Experienced Lawyer for Your Legal Needs

---

At Vinsko & Associates, P.C., our experienced attorneys are ready to guide you through all aspects of your divorce. While financial support in the form of alimony or spousal support is not as common as it once was, it is still an important aspect of many divorces.

When you consult with our firm, we can determine what role alimony may play in your divorce and can help you plan or respond accordingly.

In some states, spousal support and alimony mean the same thing. It may even be called spousal maintenance in some cases. In Pennsylvania, however, there are three terms used that have distinctive meanings. They are:

Spousal support: Financial support ordered to be paid until the divorce has been finalized. The spouse who wishes to receive support must demonstrate that they are entitled to receive it from the other spouse. It can take the form of direct monthly payments or payments of certain expenses like the mortgage.

Alimony pendente lite (APL): Like spousal support, APL is financial support that is paid while the divorce process is playing out. In fact, pendente lite is a Latin term meaning “pending litigation.” What makes APL different from spousal support is that it is need-based rather than entitlement based. This is important because spousal support could potentially be denied if the receiving spouse’s conduct caused the divorce (like having an affair), or it could be terminated if the receiving spouse begins co-habitating with someone else. In this way, alimony pendente lite would be a more stable form of pre-divorce support.

Alimony: This is post-divorce support. It is meant to help the spouse with less money to achieve and maintain financial stability. The duration and amount of alimony awarded are based on a variety of considerations, including each spouse’s income, each spouse’s age and health, the length of the marriage and the established standard of living during the marriage.

 Financial support of the types listed above are awarded without regard to gender. We represent clients of either gender who are seeking support or are being asked to pay it. Depending on your position, we will make the strongest argument for why you deserve financial support or why you should not be required to provide it. If spousal support/APL and alimony are awarded, we will advocate tirelessly to ensure that the award is fair to and sustainable for both parties. 

With offices in Wilkes-Barre and Philadelphia, the family law attorneys at Vinsko & Associates, P.C., serve clients throughout the surrounding areas of Pennsylvania. To schedule your initial consultation with our firm, you can call 570-970-9700 or fill out our online contact form.