Beroes Law Center

Pittsburgh Spousal Support Attorney

Pursuing Maximum Spousal Support in Your Allegheny County Divorce

You may have depended upon your spouse’s financial contributions throughout marriage. Now that you are pursuing divorce, you may wonder how you will comfortably support yourself. Beroes Law Center has helped many individuals pursue maximum spousal support payments to uphold a satisfactory standard of living. Our caring attorneys will act as assertive advocates to help you secure maximum support.

If you are considering divorce, call our Pittsburgh lawyers at 412-621-6811 to discuss how spousal support may impact your case.

Factors that Determine Spousal Support Payments

According to Pennsylvania law, the courts must evaluate 17 distinct factors to determine spousal support payments. These factors are primarily based on an individual’s ability to uphold his or her standard of living post-divorce, the nature of the marriage and what each individual contributed throughout the marriage. The most significant factors include:

Each spouse’s education level and earning capacity
Either spouse’s participation in adultery or marital misconduct
The length of marriage
Each spouse’s personal assets and debts
The family’s established standard of living
Each spouse’s physical and mental health

Our experienced attorneys can explain the comprehensive list of contributing factors and how they may influence your case. We are experienced negotiators as well as litigators and will assertively protect your best interests to the full extent of the law.

Understanding Spousal Support, Alimony Pendente Lite and Alimony in Pennsylvania

Spousal support, alimony pendente lite (APL) and alimony are related concepts, but they mean different things. Many people are confused about how they are correctly applied. What you may need to ask the court to grant will vary depending on your situation.

Here are the basics to understand about each form of support:

Spousal support is what may be ordered after a couple separates but before their divorce is filed. Spousal support is designed to provide a financially dependent spouse with the funds to meet their reasonable needs. Your entitlement to spousal support can be contested, however, if your spouse can prove they have a fault-based ground for divorce, such as abandonment or adultery.
Alimony pendente lite is a type of support that can be ordered to meet the needs of a dependent spouse after the divorce is filed but before the final decree is entered. Those needs can also include your legal fees. Unlike spousal support, the paying spouse cannot contest the dependent spouse’s entitlement based on fault for the breakdown of the marital relationship.
Alimony is support paid to a financially dependent spouse after a divorce is final. The amount and length of the alimony that will be paid varies. In each case, the court must consider multiple factors, including the length of the marriage and the financially dependent spouse’s capacity to be self-supporting, before awarding alimony.

It is also important to note that spousal support, alimony pendente lite and alimony are all independent of child support. Child support is a parent’s contribution to their children’s financial needs. However, decisions about child support and spousal support or alimony may be made at the same time.

You can trust our attorneys to look after your financial interests from the start of your case. We are tough negotiators, but we are unafraid to litigate a support issue when necessary.

Upholding Living Standards During the Divorce Process

From initial consideration until your divorce is finalized, you may experience financial tension. If your spouse earned your family’s primary income, you may be unable to adequately support yourself during the divorce process.

Beroes Law Center understands your concern, and we can protect your financial well-being by pursuing alimony pendente lite (APL) to cover your expenses. APL is temporary court-ordered spousal support that remains in effect while your divorce is pending. We will carefully evaluate your circumstances and seek maximum coverage to provide financial security and reduce undue stress.