!Spousal Support Calculation - Please help!

[kingfasi]

Hi,
I live in PA. Married for 7 years and 6 months. She moved out May 04 but came back after 6 months in december 04 for about 2 months and left again. i make around 100k + 20K bonus. she makes around 30k.

she went to school in first coupel of year and worked the rest of our time together. she recently resigned from her job to go to Med school.

we have no kids.

my questions are:

1) will she get any spousal support in this situation? if yes how big? i am currently paying her $900/month... we agreed on this amount until we do something official....i dont want to pay for her med school

2) I was paying ALL bills while we were together and she was putting her money in her bank... i understand that the split is 50/50 but would it be 50/50 only on what i have or 50/50 of the total?

3) would the time starting may04 count as our seperation? or would it be the last time she left me?

4) what sre the steps to beging the divorce process? how do i find a lawyer? is the initial consultation free?
thanks for your help.

[LdiJ]

1) will she get any spousal support in this situation? if yes how big? i am currently paying her $900/month... we agreed on this amount until we do something official....i dont want to pay for her med school

Its possible. The income discrepancy is big enough that spousal support could be an issue even though your marriage isn't quite long enough to normally make spousal support an issue. If it does get ordered it would be short term...probably no more than a couple of years.

2) I was paying ALL bills while we were together and she was putting her money in her bank... i understand that the split is 50/50 but would it be 50/50 only on what i have or 50/50 of the total?

All assets will be taken into consideration. Her money too.

3) would the time starting may04 count as our seperation? or would it be the last time she left me?

It would be the last time she left you...although I really don't think that is an issue in PA...but I could be wrong. I don't believe that PA requires that a legal separation take place prior to filing divorce.

4) what sre the steps to beging the divorce process? how do i find a lawyer? is the initial consultation free?
thanks for your help.

If you make 120k a year you can afford an attorney. You don't need free consults. You just need to hire one. However its quite possible that a judge will end up ordering you to pay hers as well.....to level the playing field.

You really do have a serious income discrepancy and that is the one thing that could complicate things for you to some extent. You really do need a good attorney.

[kingfasi]

Thanks for the info... anyone else with any info?

I am not sure roughly how much will be the spousal support in this case? Any ideas? Does it matter how much her 50% of our totals assets will be? I mean if she is getting a decent chunk of money would that help to reduce the support amount?

I was also thinking what is the average cost of a no fault divorce case - in terms of legal fees (including lawyer)?

[VeronicaGia]

There is no calculator for spousal support that I'm aware of. It' isn't like child support.

Try your state bar association for an attorney who specializes in family law.

[Tayla]

PA does not have a term sited as "Lega Separation". It is advised to draw up a separation agreement whereby both parties can place terms on financials/property and support til such time as the divorce settlement can be implemented. This is often recommended to safe guard each spouse during the interium. Retain a divorce attorney for proper legal guidance on the process and your rights.