Divorce is a harsh reality that some people must face. A couple going through a divorce can see that it affects the other family members. A marriage can fail for multiple reasons, so there can be various reasons to get a divorce. It may happen with or without the consent of both spouses. Even if both spouses agree, there is a possibility that they will face hurdles in their divorce process.
Marriage binds two persons in many ways, including emotionally, physically, and financially. Many factors come into the picture when a married couple decides to separate, including property and children’s education. At some point, one spouse might not agree with the other about these factors. If the couple has kids and other liabilities, it is likely that one of the spouses will need financial support from the other.
Things can become complicated if you don’t have a professional on your side who knows the law and can handle all the disputes without difficulty. An experienced Philadelphia divorce lawyer can best address these divorce-related complications. A lawyer can make the entire process easier while fighting for your rights.
Non-lawyers typically do not have in-depth knowledge of family law. If you aren’t educated on the legal issues associated with getting divorced, you can easily get distracted, manipulated, and make wrong decisions you may regret later.
Issues that may come up during a divorce.
There can be multiple reasons couples face difficulties during a divorce, even if the divorce was filed with mutual consent. Here are some issues that you must know about.
- Division of marital property and debt:
This issue can be complicated and become a hurdle towards the final judgment. Dividing the marital property, total debt, analyzing the investment status, savings, businesses, pensions, retirement accounts, etc., takes a lot of time. In Pennsylvania law, the rule of “equitable” distribution applies, and as the name suggests, everything should get divided fairly between the husband and wife.
- Alimony (also known as Spousal Support):
As the name suggests, spousal support is a kind of financial help given to the dependent or the spouse who earns less income. This amount is paid monthly to manage all the basic costs essential to living everyday life. The court will do all the evaluations before ordering a judgment of divorce. Both the parties must provide enough time for the court to do the appropriate analysis to decide on this factor. A spouse’s eligibility for alimony depends on many factors, and it can take a considerable amount of time to determine it.
- Child Custody:
When divorcing spouses have a child younger than 18 years, they should try to sort out things voluntarily or with the help of a legal professional. If they fail to come to an agreement, the court will interfere and make the necessary decisions. The child’s best interest is the primary consideration here. The child will be permitted to stay with the parent who will understand them well and do their best to build the child’s future. If you are seeking custody of your minor child, it will be best if you have an experienced divorce lawyer to fight for your rights at this time. You can protect your parental rights and ensure a better future for your child by doing so.
- Child Support:
Many people get confused between child custody and support. They think that it is the same, but this is merely a myth. The parent who is ordered to provide child support must give a specific amount to the parent with whom the child lives. This financial help must be provided every month so that the child can complete their education without any hindrances and get all the essential amenities to live a comfortable life. In this phase, the court will do the necessary evaluation and decide on the best option for your child. If you are the parent requesting child support, you will need to prove certain factors to the court. Your legal representative can do this job very well. This is only one of the reasons why people with legal representation tend to make this whole divorce process a hurdle-free affair.
How can a family lawyer assist you?
An experienced Philadelphia family lawyer has in-depth knowledge of the law and can take all the proper steps to fight for your rights. Whether child custody, child support, property division, or any other related matter, they can make sure that things turn in your favor.
In a broader aspect, a family lawyer can look after many issues. Some of them are mentioned below.
- Divorce
- Property division
- Domestic partnership agreements
- Separation of property for unmarried couples
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- Child custody
- Alimony
- Child support
- Paternity actions
- Interim support
- Protection from abuse
- Dependency and many more.
You can expect end-to-end assistance from your lawyer. They will help you overcome all obstacles and try your best to turn everything in your favor.
