Abington Family Lawyer

Family law is one of the most complex practice areas. Between divorce, child support and custody, property division, pension and retirement, litigation, and mediation, separating from a partner when you have a child together is a complex and involved process. Divorcing spouses often argue over what decisions are best for their child. 

While both parties may care deeply about their child, many factors determine which parent will have the ultimate authority in their life. In addition, the division of property and other legal matters also requires in-depth legal knowledge and skill to ensure that the separation is carried out fairly. It is critical to retain an experienced Abington family attorney to ensure you secure the best possible outcome for your family during a divorce.

What Types of Child Custody Are There in Abington?

When parents separate, one of their primary concerns is how often they can see their children and how much authority they can have in their life. Custody arrangements are a significant aspect of family law, and the parties involved may benefit from working with a family lawyer helping to protect their rights. A family attorney in Abington may be able to ensure you get the custody arrangement that best suits you and your child.

In Pennsylvania, guardians can be granted two types of custody:

• Legal Custody: The party has the authority to make major life decisions on the child’s behalf. A party may obtain sole legal custody, but shared custody is most commonly awarded.
• Physical Custody: The party has the right to possess and control the child physically. This type of custody can be granted as shared physical custody, primary or partial physical custody, sole physical custody, or supervised physical custody.

The court evaluates every factor relevant to the child’s care before making a custody decision. Factors that impact a child’s safety are given special attention, and the gender of a parent is not taken into account.

What Factors Do Courts Consider When Determining Child Custody in Abington?

When deciding on a child’s custody arrangement, the court considers many criteria. The court considers factors related to parental responsibilities, familial relationships, health, safety, and other household members.

Some of the factors that courts consider when determining child custody include:

• Ability to address a child’s physical, emotional, and social needs
• Ability to care for the child or arrange for childcare
• Consistency in the child’s education, family, and community
• History of substance abuse
• Information from child protective services
• The mental and physical state of the party and others in the household
• The child’s preferred living arrangements, depending on their reasoning and maturity
• Willingness to cooperate with the opposing party

These factors, along with others, have to be considered very carefully to ensure that the child is spending adequate time with a responsible guardian in a household where they can feel safe and comfortable and have their needs met.

How Is Child Support Calculated in Abington?

The Income Shares Model is used to calculate child support in Pennsylvania. The Income Shares Model is a child support model predicated on the idea that child support should supplement the same proportion of parental income as if the parents lived together. Under this model, each parents’ portion of the basic support obligation must be proportional to their monthly net income.

Courts may employ the following steps to calculate the amount of child support a party will be required to pay using this model:

• Evaluation of each parents’ income
• Adjustments to account for spousal support
• Combination of both parents’ sources of income
• Calculation of each parents’ contribution
• Multiplication of the baseline child support by the contribution percentage
• Inclusion of provisions for additional costs

Pennsylvania is one of the forty-one states that calculate child support using the Income Shares Model. It would be beneficial if you understood how this procedure works and what criteria will be considered to determine whether or not you are the custodial parent.

Working with a child custody lawyer may help you understand the child support process better. Dedicated Abington family attorneys like those at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford are experienced with the child support process and can evaluate your situation.

Can I Receive Spousal Support if I Do Not Have a Job?

Spousal support, or alimony, is a form of payment that attempts to mitigate the financial consequences of a divorce. It is a legal obligation that may require a former spouse to give a non-earning or low-earning spouse a steady income.

Alimony is usually awarded if the receiving spouse meets certain conditions, including:

• They left the workforce to raise their family, and re-entering the workforce may require time and additional education.
• The spouse is allowed to maintain a standard of living that they could not afford on their own during the marriage.

The court might award alimony after a divorce has been finalized or while the divorce is still pending. For those going through a divorce, it is not always clear how spousal support will be calculated. Consider hiring a family lawyer experienced in helping clients understand alimony.

Seek Legal Counsel for Your Family Law Disputes From an Abington Family Attorney

Trying to reach divorce and alimony agreements can be difficult when dealing with the situation alone. When a child is involved, dissolution of marriage becomes a much more complex procedure as you also have to work on custody agreements and figure out child support. The relationship between both parties is likely to turn contentious as they try to reach an agreement in their favor. 

The legal professionals at  Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford, P.C. may be able to help you resolve your family law issues with fewer struggles. The team has over 65 years of experience and can offer assistance in handling negotiations, mediations, and court representation. With quality legal assistance, you may relieve yourself of some of these concerns and potentially secure a more favorable outcome for your case. To schedule a consultation with our firm, call (215) 822-7575 or fill out our contact form.