Marital dissolution can easily occur in Pennsylvania if two spouses have differences that they simply cannot reconcile. As an example, in many situations, two spouses may not agree on each other’s spending habits. However, the mutual desire to generate cost savings may actually motivate two individuals to get a divorce in other situations.
A brand-new tax act introduced in 2018 requires married couples who earn high incomes to pay more in taxes if they file joint tax returns. If they earn more than $612,000 yearly, their tax bracket is 37%. In light of this, some spouses who earn high incomes may contemplate filing for divorce so that they will pay less in taxes. However, this may have unintended financial consequences.
For example, perhaps one person has a workplace pension. If this pension is deemed a marital asset, it must be split between the two parties as part of the divorce process. In addition, maybe an individual has a 401(k). Following the divorce, he or she must provide permission for the other party to be a beneficiary of the plan’s funds. During the marriage, this beneficiary status is usually automatic.
Getting divorced for any reason can inherently be complicated both emotionally and financially. Nonetheless, an attorney in Pennsylvania can guide a divorcing spouse through the processes of dealing with asset distribution and alimony, for example. The attorney can help the client to reach a fair settlement with the other party outside of court and can also litigate unresolved divorce issues in court if needed.
