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Marital Property Distribution | Divorce Lawyer | Blue Bell, PA

Family Law | Equitable Distribution of Marital Property

Contact a Blue Bell, PA Divorce Attorney Now at 215-646-3980

Divorce lawyer Blue Bell PA The Martin Law Firm is a family law firm located in Blue Bell, PA, that is dedicated to assisting local families with all stages of the Pennsylvania divorce process.  Our Blue Bell family law firm concentrates in areas of divorce, child custody, alimony and spousal support, child support and other family law issues.  Our experienced Blue Bell divorce attorney is dedicated to guiding families through the PA divorce process with efficiency, compassion and skill.

Equitable Distribution of Marital Property in PA

In Pennsylvania, the parties to a divorce have certain property rights.  Pennsylvania law mandates that the court equitably divide the marital property between the parties.  This is known as "equitable distribution."

What is marital property under Pennsylvania law?

If you are going through a Blue Bell, PA divorce, it is important to identify what property is considered "marital property."  In Pennsylvania, marital property means all property acquired by either party during the marriage and the increase in value of any non-marital property. 

What is NOT marital property under PA law?

Marital property in PA does not include any of the following:

  • property acquired prior to the marriage or property acquired in exchange for property acquired prior to the marriage

  • property excluded by valid agreement of the parties entered into before, during or after the marriage

  • property acquired by gift, except between spouses, bequest, devise or descent or property acquired in exchange for such property

  • property acquired after final separation until the date of divorce, except for property acquired in exchange for marital assets;

  • property which a party has sold, granted, conveyed or otherwise disposed of in good faith and for value prior to the date of final separation

  • veterans' benefits

  • property which has been mortgaged or encumbered in good faith for value prior to the date of final separation

  • payment received from an award or settlement for any claim or cause of action which accrued prior to the marriage or after the date of final separation regardless of when the payment was received

Factors Considered by the PA Courts

A court in PA will equitably divide your marital property between the parties without regard to marital misconduct in such matters as the court deems just after considering all relevant factors, which include:

  • the length of the marriage

  • any prior marriage of either party

  • the age, health, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities and needs of each of the parties

  • the contribution by one party to the education, training or increased earning power of the other party

  • the opportunity for each party for future acquisitions of capital assets and income

  • the sources of income of both parties, including medical, retirement, insurance or other benefits

  • the standard of living of the parties established during marriage

It is important to collect all of the information you can about your property including when you purchased it, approximately how much it is worth, and details such as account numbers, serial numbers and so forth. 

Contact a Blue Bell, PA divorce attorney at The Martin Law Firm today for a free case evaluation at 215-646-3980.  

For more information about equitable distribution and other PA family law issues, please visit our Pennsylvania Family Law Blog.