Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

There can be many signs that a marriage is in trouble at any time during the year, but holidays tend to make those signs more obvious. According to The Huffington Post, one such “relationship fortune telling holiday” is Halloween.

The holidays are a time for couples to celebrate together, so if there are problems in the relationship, they will most likely be more noticeable during these times. When Halloween comes around, married couples usually follow a pattern of tradition, whether it’s decorating the house, hosting a Halloween party, taking their children trick-or-treating, or even not celebrating. If these traditions change for unknown reasons, it may be time to sit down and look at the relationship before it is too late. Some Halloween signs that could mean trouble in the marriage include:

• A sudden change in routine, such as no longer decorating the house;
• A change to wearing more suggestive or revealing costumes; and
• Separateness and/or detachment, such as spending Halloween separately or being inattentive and/or unaffectionate during gatherings.

These signs don’t necessarily mean that the marriage is falling apart, but they could point to something amiss in the relationship. If you are married and have begun noticing similar signs, during the holidays or not, it may be time to have a heart-to-heart about how you both feel about the relationship. Ignoring signs of trouble will only make the trouble worse and divorce inevitable.

The decision to get a divorce is a difficult one to make, but sometimes it is the only option for a troubled marriage. If you are considering a divorce in Pennsylvania, the experienced Chester County divorce attorney Sheryl R. Rentz Sheryl R. Rentz can answer all of your questions and provide you with the legal guidance you need to get through this stressful and emotional time. Call today at (866) 290-9292 for a consultation.

Every now and then, trends need to be re-examined, particularly when it comes to statistical data associated with those trends. When it comes to divorce rate and co-habitation before marriage, what can be deciphered today is different from what was concluded decades ago. According to a recent Newsweek article, living together before marriage was formerly considered a warning sign that an eventual marriage was doomed to end in divorce; but as society’s view of co-habitation has changed over the years, the correlation between co-habitation and divorce has less to do with the act of living together, and more with external factors that may have led to two people choosing to live with one another.

In the 1970s, nearly a third of couples decided to live together before marriage. At the time, societal views of the act of co-habitation were predominantly negative. Now, nearly two-thirds of all couples decide to live together before marriage and, while it is still considered by some to be an improper path taken prior to saying I do, it is much more accepted than ever before. However, when the financial situations of the two co-habiting individuals are taken into consideration, the likelihood of divorce is inevitably affected.

Reportedly, those individuals who live together to save money are often in financial situations characterized by a lack of financial security, and are more likely to divorce as a consequence.  Therefore, while divorce is not necessarily the direct result of living together, any two individuals who choose to and make such a decision based heavily on finances are likely to argue over financial issues on a more regular basis; thus making them more susceptible to choosing divorce over sustained marriage. In short, financial concerns and issues are a major cause of divorce in today’s couples.

In Pennsylvania, regardless of your financial circumstances, filing for divorce can be a difficult decision to make. To ensure your best interests are protected, retaining the services of an experienced Pennsylvania divorce attorney is the best course of action. For more information about filing for divorce in Pennsylvania, please contact the skilled Philadelphia family law attorneys at the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz. Call us today at 610-645-0100 for a free telephone consultation, and we will assist you with all matters pertaining to your divorce.

As a Philadelphia family law attorney, I am often asked whether or not a divorce will affect social security benefits. This is a question that many individuals encounter throughout the United States, including Pennsylvania. From my experience as a divorce lawyer, and according to a Wall Street Journal article, there are a few points that may help clear up any confusion regarding social security retirement benefits based on an ex spouse’s work record.

In Part One of our blog series discussing whether or not a divorce will affect your social security, we will discuss four universal conditions that you must meet in order to obtain social security retirement benefits from your ex-spouse’s income. They are as follows:

1. You cannot be re-married
2. You had to have been married for at least 10 years
3. Your ex-spouse has to be allowed Social Security retirement or disability benefits
4. You must be at least 62-years old

In addition, some individuals may wonder if their retirement benefits will be reduced because of an ex-spouse’s entitlement to a portion of these funds. If an ex-spouse is to receive a part of your benefits, any sort of decrease should not be seen in what finances you are entitled to when you retire. Divorce affects lives in many ways but it does not have to turn your life upside down or burn a hole in your pocket. One of the most important things you can do is to stay informed about your legal options and know what factors, if any, may influence your financial stability.

If you or someone close to you is thinking about filing for divorce in Pennsylvania, seeking legal counsel from a skilled Pennsylvania divorce lawyer may be a productive step in the right direction. At the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, our family law attorneys know the ins and outs of Pennsylvania law as it pertains to family law, including divorce, spousal support, and much more. Call Sheryl R. Rentz today at 610-645-0100 for a free consultation.