Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

When Pennsylvania couples decide to end their marriage, a lot of questions crop up as to how to achieve that end. A divorce, while promising a new beginning at the end of the process, also raises a lot of uncertainties and issues that need to be addressed keeping in mind both the short and long term.

While every divorce differs, depending on the individual circumstances, there are a few issues that must be addressed in every situation. How property and assets going to be divided, ranging from major decisions like who keeps the house to who keeps the dining sets, is an important consideration, as is who is going to be paying alimony and for how long. If children are involved, emotional questions revolving around their custody and support payments are also likely to rise. Keeping a level head during these discussions is essential.

A lot of things change when a Pennsylvania family goes from living together as a single unit to deciding to live in separate households with custody, alimony and child support arrangements. This decision brings with it a lot of uncertainty and confusion, as individuals begin their journey into the unknown, often alone. Where couples previously may have been able to calmly discuss matters, child custody and support decisions can make them turn acrimonious towards one another.

Many people do not realize the full amount of thought and preparation that child support decisions require. Simply calculating the average monthly expenses of a child is not enough, as number of future decisions must be kept in mind. For example, summer camps, birthday parties, music lessons and soccer practice are just some of the expenses that should be included in child support calculations, but many people neglect to do so. In addition to this, college funds can also be negotiated within the divorce arrangement.

As discussed previously on this blog, the Pennsylvania resident with primary custody of their children will most likely receive child support from the other parent. One of the reasons regular child support payments are so important is because it allows the custodial parent to create a schedule and routine around it. For example, extracurricular activities or childcare services can be scheduled based on knowing how much one is going to receive and when. Therefore, not knowing when such important payments are going to be terminated can cause instability in one's life.

In most states, child support ends when the child turns 18 or goes to college. However, this is not always the case. It is important to know when child support is legally supposed to end, because not only do steps have to be taken to terminate it but ending it before required or continuing to pay after it could have ended can cause financial hardships for one parent or the other.

Going back to school is difficult enough for Pennsylvania children, add to it the uncertainty that comes with divorce and it should come as no surprise that this can be an overwhelming time. Already children are struggling with new classes, teachers, schedules, friends, activities and routines and, if parents are not getting along, this can be more upsetting for children. Divorced parents should use the beginning of the school year to review their parenting plans and communication strategies to ensure that going back to school is as smooth as possible for children.

Schools send out a calendar with important dates and holidays at the beginning of the school year. Similarly, after school programs such as sports and musical concerts also send out their schedules soon after school begins. Parents should go through these papers and add these to a shared calendar while also accommodating them in their parenting plan. This way, parents can figure out transportation, costs and locations for each major event for the whole year early on.