Wexford Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

Financial mistakes during divorce can have negative impacts

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

According to experts, married couples have an estimated 39% chance of getting divorced in the United States. Unfortunately, divorce can be devastating both financially and emotionally. Here is a glimpse at seven mistakes that can quickly impact one's finances during a Pennsylvania divorce.

First, it is wise to avoid cashing in investments to cover some of the costs that arise during divorce proceedings. Cashing in investments may certainly sound tempting, but selling assets that have significantly appreciated in value can create a substantial tax obligation. In addition, because these assets will not be invested any longer, the person who sold them will likely pull him or herself off track from achieving bigger financial goals.

Divorce often the result of unresolved money issues

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, July 4, 2019.

One of the top reasons people get divorced is money. This is because finances and stress usually go together, and this issue can affect financially struggling couples and wealthy couples alike. Here is a glimpse at two money-related problems that commonly drive wedges between Pennsylvania couples and spark divorce proceedings.

First, if one spouse accrues a lot of debt on credit cards, this can have a drastic impact on the marriage. This is especially true if the other spouse leans more on the side of caution when it comes to racking up debt and spending money. The conflicts that can erupt from these very different schools of thought when it comes to money can quickly result in divorce proceedings.

Lack of dedication, domestic violence may spark divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Friday, June 21, 2019.

Keeping a marriage together is no easy feat, especially when a marriage is built on a not-so-sturdy foundation in the first place. In many cases, two people who are married simply cannot make their marriage work, so their only option is to get a divorce. Research shows that couples in Pennsylvania and elsewhere end their marriages for a wide range of reasons, from a lack of dedication to domestic violence.

When it comes to dedication, in some marriages, one spouse has a greater level of commitment to the other spouse than the other party does. Unfortunately, because both spouses are not on the same page regarding their feelings about the relationship, their marriage can quickly break down and ultimately come to an end. In addition, some couples divorce as a result of adultery. Meanwhile, others get divorced because they realize that they walked down the aisle before they truly understood how much work marriage involves.

Here's what noncustodial parents should know about child support

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull on Monday, June 10, 2019.

As a noncustodial parent, there are many things that you need to remember. One is that you need to pay child support if it's ordered.

Child support tends to polarize everyone because one parent may not think it's fair to have to pay while others think that the paying parent isn't doing enough. The reality is that every state has guidelines for parents to follow, so that their children are getting a fair amount of compensation from the noncustodial parent.

Child support can be complicated in Pennsylvania

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in child support on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

The process of getting divorced can no doubt be challenging to navigate financially. A particular financial area of divorce that can cause confusion is child support. Here is a look at how child support works in Pennsylvania.

Children require their parents' financial support both before divorce and after it. For this reason, the parent who is granted custody of the children following divorce is expected to cover the children's daily expenses. The other spouse is also expected to cover these expenses by paying child support to the custodial parent. These expenses include housing, health care, entertainment, transportation, clothing and food.

Preparing for divorce can help with achieving positive outcome

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

Experiencing a marital dissolution can be traumatic for the entire family. However, approaching the divorce process circumspectly can make it easier for divorcing adults and their children to deal with the ins and outs of the process. Here are a couple of wise moves that people in Pennsylvania may want to make if they are considering divorce.

First, once people decide that moving forward with divorce is the best option for them, it is critical that they fully commit to their decision. As part of this process, it may behoove them to separate themselves from the emotions they are feeling and instead view their situation with a clear and calm mind. The most important thing for them to concentrate on is achieving a final outcome that will benefit the entire family.

Dividing 401(k) relatively straightforward during divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

When people go through marital breakups, an area of confusion and contention may be the division of assets. This is particularly the case if one party has amassed a large amount of money in a 401(k) through his or her company. Here is a glimpse at how divorce courts divide these type of defined contribution plans in Pennsylvania.

A large number of today's workers rely on the 401(k) to help them to save for their golden years. Fortunately, dividing these kinds of plans is fairly straightforward, as the cash value of a plan is easy to find out on any given day. The court, however, will determine the most appropriate way in which to split a 401(k) with a judicial order known as a qualified domestic relations order.

Divorce can affect future Social Security benefits

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, April 25, 2019.

The majority of United States laborers qualify for retirement benefits from Social Security. However, many individuals who have gotten divorced in Pennsylvania and elsewhere are unaware of how this can affect their Social Security benefit collection process. Let's take a glimpse at some key considerations regarding collecting benefits from Social Security post divorce.

For starters, a man can collect Social Security based on his ex-wife's record if the two were married for one decade, for example. He can do this even if his ex-wife has already married someone else. However, he cannot be remarried, and he must also be 62 years of age. Furthermore, his benefit amount based on his own record has to be lower than the amount he would get based on his ex-wife's record.

Divorce red flags you can spot before a marriage

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull on Monday, April 15, 2019.

Relationships are complicated. After people get divorced, they often look back and say they can't believe they missed all the signs and red flags. They should have known the relationship would never work. But, while they're in that relationship, it's very difficult to see these same signs.

Well, here are a few that you can spot even when you're dating, before the marriage. Some of them, naturally, last even after you tie the knot. Either way, they could mean that divorce is in your future:

Spousal support conflict may complicate divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull posted in divorce on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

When two people decide to end their marriage, spousal support may quickly become a source of contention between them. One party may be worried about having to pay too much in spousal support, whereas the other may be concerned about not receiving enough support. Here is a look at how the courts in Pennsylvania address spousal support during divorce.

The goal of spousal support, also known as spousal maintenance or alimony, is to financially help a divorcing individual who earned less money than his or her partner did during the marriage. Typically, a judge ultimately determines the spousal support amount that is appropriate in a given circumstance. Specifically, the court looks at a number of factors, such as the recipient's financial need and the ability of the other spouse to pay support.

The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull

Providing Family Law Representation In Western
Pennsylvania.