(PA) Prenup/Promissory Notes

[OttawaBenators22]

You can find out your approximate equity in both houses in about 10 seconds by googling the addresses. Zillow and other realtor sites will come up with an approximate market value.

Take an average and subtract the mortgage balance and there's your equity.



Your desire for "leverage" almost guarantees that she will get a lawyer who will run rings around you unless you have one.

Divorce never ends well. I've been through it. My daughter is getting divorced. Her husband's income is 3 times hers. She has a lawyer from the getgo. Now he has one. It's going to be a mess.

I'm guessing yours will be a mess. Especially the mother in law issues.

On the equity piece I've already calculated it so I have that number. But actual equity is a bit more complex since it was purchased pre-marriage but with both our names and joint funds paying the mortgage. Because it's premarital, I could have less equity because of what my MIL provided.

My MIL is a very big personality and can be a bully at times which is why I'm first to talk to a lawyer. And since I'm the higher income earner (x2.5) I'd likely file with exclusive possession of our current house and our dogs. I'd hope and pray that if I do file and I have my facts together, we can settle this without lawyer intervention because they know that I'm not going to go down easy but want it to be amicable. My parents divorced, my mom walked away with nothing and still ended up paying child support yet being the lower income earner. I'm well aware of how ugly it can get.

 

[adjusterjack]

I'd likely file with exclusive possession of our current house and our dogs.

You want "leverage." You want to kick her out of the house and you want to keep the dogs.

Amicable just went out the window.

You'll see.