Hatfield Alimony and Spousal Support Lawyers

Family Lawyers Represent Clients in Alimony and Spousal Support Matters Throughout Pennsylvania

Although divorce can be a time filled with heavily charged emotions for most couples who have decided to end a marriage, every divorce also involves sorting out the practical—and often difficult—financial matters surrounding dividing a single household into two. Marriage is a financial partnership as much as anything else, and, in Hatfield, when a disparity exists between the relative financial positions of the two spouses separately, the spouse who is better off financially will almost always be required to provide ongoing financial support to his or her former spouse for a period of time after the divorce is final.

Pennsylvania alimony and spousal support rules are complex, and determining the level of alimony available may require detailed financial analysis at a time when your emotions are already heightened. At Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford P.C., our experienced lawyers are here to help protect your interests and advocate on your behalf throughout the entire process of divorce and alimony calculation. Although some of the factors that are relevant in determining alimony and spousal support requirements are fairly formulaic, others are highly subjective and leave much room for our experienced family lawyers in Hatfield to advocate for a final alimony order that more fairly reflects your financial needs.

Determining the Level of Alimony Available Under PA Laws

Calculating the exact amount of alimony that one spouse will be required to pay is a highly fact-intensive undertaking that leaves much room for negotiation. Under Pennsylvania law, there are multiple relevant factors that the family court will consider when determining alimony payments, including:

• The income and general financial position of each party,
• The relative earning capacities of the parties, meaning that the lower-earning spouse’s ability to find more gainful employment will be relevant,
• The sources of the parties’ income (for example, income from employment, retirement savings, insurance, etc.),
• How long the marriage lasted,
• The age and health of both parties,
• Whether one spouse helped finance the other spouse’s education before or during the marriage, thus increasing that spouse’s earning capacity,
• The extent to which either party’s earning capacity might be influenced by the need to care for minor children,
• The parties’ standard of living during the marriage,
• The reasonable monthly expenses of the parties,
• Any contribution by one party as a homemaker,
• The reason for the divorce, including any marital misconduct that occurred during the marriage and prior to separation.

Skilled Family Lawyers in Hatfield Provide Trusted Guidance to Clients Negotiating Alimony and Spousal Support Awards

Alimony payments are not always permanent even if you were married for a relatively long period of time. In fact, an existing alimony order may be terminated if:

• The recipient spouse remarries,
• The recipient spouse is living with someone in a romantic relationship who is not a family member,
• The recipient or payor dies, unless the alimony order specifies that the recipient will continue to receive payments after the payor spouse’s death.

Alimony awards can also be modified once ordered if the agreement allows for this. Recognizing that a modification of an alimony award may be warranted if significant changes have occurred to impact the factors initially relevant in determining alimony, we can petition for an alimony modification in a number of circumstances, including when:

• One party’s employment or income status has changed,
• The recipient spouse remarries or changes his or her living arrangement in certain ways,
• One party has a significant, and reasonable, change in the level of ongoing monthly expenses.

Our experienced spousal support lawyers in Hatfield have the skills and resources necessary to craft strategic arguments either in favor or against modification of alimony awards to protect your interests throughout the process. We can also guide you through the mediation process, which may provide a more amicable solution as opposed to formal court interference in some cases.

Schedule a Free Intital Consultation with Our Hatfield Alimony Lawyers for Help

After deciding to divorce, difficult questions regarding your financial future are inevitable—running two households is naturally much more expensive than a single household, and your pool of financial resources may be limited. Our experienced lawyers can help you understand how the Pennsylvania alimony and spousal support rules work and advocate on your behalf to make sure you receive fair treatment under the law. Call our alimony and spousal support attorneys in Hatfield today at 215-822-7575, or send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” page on our website to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your questions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Alimony and Spousal Support Requirements in Hatfield, PA