WHAT IS AN "MSA"?
MSA stands for Marriage Settlement Agreement, which is a contract that settles a divorce and contractually obligates a divorcing couple to such things as dividing property, custody, paying child support or alimony, or any other issue that may be addressed in a divorce contract. Contrary to popular belief, this information is usually NOT outlined in the divorce decree itself in PA - it is outlined in a separate document and may or may not be mentioned in the decree itself.
To get a divorce in PA, you need a few main things: The FIRST is to file a Complaint in Divorce and to follow through the process to eventually obtain a decree in divorce. The SECOND is an Order of Court or a Contract that dictates how you are going to handle all of the issues that came up with your divorce, such as dividing property, alimony, etc. This goes along with the decree in divorce.
Divorcing couples can decide what to put in an MSA (the contract) or an Order of Court either on their own, through a process such as mediation or collaborative law, through attorneys' negotiation, or by a Court through litigation and hearings or trial.
With our various bundled options, you will see that some include an MSA and some do not. It stands to reason that if a divorcing couple DOES NOT have joint property, separate property, or alimony issues, or any other issues to address in a contract, and if they agree to a divorce, that they might want to forego an MSA. You can get a divorce without an MSA. This is not the norm, and we find in most cases that an MSA is advisable.
The options that include an MSA are for clients who already know and who have figured out with their spouse what they want to put in an MSA. If the divorcing couple can't figure out what needs to go in the MSA, then they might want to consider mediation, or if that won't work, then these bundled options are not appropriate for the client.
However, you don't have to figure this out on your own. When you purchase a service and schedule an appointment with our staff, we will help you decide if the service will be appropriate for you, and we will make sure that whatever you choose fits your needs as you explain them to us.
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Bethany L. Notaro, Esq.Bethany L. Notaro, Esq. has her legal roots in Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate student, she attended the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After her undergraduate work, Bethany attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctorate. While in law school, Ms. Notaro received numerous scholarships and honors for her academic achievement and focused her studies on income taxation, trusts and estate, divorce, ADR, and wealth planning. Specifically, she received training in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and family law and professional divorce mediation.View Profile
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Margo R. Epstein, Esq.Margo R. Epstein, Esq. is an attorney at Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C. offering to her clients over a decade of experience in the legal profession. As a family law attorney, Margo places a high importance on listening to her clients and their unique circumstances so that she can help create solutions that make sense to their specific situations as there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to families going through divorce or custody matters.View Profile
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Leah D. Zawasky, Esq. Associate AttorneyLeah’s experience in family law and background working with military personnel have molded her into a passionate and zealous advocate. Her past experiences allow her to better serve clients with navigating through what may otherwise be a confusing and tolling legal process.View Profile
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Danielle N. Santoro, Esq. Associate AttorneyDanielle N. Santoro, Esq. is an associate attorney who has successfully assisted clients with a variety of family law matters including divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, marital property distribution, and prenuptial agreements. Prior to joining Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C., Danielle was an associate at KPMG, a “Big 4” accounting firm, where she focused her practice in tax law consulting and tax aspects surrounding merger and acquisition deals.View Profile
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Elizabeth K. Eisenhauer, Esq. Associate AttorneyElizabeth K. Eisenhauer, Esq. is an associate attorney who has successfully assisted clients with a variety of family law matters including divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, and marital property distribution. Prior to joining Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C., Elizabeth was a Staff Attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services, where she focused her practice on obtaining Protection From Abuse Orders for domestic violence victims and helping clients navigate the complex custody process.View Profile
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Alyssa M. Drake, Esq Associate AttorneyAlyssa’s experience in family law and background in juvenile law has shaped her into a passionate and dedicated advocate. While at Notaro Epstein, Alyssa continues to serve the needs of children by volunteering as a court appointed Guardian Ad Litem in complex custody cases. Her past and current experiences in navigating complex, emotional legal matters is what allows her to help her clients through the legal process with both compassion and persistence.View Profile
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Amanda S. McGeary, Esq. Associate AttorneyAmanda S. McGeary is an associate attorney who has successfully assisted clients with a variety of family law matters. Amanda ...View Profile
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Christy Martin, CLC Certified Life CoachChristy is a former professional ballet dancer with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Point Park University. She is Notaro Epstein's Director of Client Development and is a Master Certified Life Coach (MCLC). She enjoys encouraging and guiding others by providing techniques and tools catered to their ambitions and goals.View Profile
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Bethany L. Notaro, Esq.Bethany L. Notaro, Esq. has her legal roots in Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate student, she attended the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After her undergraduate work, Bethany attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctorate. While in law school, Ms. Notaro received numerous scholarships and honors for her academic achievement and focused her studies on income taxation, trusts and estate, divorce, ADR, and wealth planning. Specifically, she received training in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and family law and professional divorce mediation.View Profile
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Margo R. Epstein, Esq.Margo R. Epstein, Esq. is an attorney at Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C. offering to her clients over a decade of experience in the legal profession. As a family law attorney, Margo places a high importance on listening to her clients and their unique circumstances so that she can help create solutions that make sense to their specific situations as there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to families going through divorce or custody matters.View Profile
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Leah D. Zawasky, Esq. Associate AttorneyLeah’s experience in family law and background working with military personnel have molded her into a passionate and zealous advocate. Her past experiences allow her to better serve clients with navigating through what may otherwise be a confusing and tolling legal process.View Profile
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Danielle N. Santoro, Esq. Associate AttorneyDanielle N. Santoro, Esq. is an associate attorney who has successfully assisted clients with a variety of family law matters including divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, marital property distribution, and prenuptial agreements. Prior to joining Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C., Danielle was an associate at KPMG, a “Big 4” accounting firm, where she focused her practice in tax law consulting and tax aspects surrounding merger and acquisition deals.View Profile
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Elizabeth K. Eisenhauer, Esq. Associate AttorneyElizabeth K. Eisenhauer, Esq. is an associate attorney who has successfully assisted clients with a variety of family law matters including divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, and marital property distribution. Prior to joining Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C., Elizabeth was a Staff Attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services, where she focused her practice on obtaining Protection From Abuse Orders for domestic violence victims and helping clients navigate the complex custody process.View Profile
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Alyssa M. Drake, Esq Associate AttorneyAlyssa’s experience in family law and background in juvenile law has shaped her into a passionate and dedicated advocate. While at Notaro Epstein, Alyssa continues to serve the needs of children by volunteering as a court appointed Guardian Ad Litem in complex custody cases. Her past and current experiences in navigating complex, emotional legal matters is what allows her to help her clients through the legal process with both compassion and persistence.View Profile
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Amanda S. McGeary, Esq. Associate AttorneyAmanda S. McGeary is an associate attorney who has successfully assisted clients with a variety of family law matters. Amanda ...View Profile
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Christy Martin, CLC Certified Life CoachChristy is a former professional ballet dancer with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Point Park University. She is Notaro Epstein's Director of Client Development and is a Master Certified Life Coach (MCLC). She enjoys encouraging and guiding others by providing techniques and tools catered to their ambitions and goals.View Profile
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"I have had an ongoing custody issue for several years and Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C. has been with me every step of the ..."-Former Client
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"Notaro Epstein Family Law Group, P.C. represented me for my divorce case last year. When you have a divorce, there are a lot of ..."-Former Client
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