Divorce
“In Our NJ Divorce, I Get Half of Everything. Right???”
Identifying jointly acquired marital assets and debts, valuing them, and distributing them are part and parcel of almost every New Jersey divorce, including for people of modest means. New Jersey is an equitable distribution state, meaning that the couple’s assets are distributed in a way that is fair, yet not necessarily equal. In some states,…
Read MoreDon’t Wait Another Day to Hire a Divorce Attorney? Here’s Why!
Divorce can present a high financial and emotional toll. Sometimes, a husband or wife has spent months or years planning to file for divorce, and the other spouse has been in the dark. This scenario gives the “early exiting” spouse the advantage of time – not just emotionally, but also in terms of appropriate divorce planning:…
Read More“In NJ, do we have to wait until the end of our divorce case to evaluate and distribute our retirement assets?”
In New Jersey, a divorcing couple is required to divide their jointly acquired marital assets and debts, and, for the most part, to divide them evenly. This includes assets —such as pension plans and 401k’s that one or both of the parties will receive upon retirement or the other party’s death. New Jersey is an…
Read MorePutting Off the NJ Separation and Divorce Can Sometimes Hurt You
In an ideal world, a couple deciding to separate and divorce could work together to amicably and harmoniously achieve their social and financial goals. Unfortunately, that is not always possible. For most couples, even in a less than ideal situation, there are some things they can do to increase the chances of an uncontested divorce.…
Read MoreNo Good Deed Goes Unpunished: May a NJ Divorcing Spouse Sue the Generous In-Laws for Family Support or Equitable Distribution?
Let’s revisit a 2005 divorce action, Idleman vs. Idleman, in which a wife sued her husband’s parents for family support. Doug Idleman was seriously ill, too sick to work. His parents generously supported the couple’s lavish lifestyle for the last two years of the marriage. They paid the mortgage on the parties’ $775,000 home in…
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