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It’s no secret that divorce is a stressful experience. While it’s natural to feel grief about the dissolution of a marriage, spouses also need to consider the more practical implications when a household dissolves. From divvying up assets to creating custody arrangements, the path from wedding bliss to peaceful divorce can be a long one. Here are 40 divorce secrets from the experts to help you on your journey and keep you from losing too much money on your separation. View Slideshow »

DIVORCE: If you’re thinking about divorce, have you asked yourself how to prepare your money for a divorce? Here are six (6) steps to help prepare you financially on successfully navigating the emotional road known as divorce.

The holidays may be hard to navigate for divorced families– especially in the beginning – know that you are not alone and that you and your children will adjust to the new normal as time goes on. Here are a few tips to help the transition for all members of the family be a little bit easier: Listen to your child’s concerns. Keep old traditions and start some new ones. Maintain the sense of family. Happy Holidays to you and yours from us. We are here to help in all aspects of family law. For more information call (717) 422-5209.

Custody disputes arising after one parent moves away can be some of the most “intractable” conflicts often leading to arbitration or litigation, says Oakville family lawyer and mediator Cathryn Paul.

November is national adoption month, and one local adoption service center is using it as a platform to encourage adoptions and let adopted families know that help is available if they need it.

As Graduation season is upon everyone this month, the attorneys at Sommer & O’Donnell would like to share some advice to those separated parents of the new grads.

This short blog will discuss factors that affect your chances for Divorce. When looking at marriage and divorce trends throughout the past thirty years, certain tendencies emerged to help identify factors that affect the chances of a couple divorcing.

Time and again, when a client enters our office with their new spouse, the question of whether the Domestic Relations Office will consider the new spouse’s income in the Child Support calculation against a biological parent is asked. The short answer to that question is an emphatic, NO!

To discuss a prenup, you have to talk about divorce — and no one likes to do that.

We all do it from time to time. Make a sarcastic comment about our ex, criticize something they did or didn’t do, gesture or grimace our faces when referring to our former spouse. When we do it in front of, near or within hearing distance of our children, we set ourselves up for a hornet’s nest of problems.

Getting divorced and exploring the realities of co-parenting ahead? This facet of life after divorce can be enormously complex and challenging for several good reasons.

Co-parenting after a split is rarely easy, especially if you have a contentious relationship with your ex-partner. You may be concerned about your ex’s parenting abilities, stressed about child support or other financial issues, feel worn down by conflict, or think you’ll never be able to overcome all the resentments in your relationship.

Need advice on making things work with your ex? Commit to do right by your kids with these helpful tips from southeast Michigan couples and experts.

We understand the stress and anxiety everyone is feeling during this unprecedented time. We’re here to continue to answer your questions and field your concerns as closures and hourly changes are affecting all of our lives, on top of worry about our family’s well-being and safety. We received an email this morning with some helpful coping thoughts and a link to a timely Op Ed in the Baltimore sun that we thought could be useful to many. And we suggest using YouTube to your advantage with great stress relieving tips like this one.

It’s never easy when a marriage or significant relationship ends. Whatever the reason for the split—and whether you wanted it or not—the breakup of a relationship can turn your whole world upside down and trigger all sorts of painful and unsettling feelings. But there are plenty of things you can do to get through this difficult time and move on. You can even learn from the experience and grow into a stronger, wiser person.

Developmentally, young adult children are busy exploring their lives, their work, and their love relationships—and are quite independent and operating very much outside of the realm of their family of origin. Notwithstanding, they are often devastated by the news that their parents are getting a divorce.

The best divorce is plain and simple. Here are five ways to have one of those.

A very frequent question I am asked in my practice is do I need premarital (or sometimes referred to as a Prenuptial) Agreement.

Between 1990 and 2010, the divorce rate among individuals 50 and older doubled, according to the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. In part because of increased longevity, late-life breakups now account for one in four divorces.

On April 20, 2017, an article was published in Pennlive about a mother wanted for failing to return her son to his father on Easter Sunday.

The holidays can be demanding for many reasons, but if you're prone to anxiety they can be downright overwhelming. The gifts, the parties, the baking, the family—or perhaps the absence of these things—can make the season stressful, chaotic or just plain lonely.

The Attorneys at the boutique Family Law Firm, Sommer & O’Donnell, are celebrating 1 year of being in business with a ribbon cutting and celebration on September 26, 2017 from 4-6 pm in coordination with the Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce.

Leaders from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and AFCC have released guidelines for coparenting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven Guidelines for Parents Who Are Divorce/Separated and Sharing Custody of Children During the COVID19 Pandemic From the leaders of groups that deal with families in crisis: Susan Myres, President of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) Dr. Matt Sullivan, President of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Annette Burns, AAML and Former President of AFCC Yasmine Mehmet, AAML Kim Bonuomo, AAML Nancy Kellman, AAML Dr. Leslie Drozd, AFCC Dr. Robin Deutsch, AFCC Jill Peña, Executive Director of AAML Peter Salem, Executive Director of AFCC 1. BE HEALTHY. Comply with all CDC and local and state guidelines and model good behavior for your children with intensive hand washing, wiping down surfaces and other objects that are frequently touched, and maintaining social distancing. This also means BE INFORMED. Stay in touch with the most reliable...

One of the saddest consequences of divorce for parents is the alone-time when your children are visiting their other parent. While short-term periods when the kids are away can be a welcome respite for an over-scheduled single parent, that’s not always the case. For many parents the intervals between seeing the children can be long and lonely. This is especially so during the holiday season which can become a particularly challenging time – made even more difficult when friends and neighbors are busy with their own family gatherings. It’s really important for parents who are alone during the winter holidays to get creative and absorbed in activities that you find personally fulfilling. This time of year can also be an opportunity to reflect on meeting your own needs and finding friends and activities that bring joy into your life on a personal level rather than a parental level. Among the greatest challenges divorced parents face is...

Not infrequently, when someone first calls me to discuss the possibility of divorce mediation, they will mention that they have not yet brought up the subject with their spouse. The caller (the initiating spouse) typically describes a marriage that has not been good for some time; the marriage no longer works for him or her and it needs to come to an end.

It took a little time, a little more grieving and a whole lot of soul-searching on my part to finally let go of the reigns and relinquish some control and trust their Dad. However, once I did, I felt as though the earth and the rest of the universe had literally been lifted from my shoulders.

In a study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, it was reported that divorced menopausal women had a lower BMI, smaller waist circumference, and lower alcohol usage compared to married women of the same age.

By Rosalind Sedacca, CDC As a divorced parent you owe it to your children to diligently watch their behavior, listen to their conversations and be aware of any changes that may be due to challenges related to the divorce. Children can adapt well to life after divorce. But it’s up to you to catch signs they may be confused, anxious, insecure or in other ways having problems in their new reality. Here are 5 ways to know your children are doing well, despite your divorce: 1. They continue to thrive at school When school grades fall or aggressive behavior develops, parents need to be proactive and not wait on the sidelines. Conversations with teachers and school counselors can give you a better perspective on your child’s needs. Don’t hesitate to talk to your children as well to learn more about what’s going on and how they feel about the changes and new challenges in their...

Is a Living Will really that important? The emphatic answer (and not just because the writer of this blog is an attorney) – YES!

No-fault divorce waiting periods will be shorter in Pennsylvania, under a newly signed law.

Divorce laws are about to change in Pennsylvania. Starting Saturday, no longer will one partner be able to make the process as long and costly as it is now. At issue are no-fault divorces where one person wants a divorce and the other doesn’t.

New sources of data from social media, smartphone apps and health trackers continue to expand the array of evidence available for family law cases, says Vaughan family lawyer Paul Mazzeo.

Your wedding day is only a few months off and your fiancé nervously mentions that he would like a prenuptial agreement. You are taken off guard.

Many of the financial decisions made by couples going through divorce have tax implications. And while I am not a tax specialist and do not calculate the taxes that may be due following my divorcing clients’ decisions, I always alert them that taxes may be due so they can discuss those points with a tax professional.

Parenting is a continual learning process, which is compounded when you are going through a divorce. Not only does it require an understanding of the child’s needs and the skills to meet those needs, but it requires additional special attention.

Divorce and Family Mediator  There are times when spouses make decisions regarding their assets, which they later regret for a variety of reasons: They want the process over and done with. They are afraid of being bullied and think that being generous will make things easier. They want to avoid a big battle which could end up in court. They want to part on good terms because they will be co-parenting and they would prefer a friendly relationship with their former spouse. They feel guilty and think they should compensate their former spouse. Later on, they feel angry and realize that they should have been less generous. What can be done? In mediation couples will ask if, at a later date, they can go to court to make changes to their agreement. The truth is, the courts are not too happy to have people knocking at their door because they changed their mind. If the...

Many of us are fortunate enough to have wonderful pets in our lives that we love as if they were our own family members (because they are!).

For many people, the story of their divorce is a story of trauma and tragedy, often described as the worst thing that has ever happened in their lives. For those who wish to move on with their lives in a constructive way, it is often useful to rewrite and recast their divorce story.

The financial impact of divorce can be very demanding, especially as it comes at a time when the emotional stress is already high. Taking the time to plan financially helps ensure that your divorce runs as smoothly as possible, increasing your chances of a fairer settlement and greater future security.

Over the last few years, there has been a growing groundswell of support to make shared parenting the presumption in child custody cases.

Is it Ok to get your ex’s Social Security? This question has been popping up on social media lately and at first it seems absurd that someone who is divorced may want to collect on their ex’s Social Security.

This summer countless children are going to go back and forth between separated parents. Each will offer a different experience for their child. Jointly, they also create an experience for the child.

As it stands now in Pennsylvania, separated spouses can file for Alimony Pendente Lite against the other spouse (usually through the Domestic Relations Section).

My ex/baby daddy/momma/etc. is impossible to communicate with! More times than not, when a client comes to our offices with a custody matter, communication problems between the parents is the driving force behind the dispute.

Today’s blog is a little different in that we are going to either confirm some facts or debunk some misconceptions regarding Child Custody that we inevitably hear at least a dozen times in a week here at Sommer & O’Donnell.

Divorce is done; Custody is awarded; but the other side keeps on bad-mouthing you. Yes, it happens! Your divorce case is completed, or custody orders are in place, but the other side keeps telling your relatives, your friends, even your employer and anyone else who will listen what a totally terrible person you are, how you cheated in gaining what you were awarded, and whatever other terrible things the other person can create to tear you down. And often, the children are included in those tirades.

Parenting after divorce is always challenging, especially when your children act out. One big issue is handling children if they resist visitation with their other parent. Many factors come into play. Here are some questions to ask yourself which can help you determine the source of the problem and understand the reasons why your children are resisting contact with their Dad.

Think about how you would want your children to remember you as during the divorce process. Define that person and make your divorce decisions from a strong sense of who you define that person to be. If you do that, you will make the best decisions possible regarding your children, finances, etc.

First, it should be said, no one divorces lightly. No one has ever walked into my office and declared: “We heard there was a special on divorce. We weren’t considering it, but this deal is too incredible to pass up!”

How important is it to have a Will? If you don’t have a Will, state law will decide who inherits your “stuff” without considering who you wanted your “stuff” to go to. However, by preparing a Will, your wishes as to who will receive your estate will be followed, giving you control of how the property you worked hard to accumulate will be divided upon your death. What to include in a Will and what to avoid including in a Will can become extremely stressful. To help you avoid any pitfalls with your Will and determine what can or can’t be part of your estate, work with the attorneys at Sommer & O’Donnell who have years of experience in Family Law including the preparation of end of life documents. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation to discuss your Last Will and Testament.

A trust is a legal document that allows a person, usually called a “grantor,” to give their assets to another person or institution to manage, called the “trustee.” The trustee holds the legal title for these assets on behalf of the beneficiary or person who is receiving the assets from the grantor.