Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, Family Law Blog

If you have been to just about any store lately, you have probably seen the holiday merchandise begin to come out. As Halloween rapidly approaches, the holiday season is essentially just around the corner. Even as joyous as the holidays can be, they also tend to cause stress and anxiety as people prepare, arrange for family to visit and so on.

Divorced or divorcing parents have all of the same concerns as the holidays approach with the added stress of sharing the children. Making that work and keeping the season a happy time for everyone will probably require some work.

Whether you are in a civilian marriage or a military marriage, the frustration and pain when your relationship is in trouble are universal. Certainly, you and your spouse have your own unique issues, and many of those may stem from your partner's work, but the struggles you face — money, communication, in-laws — are common to many couples.

Being a civilian spouse in a military marriage, you may have many concerns if your marriage is approaching divorce. Even though the personal issues you face may be similar to other marriages, a military divorce has some unique differences. If you approach your military divorce as if it were just another civilian divorce, you may deny yourself important rights and benefits.

If you are recently engaged or considering marriage in the future, you know that it is an exciting time for Pennsylvania couples. It can be difficult to see past the wedding day and the honeymoon, but there are things that you would be wise to go ahead and do in order to protect your future interests.

Drafting a prenuptial agreement does not sound fun or romantic, and many people only associate these documents with the rich and famous. In reality, they can be beneficial for couples of all income levels, and it can save you a world of trouble in the event that your marriage does not end happily. A little effort today can help you avoid stress in the future.

Summer is fast approaching and many Pennsylvania families are already making plans for vacations. In fact, those renting beach houses or planning trips out of the country typically make reservations and create their itineraries well in advance of the scheduled dates of their vacations. For some, this year's summer vacation will be different from all the rest since it's the first time they'll go away with their children following a divorce.

If you're one of many parents adapting to a new lifestyle after divorce, you may be wondering about rules concerning summer excursions. Can you take one any time you like? Do you need your former spouse's approval or the court's permission to take your children with you on a trip? These types of questions are common for newly divorced parents.