Wexford Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

Dividing debt may be challenging during divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

The dissolution of a marriage in Pennsylvania is not an easy process by any means. After all, two spouses essentially have to learn how to untangle their intertwined emotional and financial lives -- a process that can quickly become messy. A particular aspect of divorce that often leads to conflict is the division of debts, namely auto and student loan debt.

Auto loans in particular can be handled in various ways. In many situations, both spouses will keep the motor vehicles they drive and simply assume the payments, even if both of their names are on the loans. However, if they can refinance their car loans so that only their names are on the loans for the cars they plan to keep, this may help to alleviate financial conflict following the divorce.

Divorce may have significant impact on retirement

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

Retirement is typically envisioned as a life stage during which a couple in Pennsylvania can finally enjoy some time to themselves. They no longer have to tend to the children, and getting up to go to work is no longer necessary. However, this together time is not always what married couples want if they have differences they cannot reconcile. Instead, some have divorce in mind.

The benefit of getting divorced later in life is that there's likely no need to worry about breaking up the family while their children are young. However, the disadvantage is that they each may have no choice but to live on 50 percent of the income they initially expected to receive during their retirement years. On top of that, they will leave the marriage with only a percentage of the assets they anticipated having when they retired.

How does child support work in Pennsylvania?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in blog on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

Divorced or unmarried parents in Pennsylvania will likely confront issues with child support at some point, whether it involves calculating support amounts, modifying orders or something else.

If you are in this position, or if you anticipate that you might be at some point, it can be helpful to understand some basic rules and expectations of the child support program in Pennsylvania.

Prenuptial agreement may offer protection during divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, March 15, 2018.

When two people get married, they generally believe that their marriage will work out. Unfortunately, life does not always go as planned. In the event that divorce is unavoidable down the road, putting together a prenuptial agreement may be a wise move for couples who have yet to walk down the aisle in PA.

Even though prenuptial agreements may not necessarily seem romantic, creating one is one of the most critical tasks to complete following an engagement. After all, about a third of marriages fail. With a prenuptial agreement, people can ensure that their assets are protected before they get married.

Cryptocurrencies can make divorce more complex

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, March 1, 2018.

During a marital breakup in Pennsylvania, one of the most hotly contested matters is property division. Specifically, some spouses may feel that the other party is hiding assets from them. With the increasing popularity of virtual currencies, such as bitcoin, hiding assets during divorce has indeed become much easier than ever before.

During divorce, both parties legally have to disclose every asset they have. They must also disclose the values of these assets. This is necessary so that the couple's marital assets can be divided fairly between the pair.

My ex wants to move away with our kids. Can she do this?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in child custody on Thursday, February 22, 2018.

Your ex-wife just landed a new job in Philadelphia. Now she wants to accept the position and move five and a half hours away—taking the kids with her. Does she have the right to do this?

If you have custodial rights, and the move impacts your custody arrangement, then this move is considered a “relocation” under Pennsylvania law. With relocations, you have some legal recourse.

Mediation vs. the trial process in high-asset divorces

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in blog on Friday, February 2, 2018.

If you find yourself facing a financially complex divorce, knowing your options before you embark on the journey of marital dissolution can help. Each couple is unique in the length of marriage, children involved and overall status of financial assets accumulated. High asset divorces are no different.

The ease or difficulty of your divorce process can depend on the cooperation of the other person and the manner in which you choose to end ties. Mediation and trial divorces are two popular and different ways of going about a divorce. Securing yourself with trusted legal oversight in either scenario is vital when avoiding costly pitfalls in final decisions that affect your financial future and custody outcomes.

Yes, uncontested divorce is possible

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in blog on Tuesday, November 28, 2017.

Not every divorce has to get ugly or mean, or devastate your finances. If you and your spouse prioritize a respectful divorce, you can achieve it. One of the simplest ways to set the tone for the divorce is to meet with an attorney and discuss your options, specifically exploring uncontested divorce.

Uncontested divorce continues to rise in popularity, as many couples facing marital struggles realize that divorce doesn't have to ruin your life, your finances or even your relationship with your ex-spouse. While you may not remain friends with your ex after the divorce is final, taking the time to explore amicable divorce opportunities benefits everyone involved, both in the short and long term.

Demystifying parenting plans and how to come to agreements

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in blog on Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

Going through a divorce when you have minor children at home is rarely easy. You and your ex will have to come to an agreement about parenting matters. If you can do this together now, you are setting the right precedent for your future parenting relationship.

As you embark on the process of creating a parenting plan, you might think that it will be quite difficult. Don't make it more challenging than it has to be. Try to keep things simple but comprehensive. Here are some tips to help you get started:

5 signs that your marriage might be over

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Wednesday, October 4, 2017.

All marriages are going to have their ups and downs. While some couples can work through their problems and come out with stronger relationships, others just were not meant to be. If you feel like you are in a continuous loop and you and your spouse do not seem to be making any headway when it comes to working out your problems, you may be thinking about divorce.

Sometimes, especially after years of having more downs than ups, the only option to get your life back on track might be divorce. A few sessions of couple's therapy may not be the answer when it comes to dealing with years of anger, hurt feelings, and emotional separation from your husband. If the following five signs of divorce are present, it may be time to seriously consider throwing in the towel.

The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull

Providing Family Law Representation In Western
Pennsylvania.