If you are a resident of Pennsylvania and are headed for divorce, you and your spouse have the option of deciding how to divide your assets and property without court intervention.
However, if you cannot reach such an agreement, your case will end up in court and a judge will decide for you according to Pennsylvania's laws of equitable division – this method is less than cost-effective.
Ideally, you and your spouse will agree on how to divide your assets and property through a much more affordable alternative called a "marital settlement agreement."
As Pennsylvania divorce attorneys, our goal is to preserve as much of the marital estate as possible, and one of the ways to accomplish this is by driving the costs of divorce down through a marital settlement agreement (MSA).
Uncontested, no-fault divorces reduce stress, save money, and help couples move on with the next chapter of their lives with the least amount of difficulty. While divorces are naturally emotional, they don't have to end up in court and we try to keep it that way.
Drafting a Marital Settlement Agreement
We can help spouses settle on property and debt division, and child custody without their cases having to go to court so long as both spouses are willing to negotiate until they reach a settlement agreement that both parties are satisfied with.
It's difficult to accurately predict how a family law judge would decide on property division in your case, but our divorce attorneys can give you a picture of what the possible results would be.
Knowing that divorce cases are somewhat unpredictable, couples usually prefer to control their financial futures by drafting their own agreements rather than taking their chances with a family law judge who doesn't know the couple, or the specifics of their situation.
We can help you prepare an MSA if you and your spouse can reach an agreement over important matters, such as child custody and property division. Generally speaking, an MSA can address key issues, such as:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Property division
- Debt division
- Retirement benefits
- Life insurance
- Spousal support
- Military pensions
- Attorney fees
- Etc.
The terms of your marital settlement agreement would be put in writing, submitted to the court and incorporated into your final divorce decree. In effect, the MSA would be enforceable in court.
If you are filing for divorce, we invite you to contact a Pennsylvania no-fault divorce attorney from our firm to ensure that it's drafted correctly and your rights are fully protected.
Learn about MSAs and our low-cost divorce services by contacting Cairns Law Offices today!
