Unfortunately, the more couples invest in a lengthy marriage, the more complex dissolving the marriage becomes. Factors including mixed property, child custody, alimony, taxes, fault, and shared businesses all complicate already stressful divorce proceedings. While engaging in mediation can resolve some matters outside of the courtroom, most complex and high-asset cases require judicial intervention.
If you have a difficult and complicated divorce case, you need the experienced Harrisburg, PA, complex divorce lawyer at McDonald Myers Law.
Factors Complicating Harrisburg Divorces
Complex divorce cases often involve high assets, commingled assets, special needs children, marital fault, and family businesses. Attorney Allissa McDonald Myers has the experience you need to handle complex divorce cases while reducing the stress and economic strain of dissolution proceedings prolonged by the following:
Mixed Assets and Liabilities
Pennsylvania is a traditional equitable distribution state. This means local family courts make property distribution determinations based on what’s fair, not just the numbers. Factors considered in the distribution analysis include:
- Marriage length
- Prior marriages
- Age and health of the parties
- Each spouse’s income, earning capacity, and employability
- Personal assets and liabilities
- Contribution to one spouse’s education or earning capacity
- Homemaking contributions
- Standard of living
- Economic circumstances
- Tax implications
- Child custody
High-asset couples often mix separate property, such as inheritances, with marital property during the marriage. This creates complex property distribution cases necessitating an experienced high-asset divorce attorney in Harrisburg.
Contested Child Custody
Courts must make child custody determinations based on the best interest of the child, even if the parties otherwise agree. When parents contest physical and legal custody, this often requires the appointment of a guardian ad litem for the children, additional expenses, and a prolonged parenting analysis.
Fault
Pennsylvania continues to recognize both fault-based and no-fault divorces. Fault-based divorces in the Commonwealth include adultery, abandonment, abuse/cruelty, imprisonment, and bigamy. If you filed for a fault-based divorce and the other party countersues or otherwise denies fault, this significantly complicates divorce proceedings in Harrisburg.
Alimony
Although not required, the court may still award one spouse alimony upon dissolution. It must consider various factors in determining whether an alimony award is appropriate and, if so, the nature and amount of the award. Most couples want a fresh start following an expensive divorce, which often means contesting long-term alimony awards. This can complicate divorces, especially when one spouse worked while the other had primary child-rearing responsibility.
Timeline Associated with Complex Divorce Proceedings in Dauphin County
If the parties cannot agree on equitable distribution or alimony, this could extend your divorce timeline for years. This means increased uncertainty for children, stress, and legal fees. The quickest and often most economical option for handling complex divorce cases involves engaging in dedicated family mediation with our qualified divorce attorney. During mediation, the parties can agree on certain aspects of alimony and property distribution. They can even propose a fair child custody schedule and parenting plan. This process leaves the court to address only contested and required matters, accelerating your divorce timeline even in complex cases.
Your Harrisburg, PA, Complex Divorce Lawyer
If your spouse isn’t being reasonable or your divorce involves complex financial and tax matters, you need an attorney with experience handling high-asset divorce cases the right way. Call (717) 799-8546 or connect with Allissa McDonald Myers online to discuss the best approach to complicated divorces in Harrisburg.
