Pennsylvania Family Law Blog – The Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz
How to Help Your Children Understand Your Divorce
The decision to divorce is one of the most difficult and life-changing choices an individual will have to make, and the emotional toll it can take on a person can be overwhelming. However, if a couple has children, one must also worry about the emotional well-being of their family; as such, it is important for a parent to determine how to properly discuss with children this significant decision. As the concept of divorce will likely be difficult for children to understand, an article from KSL.com offers the following suggestions for discussing your divorce with your children:
- Be honest and open with your children. This will help keep the lines of communication open, but experts suggest leaving out the details. Simply express clearly to them that both of you will still be there for them and can count on you to be their mom/dad. Read the rest »
Reasons to Hire a Pennsylvania Family Law Attorney for Your Divorce
Couples who have decided to end their union will likely tell you that, even though the decision to split was extraordinarily difficult, the process of obtaining a divorce can be lengthy, stressful, and overwhelming. Obtaining a divorce is unfortunately not as easy as signing a piece of paper and a number of issues need to be agreed upon and settled before the divorce can be finalized. Thus, without proper legal representation, your rights may not be protected.
With this in mind, it is important for anyone filing for divorce or in the midst of divorce proceedings to understand the importance of hiring an experienced PA family law attorney to assist them through the entire divorce process. Find Law explains the following reasons why a family law attorney can help: Read the rest »
Pennsylvania Observes August as Child Support Awareness Month
As reported by U.S. Politics Today, August is Child Support Enforcement Awareness Month in Pennsylvania, and the state’s Child Support program continues to exceed federal standards designed to ensure children get the financial support they need. The Department of Public Welfare’s Bureau of Child Support Enforcement administers child support collection and enforcement efforts through “cooperative agreements with the 67 county Courts of Common Pleas’ Domestic Relations Sections.” Per federal rules, five measures must be successfully met, including collecting current and overdue child support and being cost-effective in the administration of child support collection.
From 2010 through 2011, Pennsylvania disbursed $1.55 billion in child support collections to custodial parents. The State Secretary notes that through the committed efforts of welfare department employees and county court workers, custodial parents are receiving the child support they need so their children can live in a more secure environment. Read the rest »
Five Lessons Divorced People Learned from their Marriage
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, a new study reveals five common themes that underlie most divorces. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, collected data periodically from 373 same-race couples who were between the ages of 25 to 37 and in their first year of marriage when the study began in 1986. Of the couples included in the continuing study, 46 percent divorced, and the conductor of the study asked a portion of these individuals who went into a new relationship what they learned from their divorce.
The following are five of the lessons revealed from the study: Read the rest »
Pennsylvania Divorce Issues: Who Gets the Pet in a Divorce?
After a married couple has made the decision to end their union, there are a number of things that must be decided during the divorce process, including the division of property, settling financial issues, and deciding who gets custody of the … pets? It is certainly true that a couple may come to love their four-legged friend as if it was their own child; as such, the issue of who will receive custody may be a contentious matter during the divorce process. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reports that attorneys have seen a significant increase in pet custody cases, and issues in such cases can range from visitation rights to how veterinarian bills are split.
Under the law, pets are considered to be personal property capable of human ownership and control, and courts working under that law may only have the authority to award the pet to one of the owners. Conventionally, before a court decides who gets what property in a divorce, it must consider whether it’s a community property or an equitable distribution state. Pennsylvania is an equitable distribution state, and the division of marital property includes anything acquired during the marriage. The court will also take into account whether the couple already has an agreement as to who will receive what property, such as a prenuptial agreement. Read the rest »
Financial Issues in a Divorce
A couple deciding to end their marriage and pursue separate paths is always a tough and complex decision; however, the number of complicated issues that may arise during the process of divorce can undoubtedly add additional stress to an already challenging situation. As a Pennsylvania divorce financial issues attorney, Sheryl R. Rentz recognizes how difficult the divorce process is for the parties involved and knows that one of the more contentious issues in a divorce may regard the couple’s financial issues.
For any person who has made the decision to divorce, or is already going through a divorce proceeding, here is more information on three potential financial issues that may arise: Read the rest »
Study Shows Children with Gay Parents Denied Equal Protections
A new study entitled Securing Legal Ties for Children Living in LGBT Families: A State Strategy and Policy Guide details the current state laws that may put a child in the U.S. at risk and undermine their stability, according to a LGBTQNation.com report. Discriminatory parenting laws in more than 30 states may mean that a child being raised in an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) family will be a legal stranger to at least one of his or her parents. The report notes that this lack of legal recognition for LGBT families harms children and may threaten their ability to thrive. An estimated two million children are being raised by gay parents, and most live in states where they are excluded by family law. Read the rest »
What Is a Pennsylvania Child Custody Order?
A divorce is incredibly difficult for all parties involved, but it can be particularly hard when children are part of the equation. Deciding who will have custody of the children and if it will be joint or sole custody, or establishing child visitation guidelines for the parent who does not have sole custody, can be an especially contentious matter for a divorcing pair; however, there are legal means that can help families reach an amicable agreement. One such way to reach a harmonious agreement is to create a child custody order, which is a legal document that sets the terms and conditions of who has custody of a child.
A child custody order can be beneficial for parents, and some of the advantages include: Read the rest »
Katie Holmes Files for Divorce from Tom Cruise, May Receive Little Money from Settlement
In a surprise move that left mega movie star Tom Cruise “blindsided and devastated,” Katie Holmes filed for divorce from her husband of five years. According to an MTV.com report, Holmes noted in the divorce filing that her relationship with Cruise had been “irretrievably” broken for more than six months, and the actress is looking to keep divorce proceedings in New York where she and Cruise had been living for the last two years. Holmes has already hired a divorce attorney and may be gearing up for a custody battle over the couple’s six-year-old daughter Suri, though her attorney states her client’s only action currently is for divorce.
The question major news outlets have now been asking is how much Holmes seeks to gain from the divorce. Several media outlets reported that the famous couple had a prenuptial agreement that entitles Holmes to $3 million for every year of marriage; however, reports indicate that this is false and the prenup signed in 2006 essentially cuts her out of a majority of Cruise’s fortune. Holmes has the option of challenging the prenuptial agreement, which can be common when a divorcing couple is in conflict, but sources close to the actress say she’s not about the money as she makes “plenty on her own” and loves to work. Read the rest »
NBA Star Dwayne Wade Deals with Visitation Issues During Championship Finals
Following the arrest of his ex-wife, professional basketball player Dwayne Wade has asked a judge to suspend her child visitation rights with their two children, according to SportsIllustrated.com. The weekend incident that led to her arrest delayed the return of Wade’s sons to his custody and led to her arrest. The filing indicates that the two boys were supposed to be picked up by Wade’s sister on the afternoon of June 16 so they could be on a 3:05 p.m. flight from Chicago to Miami to be with Wade on Father’s Day, but after receiving no response at the home, the sheriff’s office was called to the scene after several hours. The report also states the mother tried leaving the home without the children when one of the responding deputies tried taking her into custody.
A spokesperson for the Cook County Sherriff’s Office reports that the NBA star’s ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, has been charged with two counts of attempted child abduction, one count of resisting arrest, and two counts of unlawful visitation interference. Another woman home at the time of the incident was also arrested for resisting arrest. Read the rest »
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