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Bucks County Divorce Attorneys > Bucks County Spousal Support & Alimony Attorney

Bucks County Spousal Support & Alimony Attorney

One of the most significant issues of any Pennsylvania divorce is the determination of spousal support and alimony. The purpose of these is to help one spouse that is financially dependent on the other cover their living expenses and support them as they become financially independent during and after the divorce process. There are many elements that go into spousal support and alimony calculations, and the experienced Bucks County spousal support & alimony attorneys at Kardos, Rickles & Hand are here to help. Call or contact the office today to schedule a consultation of your case.

Pennsylvania Spousal Support

Pennsylvania spousal support may be requested by one spouse after the divorce petition is filed but before divorce is finalized. This is also referred to as temporary support or alimony pendente lite. Spousal support is available if one spouse is financially dependent on the other and needs assistance with daily living expenses in addition to court-related costs while the divorce is ongoing. Spousal support ends when the divorce is finalized.

Pennsylvania Alimony

Alimony may be ordered as part of the finalized divorce settlement when one spouse is financially dependent on the other and needs help maintaining their standard of living while learning to become financially independent after the divorce. The amount and duration of alimony can vary substantially depending on the specific facts of the case. Some courts will order alimony for a discrete length of time while the lesser-earning spouse gains the education and training necessary to enter the workforce, which is also known as rehabilitative alimony. In other cases, the court may order permanent alimony due to factors like age, illness, or disability that renders a spouse unable to reenter the workforce after a divorce.

Factors the Court Considers

Pennsylvania uses a list of factors to determine whether, and to what extent, spousal support and alimony is appropriate in a divorce. The statutory factors weighed by a judge in a divorce case include the following:

  • Each spouse’s earning capacity
  • Age, physical, mental, and emotional condition of each spouse
  • Each spouse’s sources of income
  • Expectancies and inheritances of each spouse
  • Duration of the marriage
  • Whether one spouse contributed to the other’s education, training, or increased earning power (ex: staying home to care for the household)
  • Whether earning capacity is decreased for a custodial parent
  • The marital standard of living
  • Each spouse’s education and the time necessary for the supported spouse to acquire training or education
  • Marital and separate property of both spouses
  • The needs of both spouses
  • Marital misconduct anytime during the marriage and before separation
  • Tax ramifications of alimony
  • Whether the supported spouse lacks property to meet their financial needs, and
  • Whether the supported spouse is incapable of becoming self-supporting through employment

Talk to Our Office Now

Are you filing for divorce in the Bucks County area and would like to speak with a knowledgeable divorce attorney about your case? If so, call the office or contact us today at Kardos, Rickles & Hand to schedule an evaluation of your case now.

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