogs and cats to be “fur babies” who deserve the same love and attention given to children. In a divorce, though, pets are not treated as kids. They are considered to be property, and custody laws don’t apply. Even if divorcing couples reach an agreement about how they intend Read More
Child support in Pennsylvania is calculated based primarily on the number of children and the net incomes of the parents. The general child support rule, located at Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure (R.C.P.) 1910 provides that the parents’ combined monthly net income shall be used to determine the basic child support amount, calculated accordance Read More
In divorce proceedings, one spouse often seeks to receive alimony or spousal support from the other. What is the difference? Alimony can be provided in a final divorce decree to the spouse with lower income and fewer assets. In contrast, spousal support can be ordered by the Court after a divorce complaint has been Read More
The new U.S. tax law, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, was approved by Congress on December 20, 2017 and went into effect in January 2018. The focus of the media coverage regarding the tax reforms so far has been related to tax brackets, tax rates and the potential effect of the Read More
Judges in Pennsylvania are required to consider sixteen factors when deciding the custody schedule that is in the best interest of a child. These relevant factors are listed in 23 Pa. C.S. §5328(a). All of the factors “which legitimately have an effect upon the child’s physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual well-being” are said to Read More
The Pennsylvania Superior Court has recently ruled that same sex civil unions may be dissolved in Pennsylvania under the same laws that apply to married couples. The significance of the decision in this case, Neyman v. Buckley, is easier to understand from a historical perspective. In 2000, Vermont became the first state to allow Read More
Prenuptial Agreement: How to prepare for potential divorce before you get married, Part III of a series regarding property division and divorce. A prenuptial agreement, which is sometimes referred to as a “premarital agreement,” or a “prenup,” may be prepared and executed by two people before they get married in order to protect their Read More