Pennsylvania Family Law Blog

A confidentiality agreement, also known as a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), is a legal contract that is entered into between at least two parties, and outlines certain confidential information that the parties share with each other for certain purposes, but do not wish to have third parties access. Under the contract, the parties agree they will not disclose the information covered by the agreement. These agreements can restrict both parties in their use of the information, or they may restrict the use of the information by a single party.

Typically, these types of agreements are entered into for business arrangements, but in certain circumstances, a married couple may sign a confidentiality agreement in Pennsylvania. For example, if the couple ran a business together, or if one spouse was in the public eye, signing a confidentiality agreement during the marriage may be desirable.

In general, information that is covered by an NDA may include the following:

• Intimate details regarding a spouse’s behavior or habits
• Divorce settlement details or information about other agreements
• Certain incidents that occurred during the marriage
• Research, development, products, or inventions of a spouse or both parties
• If a business is jointly- or solely owned, business practices followed

No matter the reasoning behind needing a confidentiality agreement, it can help protect you while you focus on navigating through the complexities of divorce. Any divorce is complicated, and some cases can be made even more so when contracts are involved. Sheryl R. Rentz, Philadelphia divorce attorney, can help you through your divorce any other contract issues that may arise. To learn how Ms. Rentz can help protect your legal rights, call The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz at 610-645-0100 today.

Anyone who’s ever said that filing for divorce is an easy process has probably never been through a divorce themselves. Divorce is usually one of the most stressful situations that a person can ever go through in life. It is a complicated process that involves a substantial amount of work. However, once the divorce process is completed, its conclusion does not mark the end of hard work, particularly if children are involved.

According to a recent NapaValleyRegister.com article, the divorce process can best be described as a major period of change. A person’s daily routines are significantly altered, their finances are inevitably affected, and relationships with their now ex-spouse and close family friends are forever changed. Ultimately, individuals who divorce are not only changing their marital status, but also the way they live after the divorce is finalized.

Pennsylvania divorce involving families with children often deal with five major points of contention: division of property; spousal support payments; child support payments; child custody rights; and child visitation arrangements. The best interests of the children are the basis of most decisions made in family court. Whether that means one parent is given custody over the other, or both parents are given equal say in decision-making matters pertaining to the children, the interests of children always supersede the parents’.

Regardless of how simple or complicated the Pennsylvania divorce process may seem, an experienced family law attorney will be able to carefully guide an individual going through a divorce. If you are considering filing for divorce in Pennsylvania, do not hesitate to contact the skilled Philadelphia divorce attorneys at the Law Offices of Sheryl Rentz. Our experienced Pennsylvania divorce lawyers will fight to ensure that your best interests are taken into consideration at all times, and will see to your children’s well being. For more information about divorce law in Pennsylvania, please call us today at 610-645-0100.

Financial responsibility after a divorce, particularly after the loss of a spouse or ex-spouse, is also connected to survivor benefits if a spouse or ex-spouse passes away. Our previous two blogs addressed a few important issues regarding how divorce may or may not affect your social security. We now turn our attention to whether or not an individual may collect spousal or ex-spousal survivor benefits. Generally speaking, if you are divorced, and if you remarry before the age of 60, you are not allowed to collect a survivor benefit based on the earnings of your deceased ex-spouse for the duration of that new marriage.

A few other factors that may influence whether you qualify to obtain survivor benefits relate to your age and how long your marriage lasted. For instance, you may be able to receive survivor benefits beginning at the age of 60. However it should be noted that you may be able to receive these benefits before the age of 60 if you are at least 50-years-old and disabled.

In order to qualify to receive survivor benefits when an ex-spouse dies, your marriage must have lasted for at least 10 years. You also must not be entitled to a higher benefit based on your own personal work record. If a child is still at home with you, this may contribute to eligibility. However, you may be able to receive an increase in payment if you get benefits based on your own work and then are widowed. You can contact the Social Security Administration to discover if this applies to you.

At the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, our dedicated and knowledgeable Pennsylvania family law attorneys have assisted many individuals going through a divorce determine the best course of action for their particular situation. We understand that several factors influence a divorce and that you need an attorney with many years of experience in Pennsylvania family law who can help you in an efficient and timely manner. For a free consultation, please call Sheryl R. Rentz today at 610-645-0100.