# Anyone a lawyer or VERY familiar with PA divorce Laws?



## Eagles3785 (Mar 21, 2012)

Hello

I haven't started anything yet, but when i start this process i want to do this as cheaply as possible.

Anyway the lawyer site i looked at charges $500 for a no-fault mutual divorce and i'd imagine after all the other little fees and such it'll be close to $1,000...i guess i can live with that

However i saw something that scares me and that is "repayment of debt and monies owed to creditors" what exactly does that include? i have a credit card (i pay off every month) and student debt, however i'm still in school (12/12 graduation date)...SHE has a ton of debt to several different people, car, credit cards, furniture payments ...and so on

We have kept everything we've ever done financially seperate and i don't wanna get screwed in this process

Anyone knowledgeable on this subject?


----------



## Eagles3785 (Mar 21, 2012)

anyone?

also what if she refuses to grant a divorce and makes it difficult?


----------



## lenzi (Apr 10, 2012)

When you're married any debt she incurs is half your responsibility.

No matter how much you keep your finances separate. 

Marriage is a financial/legal obligation.

You can't just "keep things separate" and "get married" and think you can get away without being responsible for her, it just doesn't work that way.

Even in PA.


----------



## Eagles3785 (Mar 21, 2012)

lenzi said:


> When you're married any debt she incurs is half your responsibility.
> 
> No matter how much you keep your finances separate.
> 
> ...


ok, but just so i am perfectly clear on this because u said "when you're married any debt she incurs" what if she incurred all of her debt (or the vast majority of it) before we were legally married?

I say that because she hasn't bought anything big since we got married, although she got a letter from HONDA and traded in her CRV (still making payments on it) for a newer CRV and got a new set of payments

FYI we just moved in together 6/11 and got married 10/21/11
were dating 8 years prior to that

Thanks for your reply

matt


----------



## luckycardinal (Feb 7, 2012)

Not sure, but I'd at least consult with an attorney who knows what they're doing and not a quickie, cheapie thing. It could come back to haunt you later. As far as I know, any debt incurred PRIOR to marriage belongs to the person who incurred it only.


----------



## lenzi (Apr 10, 2012)

Eagles3785 said:


> ok, but just so i am perfectly clear on this because u said "when you're married any debt she incurs" what if she incurred all of her debt (or the vast majority of it) before we were legally married?
> 
> I say that because she hasn't bought anything big since we got married, although she got a letter from HONDA and traded in her CRV (still making payments on it) for a newer CRV and got a new set of payments
> 
> ...


State laws vary but I think you're in the clear for debt incurred prior to the marriage. Not sure about anything that transpired during the marriage such as the trade in for the newer car. If she doesn't pay, they'll most likely try to come after you.

Try to get copies of all these sorts of documents as part of your divorce preparations.

You haven't been married that long, that's a big plus.


----------

