These days, couples around the country and here in Pennsylvania are no longer bound by the traditional divorce model that pits the parties against each other in court, which can often only increase the acrimony between them. One of the alternatives that is gaining popularity with divorcing couples is the collaborative law process. This approach to divorce allows the parties to avoid a contentious, time-consuming and expensive court battle.
The basics of the collaborative law process
Help for Pennsylvania parents who have child support debt
Any kind of debt can be debilitating. However, child support debt can affect every aspect of a Pennsylvania parent's life and adversely affect the child for whom the support is intended. Unfortunately, once a parent falls on hard times financially, that child support payment may not be possible, and child support debt can add up. Several states have realized the way in which this debt affects parents and children and have initiated programs to help parents deal with the debt productively.
Divorce decisions: duration and amount of alimony payments
Alimony is not set in stone, and there is no set amount ordered in every individual case. When someone in Pennsylvania is pursuing a divorce, alimony may factor into how that divorce proceeds and the lifestyles each person may expect as they venture into the next chapters of their lives. It is important to understand the facts about alimony, particularly the duration of the payments and the amount ordered, before agreeing to any alimony or property division agreement.
Unique circumstances impact child custody issues
Families are complex, and the challenges of one can be vastly different than the challenges of another. When Pennsylvania families need to decipher child custody issues, those unique nuances can play a role in how the process may be best tackled. Those unique circumstances can also impact the future of a child custody agreement and the potential for a modification at some point in the future.
The importance of property division decisions during divorce
Sharing a mortgage with one's spouse may be perfect when times are good. However, when divorce is on the table and the time has come for a property division settlement to go forward, a shared mortgage can become quite imperfect -- and complicated. When it is time to decide if one spouse is keeping the family home, it is imperative for both spouses to understand the effects of their decision.
