Alimony and spousal support can be contentious matters in a Pennsylvania divorce. These payments can be crucial during separation and after divorce to help ensure a financially dependent spouse can make ends meet. Whether you are the higher-earning spouse or the dependent spouse, it’s vital to understand your rights and options. At The Kulick Law Firm, our spousal support and alimony attorney team provides diligent representation for clients — whether your case is resolved through negotiation, mediation, or litigation.

Understanding Pennsylvania Alimony

Ending a marriage can have a substantial economic impact on your life. When faced with divorce, you may have many financial concerns, especially if you had relied on your spouse’s income. In Pennsylvania, there are three types of support orders the court can issue, based on the phase of divorce.

At The Kulick Law Firm, LLC, an experienced spousal support and alimony attorney will assist clients with obtaining, negotiating, litigating, and modifying the following:

• Spousal support — Spousal support is payment that is made after separation but before the divorce has been finalized. It can even be ordered before a divorce action has been commenced.
• Alimony pendente lite — This is paid by the higher-earning spouse to the lower-earning spouse after the divorce action is filed but before the final judgment has been issued. The purpose of alimony pendente lite is to maintain the standard of living they had during the marriage, ensure the receiving spouse has the ability to pay attorneys’ fees and court costs, and provide income to avoid economic disadvantage.
• Alimony — Alimony is ordered to be paid once the divorce is finalized. The amount and duration that alimony is paid is based on various factors, including income and the length of the marriage.

Either spouse can make a request for alimony in a Pennsylvania divorce. Whether you were the financially dependent spouse or the supporting spouse during the marriage, our attorneys know how overwhelming alimony and spousal support issues can be. At The Kulick Law Firm, we work closely with our clients to help ensure they understand how alimony and spousal support matters are determined. Applying over 20 years of experience to every case, we strive to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.

Skillful Spousal Support and Alimony Attorney

Post-divorce alimony is awarded in Pennsylvania in situations where a financially dependent spouse is unable to support themselves through employment and the higher-earning spouse can make the payments. Pennsylvania law does not impose a specific amount for an alimony award — it also doesn’t specify the length of time alimony should be awarded. However, alimony may be awarded indefinitely if there are circumstances that make it unlikely that the dependent spouse will ever become self-supporting.

When making a determination concerning alimony, the court has broad discretion and may consider the following factors:

• The parties’ present earnings and earning capacity
• The age and physical, mental, and emotional condition of the parties
• Sources of income of both parties, including medical, retirement, insurance, or other benefits
• Expectancies and inheritances
• The length of the marriage
• Whether one spouse contributed to the other party’s education, training, or increased earning power
• The standard of living established in the marriage
• The education of each party
• The assets, liabilities, and property in the marriage or owned individually
• Contributions as a homemaker during the marriage
• The relative needs of the parties
• Tax ramifications of the spousal support award
• Marital misconduct

Significantly, alimony doesn’t always need to be resolved in a lengthy court battle. Spouses can work to reach a settlement agreement without judicial intervention by using mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution. In addition, if the parties entered into a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement addressing alimony, the terms of such document would determine the outcome of the matter. At The Kulick Law Firm, our family law team has extensive experience assisting clients with resolving alimony issues by negotiating fair settlements — and litigating in the courtroom if necessary.

Diligent Attorneys for Alimony Modification

If either party’s circumstances change, a previously issued alimony award may no longer reflect their current financial situation. An alimony award ordered by the court can be modified in cases where there are substantial and continuing changes in the circumstances of a spouse. Either party may file a petition in court to modify alimony — or they may work out a settlement outside of court.

Notably, there are also circumstances under which an alimony award would end. For instance, alimony automatically terminates upon the death or remarriage of either spouse. In the event the supported spouse begins to cohabitate with someone else, alimony may also be terminated — but such cases must be proven. At The Kulick Law Firm, we skillfully assist clients with a broad scope of alimony modification and termination matters, and work to achieve the best possible outcome in every case.

Contact a Knowledgeable Spousal Support and Alimony Attorney

Alimony and spousal support matters can be complex. It’s essential to have an experienced divorce and family law attorney by your side to help you navigate the process. Located in Exeter, Pennsylvania, The Kulick Law Firm, LLC provides high-quality representation to clients throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania who are facing alimony issues. Call (570) 203-2756 or contact us online to schedule a consultation to learn how we can help.