Property Division

Property Division in Pennsylvania

Legal Help in Mediation, Negotiation, and Litigation of Property Issues in Divorce

In most divorce proceedings, identifying and valuing marital assets is the first step toward resolving issues of equitable distribution of property under Pennsylvania law. If you have significant marital property or marital debt, the process of dividing property can seem overwhelming.

When you work with divorce lawyers and financial professionals at Bennett & Associates, all assets and debt are on the table, and that the most advantageous tax treatment will be identified.

Pennsylvania law sets for a number of factors to be determined as to the equitable division of assets: 23 Pa.C.S. § 3501

Highly Credentialed Legal and Financial Professionals

You will find that the legal team at Bennett & Associates offers you professional guidance and cost-effective options in property division, just as we do in other areas of divorce.

• Founding attorney Elizabeth Bennett brings almost 30 years of experience in Pennsylvania family law to guide clients
• Associate attorney Carla Marino holds a degree in tax law and previously worked with business and individual clients at Ernst & Young and at Pepper Hamilton providing advice on tax law and tax strategies.
• The firm's newest attorney, Paula Munafo, received both a law degree and an MBA from Villanova. As well as clerked for a family court in New Jersey

In addition to skilled attorneys, we also use accountants to assist with the financial aspects of you divorce. This provides our clients with the financial help and insights they need while also reducing costs. Other lawyers in our area rarely offer this flexibility in services.

Contact our Wayne law office to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help you with equitable distribution of your marital assets.

The Process of Equitable Distribution

It is our policy to start a spreadsheet of the marital assets and liabilities immediately after the initial consultation. (You will find an estimated asset schedule on our Web site.) We then review primary documents relating to the assets and liabilities, including pensions, stocks, bonds and stock options, and business ventures.

We are well aware that the various ways in which spouses may hide assets, are they discoverable. Through the use of financial experts and our own understanding of business and tax law, we work to ensure our clients are not defrauded by an unscrupulous spouse.

As the divorce process continues, updates to the asset spreadsheet allow us to give you an ongoing appraisal of the potential equitable distribution scenarios, as well as an analysis of the possible tax consequences.

At Bennett & Associates, we work to structure a final settlement that addresses long term financial and retirement planning issues as well as your immediate economic needs. Contact us to begin working on your divorce property settlement.