Blog Posts - Divorce
What is an Annulment?
When a person wants to end their marriage, they typically choose a divorce. However, in some cases, a couple may opt for annulment. An annulment is a court ruling that a marriage was never valid. It declares a marriage null and void, as if it never legally happened. Unlike a...
Continue ReadingCan I Protect a Trust Fund in a Divorce?
A divorce can make you worried about your assets. If you or your family has a trust fund in place, you may wonder how it will be affected. For example, will you have to split the assets with your spouse? Is there any way to protect what’s rightfully yours? Family...
Continue ReadingWhat is a High-Conflict Divorce?
While some divorces can be amicable, most have some degree of drama. That is just par for the course when you are ending a relationship and splitting all your assets. However, some cases have much more conflict than others. The parties may not be able to agree on anything at...
Continue ReadingWhat are Complications With Residency in a Military Divorce?
Divorce is complicated enough. If one or both spouses are in the military, that can complicate matters even further. That is because servicemembers are often based somehow temporarily as they fight a war. There are also terms such as “state of legal residence” and “home of record” that come into...
Continue ReadingWhat are Fault Grounds in Divorce?
When a couple decides to end their marriage, they can choose from either a fault or no-fault divorce. Most people choose a no-fault divorce because it is easier. A fault divorce is often harder and more expensive. With a no-fault divorce, there is no need to blame the other spouse,...
Continue ReadingThe Importance of Legal Counsel in Divorce: Why You Need a Skilled Advocate
Marriages do not always last forever. Many people want a divorce so badly but fail to do so for one main reason: lack of money. The average divorce can cost $15,000 or more. This money is primarily spent on lawyer fees. To cut costs, some people opt for a DIY...
Continue ReadingWhat Should You Do if You Do Not Want to Be Divorced?
Marriage is hard. You may be trying your hardest to keep your relationship intact, but your spouse just is not into it anymore. They may have given up and decided to file for divorce. You are devastated. You do not want a divorce. You want to stay together. What can...
Continue ReadingSteps to Take Immediately After Your Spouse Has Filed for Divorce
Being served with divorce papers is one of the most emotional events a person may face. Ending a marriage is difficult, no matter the circumstances. If you were not expecting to be served papers, you may be feeling overwhelmed. How could this have happened? What do I do now? Once...
Continue ReadingUnderstanding Divorce Mediation: How Alternative Dispute Resolution Can Benefit Your Case
You may have seen divorces on TV where the couples duke it out in court. While TV often portrays divorces as dramatic courtroom battles, many couples opt for mediation, a less adversarial and more cooperative approach. Some cases do go to court, but it’s not common. Many couples use alternative...
Continue ReadingWhat is the Difference Between Contested and Uncontested Divorces?
In an ideal world, a couple who is struggling with their marriage would end their relationship amicably. They would agree on all the key issues and get the divorce finalized quickly and easily. But if you have ever been through a divorce or know someone who has, you know that’s...
Continue ReadingPost-Divorce Modifications: When and How to Seek Changes to Court Orders
Your final judgment of divorce covers a variety of issues, including child custody, child support, and alimony. Months or years later, you may need to modify the terms and provisions within your final judgment of divorce or settlement. Maybe you lost your job or became disabled. Perhaps you remarried or...
Continue ReadingBeware of spending on joint credit cards during divorce
When spouses have joint credit card accounts and bank accounts, what they purchase is not private. Their spouse can check the statements and see exactly what they purchased, when they did so, where they were and how much they spent. This information is recorded with each credit or debit card...
Continue ReadingHow social media posting can hurt your divorce
Once a divorce gets started, most people just want to get through the process as quickly, easily and peacefully as possible. If you feel like any of those goals resonate with you, then do yourself a favor: Stay off social media. If you’re unwilling to avoid social media entirely (and...
Continue ReadingConsidering Divorce? Be careful what you text on a shared plan
Nowadays, mobile phones are an important resource in re: how people connect with their communities. Devices let someone text their family members or make a call to a client or employer. When someone goes through a difficult time, they will likely rely on their phone to help them tap into...
Continue ReadingTop 3 ways house is divided during the split
Fair doesn’t always mean equal. When a divorce happens in New Jersey, the equitable distribution rules mean that a couple’s assets and debts are supposed to be divided in a way that’s fair, which may or may not mean 50/50. Couples can usually decide how to divide a lot of...
Continue ReadingHow do divorcing business owners split the family business?
Family businesses are incredibly common, but they can come with some interesting complexities. For example, maybe two people decided to get married, and then they later started a business together. Now they’ve decided that they’re going to get divorced. If they weren’t joint business owners, this would just be a...
Continue ReadingHow alimony works in New Jersey
Alimony, sometimes referred to as spousal maintenance or spousal support, is an important form of financial protection during and after divorce. Alimony allows someone who has been dependent on their spouse to begin living independently again at the end of the marriage. It is common for one spouse to sacrifice...
Continue Reading2 ways that same-sex marriage creates unique divorce concerns
Same-sex couples in New Jersey have the right to get married, and that means that they may eventually also need to file for divorce. Unfortunately, given that same-sex marriages are relatively new, same-sex divorces can be a bit more challenging to complete than standard heterosexual divorces. Although many areas of...
Continue ReadingHow much alimony will I have to pay?
Property division is a key concern for many divorcing couples. While this includes bank and retirement accounts, real estate, and pieces of personal property, it can also include alimony. But if you’re confronting an alimony fight, then you probably have two questions on your mind: how long is alimony going...
Continue ReadingHow will I pay for my divorce?
There are many issues to address in divorce from child support and child custody to division of assets and alimony. But divorce also comes with expenses such as legal fees. Depending on the circumstances, courts may order your estranged spouse to pay for your legal fees. Courts may order spouse...
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