The dissolution of a marriage in Pennsylvania can understandably take a toll on a person both emotionally and financially. This is true no matter how long or short of a time two people were married before deciding to get divorced. A few tips might help spouses to navigate issues such as property division during this type of family law proceeding.
First, it is absolutely critical that both spouses fully disclose each and every one of their assets. If they fail to do this, the divorce court may end up throwing out their divorce decree due to financial deception. As a result, the two spouses will have to return to court, perhaps years after they thought everything had been finalized.
Second, even though a spouse might think about giving away his or her property to a friend temporarily during the divorce proceeding, this is a major mistake. This is essentially concealing assets, which is illegal. A spouse who is caught doing this may have to return to court so that these hidden assets can be settled.
The most ideal way of handling property division is for both spouses to be upfront about their assets during the process of negotiation or mediation, which are alternatives to traditional divorce litigation. Through these types of alternative dispute resolution processes, two divorcing individuals may be able to reach a divorce settlement that pleases both parties, without further court intrusion. Ultimately, this saves them the time, money and stress associated with going to divorce trial. An attorney can provide the guidance needed to navigate these processes confidently in Pennsylvania.
Source: findlaw.com, “The Divorce Process: Do’s and Don’ts“, Accessed on May 2, 2018