West Chester PA family lawyer, Joshua A. Janis is a member of Ciccarelli Law Offices, which is located in Chester County Pennsylvania and represents divorce, custody, support and family law clients in Exton, Kennett Square, Downingtown, Phoenixville, Malvern, Coatesville, West Grove, Avondale, Oxford, Landenberg, Westtown, Parkesburg, Honey Brook and Glenmore. Ciccarelli Law Offices also serves the five county Philadelphia area, including Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, and Montgomery counties and has locations to meet you in Springfield, Wayne, King of Prussia, Plymouth Meeting, Center City Philadelphia, and Lancaster. Disclaimer. Learn more by contacting Ciccarelli Law Offices.
212 West Gay Street West Chester PA 19380 (610) 692-8700
Joshua A. Janis, Esquire Ciccarelli Law Offices
West Chester PA Spousal Support Attorney
In Pennsylvania, support may be awarded to the spouse who earns less money or has a lower earning capacity than the other spouse. The three different types of support that may be awarded to a spouse are called spousal support, alimony pendente lite (also called APL) and alimony.
Prior to the filing of a PA divorce complaint, support payable to a Pennsylvania spouse is called "spousal support." PA spousal support is generally not available if the parties live in same residence unless it can be established that one spouse fails to contribute to household expenses. In Pennsylvania, the amount payable for spousal support is based upon a percentage of the difference of after tax monthly incomes or earning capacities of the parties after consideration of other support obligations. Pennsylvania law provides that if the spouse receiving spousal support (also known as the payee) has committed one of the fault-based grounds for divorce, the court has the right to refuse to award spousal support.
The payer's (person paying support) right to raise the fault grounds is called an entitlement defense to the payment of the spousal support. In Pennsylvania, there is no fixed length of time that spousal support is payable. However, if the parties have been married for only a short period of time prior to their separation, the Pennsylvania family court can limit the duration of any spousal support (or alimony pendente lite) payments as well as the monthly amount payable.
PA spousal support will generally be automatically converted into alimony pendente lite (APL) payments upon the filing of a divorce complaint by either party. Contact attorney Joshua A. Janis to get advice on your rights to support, and how the Pennsylvania Support Guidelines will affect you and/or your family. Contact me at (610) 692-8700.
West Chester PA Spousal Support – Kennett Square Alimony Attorney – Exton Alimony Pendente Lite Claim – Right to Financial Support while Separated in Pennsylvania Legal Advice on Collecting Support in West Chester Pennsylvania