When National Coming Out Day was established in 1988, (scheduled for October 11 in 2022), the thought was that the more visible the LGBTQ community is, the more acceptance it will receive from the community at large. In the same vein, former House Representative from...
NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO WRITE OR REWRITE YOUR WILL The pandemic has spurred many Americans to face a long-avoided task: writing or revising their Wills. Sadly, many people have yet to have a Will in place. Here’s the statistics: more than 30% of Americans 65 or...
As many of us have weathered the current situation, and our planned trips and plans had to be cancelled, parents have asked whether they can still use their planned vacation time to do a staycation with the children. Of course, you can do that, you do not even have...
A comedian once asked, “Why is divorce so expensive?”. Answer: “Because it’s worth it!”. The truth of the matter is that the average cost of obtaining a divorce varies according to the complexity of the case. Where there are few assets and issues, Gardner Law...
ALIMONY IN PENNSYLVANIA Alimony has been in Pennsylvania for a long time, despite inaccurate stories to the contrary. In 1980, the Pennsylvania Legislature enacted the Divorce Code and Alimony “Factors” were codified. These factors include, among others, the length...
IF MY SPOUSE KEEPS MY CHILDREN FROM ME, CAN I WITHHOLD CHILD SUPPORT? The short answer is “No”. Custody and support, while interrelated, are completely separate issues. If you have a child support order, you are obligated to pay despite lack of contact...
All assets and liabilities acquired during marriage comprise the marital asset. These include the marital home and furnishings, as well as vehicles and other tangible items. Intangible assets such as retirement accounts, 401(k)s, and investment accounts are also...
“Discovery” is the collection of information regarding assets and liabilities. This includes accumulating statements for all investments and retirement plans. It is important for everyone to gather as much accurate information available so that counsel and the...
In Pennsylvania, an engagement ring is considered a “conditional gift” to the recipient of the ring, i.e. the person who was proposed to by another. A condition must be met for “completion” of the gift. The condition that must be met is not the engagement but rather...
As a result of the United States Supreme Court’s historic decision in US. v. Windsor, wherein the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act was determined to be unconstitutional and Pennsylvania subsequent acknowledgement of marriage equality, wedding bells are ringing for...
