Blog | M. Hart Divorce & Family Law

10/9/20

Do spousal spats or sibling squabbles at home take their toll on you and your family? If so, you’re not alone. Most all families argue, some more than others. The 1. Timing is everything. Research shows the biggest fights happen during transitions from work to home schedules, often between 6 and 8 p.m., or getting the kids off to school. The lesson? Wait until everyone...

10/2/20

3 Powerful Ways to Get a Yes in Your Next Negotiation

When we want to sell someone on a position or idea, we often focus our efforts on what we can say to convince the other person. But the real power of influence in negotiation is this. Focus more on what we can learn about the other person first. After all, people are more likely to give you what you want when they like and trust you...

9/25/20

Do You Really Need a Lawyer to Handle Your New Jersey Divorce?

If you’re like many people considering divorce, you might be leery about getting lawyers involved. After all, it’s a common belief that lawyers mean fighting and expensive legal fees. As a family lawyer now for over 20 years, unfortunately, I know of many divorce lawyers who are needlessly aggressive and overpriced. Which is really a shame. Because just when you’re most vulnerable is when you...

9/18/20

Powerful Co-Parenting Checklist to Ease Divorce Transition for Kids

No doubt about it – divorce is a topsy-turvy crazy emotional time – for kids and parents alike. And trying to be a good parent when you’re at your worst can be overwhelming and exhausting. As both a child of divorce and a family lawyer for over 20 years, I want to help make things even just a bit easier for parents struggling emotionally with...

9/11/20

Three Simple Steps to Calm Your Emotions During Conflict

Think of a time when a conversation suddenly turns heated. Perhaps a co-worker makes a derogatory comment to you in front of colleagues. Or a close friend neglects to call you on your birthday. Or your spouse nags and criticizes you. When you have a strong interest in maintaining harmony or strengthening an important relationship, managing your emotions can make all the difference. When conflicts...

9/4/20

How Relationship Conflicts Can Literally Make You Sick

In any relationship, whether at work or home, conflict is inevitable. You might not be surprised that relationship conflict can affect your mental and emotional health. But did you know it can also affect you physically? Relationship conflict is any kind of struggle, disagreement, argument, or dispute between two people in a relationship – whether between partners, friends, siblings, colleagues, or co-workers. Whether you’re angry or...

8/28/20

Is “Nesting” Right for You? When Kids Stay in the Home and Separated Parents Move Out

When you’re a separated or divorcing parent, chances are you’re concerned about the kids if you or your spouse were to move out of the home. To help ease the transition for kids, more divorcing parents are considering a parenting time arrangement called “nesting” instead of moving the kids between two separate residences. Nesting is when the kids stay in the marital home and each...

8/21/20

The Secret to Managing Your Emotions for Closer Relationships

As social distancing continues and anxiety increases about the future, close relationships are especially important to our emotional and physical well-being. Likewise, maintaining connections with those most important to us – Spouses, family, friends, bosses, and co-workers – leads to greater happiness and resiliency, with reduced stress and anxiety. The number one key to improving our relationships and connecting with those most important to us...

8/15/20

Yours, Mine, Or Ours? Dividing Assets and Debts in Divorce

If you’re like many spouses facing divorce, you might believe that marital assets and debts are divided according to which spouse owns a particular asset or incurred certain debts. For example, suppose you have one or more bank or investment accounts in your name. Or your spouse charged up large outstanding balances on credit cards in his name. In this example, you might assume you would...

8/8/20

The Key to Satisfying Relationships: Inside Tips from a Leading Expert

There’s no denying that when we have satisfying intimate personal relationships, we generally experience less stress, greater emotional and physical well-being, and more resiliency to bounce back from adversity. Likewise, it’s no secret that solid relationships and professional success go hand in hand. According to Keith Ferrazzi is a #1 NY Times Bestselling Author of In his insightful and impactful online course, ...