Most family law actions that will be filed include a filing fee for the initial complaint or pleading. A part of these filing fees go to fund the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund (CTF). This fund has received approximately $40 million dollars from family law filing fees since inception. The initiative of the CTF is to […]
Financial obligations in the context of a divorce can create a strain on the party ordered to pay. If a party is simply unable to keep up with all their obligations they may consider filing for bankruptcy. A bankruptcy filing generally results in an automatic stay meaning the party filing for bankruptcy is protected from […]
https://ulmerlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ulmerlaw-logo.png00Karen Ulmerhttps://ulmerlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ulmerlaw-logo.pngKaren Ulmer2012-11-23 03:10:512020-04-06 16:16:44Consequences of Bankruptcy in Family Law
Custody refers to the rights of a parent or other adult to be responsible for a minor. In family law there are several types of custody that may come into play. Sec 5322 defines all the different variations of custody. First, there is legal custody versus physical custody. Legal custody is defined as “the right […]
Our area is still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The storm’s strong winds and rain caused widespread damage over a large area of the nation. Specifically, southeastern Pennsylvania is still dealing with power outages due to downed trees and wires. Many government offices, schools and local courts were forced to close Monday and […]
Emancipation terminates a parent’s obligation to support their child. Emancipation generally occurs when a minor reaches the age of 18 and has graduated high school. Whether a minor can be emancipated even before that time is a fact-intensive analysis. An emancipated minor must demonstrate they are able to assume all legal responsibility for themselves. Factors […]
The issue of social security disability benefits may arise in the context of a support action. Support actions in Pennsylvania are governed by a statewide guideline amount that correlates with the ability to pay. Ultimately, any support award will be based on the net incomes of the parties involved. Social security disability benefits are recognized […]
In Pennsylvania adoptions are handled through the Orphan’s Court. The rules and procedures for an adoption can be found in the Orphan’s Court Rules under Rule 15. Each county may have a set of local rules pertaining to adoption which should also be reviewed and complied with where necessary. The primary, and in this instance […]
A qualified domestic relations order, or QDRO for short, is a document often used in the context of splitting assets in a divorce to rollover a portion of one party’s retirement plan/benefit to the other party. QDROs are frequently utilized when pensions, 401ks and other retirement benefits have been classified as marital in nature and […]
Under Pennsylvania law, one of the parties to the divorce action must have been a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania for at least six months prior to the commencement of the divorce. Bona fide residence is defined as actual residence with domiciliary intent. Domicile denotes the place where a person has his or her true, […]
August is National Child Support Awareness Month. President Clinton began the month of recognition in 1995 as part of his welfare reform agenda. The goal was to improve the collection of child support payments by widening the use of sanctions including wage garnishment and suspending driver’s licenses and passports for parents with child support arrears. […]
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PA Children’s Trust Fund
Most family law actions that will be filed include a filing fee for the initial complaint or pleading. A part of these filing fees go to fund the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund (CTF). This fund has received approximately $40 million dollars from family law filing fees since inception. The initiative of the CTF is to […]
Consequences of Bankruptcy in Family Law
Financial obligations in the context of a divorce can create a strain on the party ordered to pay. If a party is simply unable to keep up with all their obligations they may consider filing for bankruptcy. A bankruptcy filing generally results in an automatic stay meaning the party filing for bankruptcy is protected from […]
Types of Custody
Custody refers to the rights of a parent or other adult to be responsible for a minor. In family law there are several types of custody that may come into play. Sec 5322 defines all the different variations of custody. First, there is legal custody versus physical custody. Legal custody is defined as “the right […]
Hurricane Sandy
Our area is still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The storm’s strong winds and rain caused widespread damage over a large area of the nation. Specifically, southeastern Pennsylvania is still dealing with power outages due to downed trees and wires. Many government offices, schools and local courts were forced to close Monday and […]
Emancipation
Emancipation terminates a parent’s obligation to support their child. Emancipation generally occurs when a minor reaches the age of 18 and has graduated high school. Whether a minor can be emancipated even before that time is a fact-intensive analysis. An emancipated minor must demonstrate they are able to assume all legal responsibility for themselves. Factors […]
Social Security Disability Benefits
The issue of social security disability benefits may arise in the context of a support action. Support actions in Pennsylvania are governed by a statewide guideline amount that correlates with the ability to pay. Ultimately, any support award will be based on the net incomes of the parties involved. Social security disability benefits are recognized […]
Step-parent and Kinship Adoptions
In Pennsylvania adoptions are handled through the Orphan’s Court. The rules and procedures for an adoption can be found in the Orphan’s Court Rules under Rule 15. Each county may have a set of local rules pertaining to adoption which should also be reviewed and complied with where necessary. The primary, and in this instance […]
Qualified Domestic Relations Order
A qualified domestic relations order, or QDRO for short, is a document often used in the context of splitting assets in a divorce to rollover a portion of one party’s retirement plan/benefit to the other party. QDROs are frequently utilized when pensions, 401ks and other retirement benefits have been classified as marital in nature and […]
Jurisdiction/Venue in Divorce
Under Pennsylvania law, one of the parties to the divorce action must have been a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania for at least six months prior to the commencement of the divorce. Bona fide residence is defined as actual residence with domiciliary intent. Domicile denotes the place where a person has his or her true, […]
National Child Support Awareness Month
August is National Child Support Awareness Month. President Clinton began the month of recognition in 1995 as part of his welfare reform agenda. The goal was to improve the collection of child support payments by widening the use of sanctions including wage garnishment and suspending driver’s licenses and passports for parents with child support arrears. […]