Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Understanding Alimony in a Pennsylvania Divorce
One of the most contentious issues in divorce is alimony or spousal support. Spousal support is paid by one spouse to the other and is different from child support payments. Divorce can be a financial strain on anyone. You likely wonder whether or not you’ll be able to afford to keep your home, how… Read More »
Taking to Social Media is Not a Good Idea in a Pennsylvania Divorce
You may be inclined to blow up your social media feed during your divorce. This is generally not a good idea and can end up having a profound impact on the way the courts look at you. In fact, we recommend that you shut down your social media accounts while you are going through… Read More »
Ambiguous Grief and Divorce
Strictly speaking, ambiguous loss is loss without closure. It was coined to describe a grieving process that happens outside the context of the loss of a family member. Prior to this concept, grief was almost always couched in terms of the death of a loved one. After, it became possible to talk about grief… Read More »
Contested Custody Cases and Divorce
Custody can be one of the most contested issues in a divorce. This is especially true when there are issues of domestic violence, substance abuse, or other matters that could impact the wellbeing of the children. Many people believe that custody matters favor the mother, but that is not strictly true. The court will… Read More »
The Role of Experts in Child Custody Cases
When the matter of custody is contested, the court will not automatically know what the right thing to do is. All the court knows is that the parents cannot agree to a custody arrangement. They know that the parents are accusing one another of being unfit on some level. Somewhere, there is a truth… Read More »
Psychologist Weighs in on How to Make the Decision to Divorce
A newer article in Psychology Today discussed how to make the decision to divorce. To be sure, deciding to divorce is no easy choice. It can feel like everything that you’ve built over an extended period of time is now for naught. A dream you once had is now no longer fitting the hopes… Read More »
Can Your Divorce Improve the Quality of Your Work?
A recent study indicated that a surprisingly high number of people actually saw the quality of their work improve after or during their divorce. This, however, was not the norm. Only 39% of those who responded to the study indicated that their work performance improved while they were going through a divorce. 44% said… Read More »
“Sudden Wealth” Makes Men Less Likely to Divorce; Women More Likely
Sudden wealth, defined in this space as coming into a lot of money quickly, changes your prospects of divorce and marriage, according to a recent study. However, the impact of sudden wealth hits men and women differently. Men, for example, are much more likely to get married and have children after coming into sudden… Read More »
Study: Only Children More Likely to Get Divorced
Do you have siblings? Did you know that this decreases your chances of getting a divorce? A recent study indicates that growing up around brothers and sisters actually reduces the chances that you will divorce later in life. Meanwhile, only children appear to be more likely to divorce. In fact, the more siblings you… Read More »
Can Disabled People Be Forced to Pay Child Support?
There are different types of disability, including permanent disability and temporary disability. Depending on your situation, a spouse may not be required to pay child support if they cannot afford to pay it. The spouse is entitled to survive and disability is a valid reason for unemployment or underemployment. However, not all types of… Read More »