Montgomery County Family Law Blog

If you are married and considering a separation, you may be reluctant to file for divorce for financial, legal or religious reasons. In some cases, there are other options. You may be able to go through a legal separation, or you may be able to terminate your marriage by going through a civil annulment.

Annulments are subject to state laws, so it is important to observe what the law says in the state in which you intend to terminate your marriage. In Pennsylvania, it is possible to invalidate a marriage by going through an annulment, but only in certain circumstances. The following blog will give an overview of when an annulment is possible in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvanians who are getting a divorce will need to consider many factors. In particular, property division can be significantly complex. One issue that is rife for dispute is splitting the marital home. If the parties are agreeable to a negotiation, a buyout is a viable strategy to avoid a long-term battle over ownership.

When thinking about a buyout, calculating how to go about it is essential. Home value might be the first thing people think about, but the equity is the gauge for how much to pay in a buyout. A house worth $250,000 with a mortgage of $100,000 leaves the parties to split the $150,000 equity. An accurate appraisal is important to get the home's market value. Comparable properties, the condition and more will be used to determine its value. Each party has the choice of getting their own appraiser or agreeing on an appraiser.

The financial aftermath of divorce sometimes leaves people in Pennsylvania struggling to pay bills. Even people with relatively high salaries often go through an adjustment period when shifting from a two-income to a single-income household. A divorce might add new expenses, like spousal or child support, as well. Regardless of their income level, many people have to overhaul their budgets after a divorce. A proactive approach helps to mitigate these financial challenges. Post-divorce budgets should focus on meeting monthly expenses, attacking debt, and building an emergency fund.

Sometimes people find that they need to adjust their lifestyles to meet their expenses on a single income. If they have debts, then they need to make paying them off a top priority. This might require them to go without luxuries so that money can be directed toward debts. Refinancing debts into a single lower-interest loan could aid this effort. Budgeting might include paying for health insurance. Someone previously covered under a spouse's health plan will need to obtain coverage. Learning new skills to get a better job or picking up a side hustle present ways to increase income and offset the challenges posed by debt and the high cost of health insurance. People should also find out how the divorce influences their tax filing status.

Pennsylvania parents and others who are denied the right to visit with their child may eventually be able to obtain the right. The first step toward doing so is to determine why visitation rights were denied. For instance, a judge may have felt that a parent could put a child's emotional or physical health in jeopardy. In some cases, parents will be asked to attend parenting classes or a rehab program before they can see their children on a regular basis.

There is a chance that the child's other parent will deny an individual the ability to see his or her children. A custodial parent may assert that the noncustodial parent is abusive or doesn't have reliable transportation. Custodial parents could also cite a lack of financial support as a reason for denying visitation. However, this may not hold up in court as the law tends to see visitation and child support as separate matters.