Allegheny County Family Law Firm
3 Ways To Prepare For Divorce
The divorce process is a stressful and emotionally difficult time, but there are things you can do to prepare.
Here are three ways to prepare for divorce:
- Know your finances and make sure to obtain access to financial records, account statements, and other financial documents.
- Avoid social media, as pictures, posts and Internet activity is commonly used as evidence in custody and parenting time disputes.
- Set money aside for legal and other professional fees.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and PFA hearings. To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390
Helping Kids In Divorce
Divorce is a complicated process for everyone involved, especially for the children of co-parents. For children, picking up the signals and nuances of emotional relationships is no easy task. For example, children of divorced parents may mistake civility for a possibility of a reunion.
Here are three tips for protecting your children as you navigate the divorce process:
- Remind your children how important they are in your separate lives.
- Don’t project your own feelings about your ex onto your children.
- Explain to your children why a reunion with their other parent may not be possible.
Spivak Law Firm provides experienced counsel to help you navigate the divorce process in a way that protects your children. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
How to Calculate Alimony in Pennsylvania
Unlike child support and even spousal support during the marriage, Pennsylvania law does not provide any formula for determining an alimony award.
After a divorce decree has been entered, the lower-earning spouse may be entitled to continued financial support in the form of alimony.
Courts generally award alimony only if the division of the marital estate is not sufficient to help the dependent spouse.
Alimony is based on the financial need of the dependent spouse and the length of the parties’ marriage.
To schedule a consultation with a family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Protecting Kids In Divorce
The divorce process can be enormously difficult when children are involved.
A study by researchers at the University of York found that children of divorced parents are more damaged by the fighting during the marriage than the split itself. This inter-parental conflict may be harmful to a child’s development, making them more likely to have difficulty with peers, drop out of school and experience emotional problems.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, Protection From Abuse (PFA), and Children Youth and Families (CYF). To schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Tips For A Positive Divorce
Divorce is often one of life’s most difficult and painful transitions, but there are things you can do to diminish the emotional toll.
Here are some tips for easing the pain of divorce:
- Practice empathy and forgiveness.
- Take the high road.
- Take responsibility for your actions.
- If you have children, focus on their happiness.
To schedule a consultation with an experienced family-law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
3 Benefits of Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative divorce can help you resolve your conflict, and it provides a number of advantages over going to court, including:
- Collaborative divorce is often less expensive than litigating through the courts.
- The process is more flexible, as you can determine your own meeting times to accommodate your work schedule rather than having to follow the court’s schedule.
- Your children are better shielded from conflict, as they avoid the stress of going to court.
To learn more about collaborative divorce, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390 to schedule a consultation.
Avoid Conflict in Divorce
The decision to divorce does not end the hurt feelings and conflict between spouses. The animosity often spills over into the divorce process and can affect your ability to parent effectively. But allowing conflict to take charge of your divorce can prove costly.
One of the best ways to keep legal fees to a minimum is by cooperating with your ex-spouse, if possible. This does not mean giving in to every demand, but to simply make an effort to forgive and remain civil with one another. You and your ex-spouse may benefit from attending co-parenting classes together or even seeing a counselor, which may limit your emotional and financial stress.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and PFAs. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Sharing Custody of Infants
Studies show that infants are best able to create healthy relationships with both parents when they spend regular time with each.
This means that both parents should go no longer than a few days without seeing the child.
There should be daily communication regarding the child’s eating and sleeping patterns, medical developments, as well as any noteworthy milestones.
If there is a high level of conflict between you and the other parent, consider keeping track of these updates in a notebook, which you may pass back and forth during exchanges.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, spousal support, Protection From Abuse (PFA), and Children Youth and Families (CYF). If your ex is denying you regular and frequent contact with your child, call Spivak Law Firm today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Expanding Your Child Custody Schedule
Young children should have frequent contact with both parents, which includes engaging in daily routines. When planning your custody schedule, you should consider the following:
- The child’s temperament;
- Any special needs of the child;
- The amount of conflict between you and the other parent;
- The child’s familiarity with the households;
- The childcare provided by each parent.
If you had less involvement in your child’s daily routine, you may consider exercising custody on a gradual basis to acclimate your child to the change. But once you are more familiar with your child’s daily routine, you may begin exercising more overnights.
To speak with a child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody & Domestic Abuse
In some extreme cases, mothers seeking to protect their children from abusive fathers are disbelieved by the courts and even sanctioned for parental alienation.
Such outlier cases form the basis of a recently released documentary by filmmaker Rachel Lewis, who spotlights the issue of mothers who have lost custody of their children to abusive fathers. The film warns that violent men can use the court system to further control and intimidate their exes by asserting their child custody rights.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on high-conflict child custody and domestic violence. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.