Blog | M. Hart Divorce & Family Law

4/15/19

Four Steps to Take Charge of Your Divorce and Save Big on Legal Fees

For many New Jersey divorces, spouses can enter into written agreements without going to court. Then, all a court needs to do is to legally dissolve the marriage. These agreements, typically called Marital Settlement Agreements, outline terms dealing with child custody and parenting time, alimony or spousal support, and how the marital assets and debts will be divided. Likewise, legal fees in reaching agreements out...

4/9/19

The One Thing for Peace of Mind When Times are Tough

Challenges are part of life. We are constantly being hit with new challenges that take many different forms: Difficult people. Losing a job. Marital difficulties and divorce. Sometimes things just suck. But you can still have peace of mind. The single thing that I’ve found most powerful is to start with your mindset. Chances are you’ve heard clichés like “every cloud has a silver lining”...

4/2/19

Seven Proven Tips for an Improved Relationship With Your Teen

I know first-hand that parenting a teen can be challenging at best. It often involves a balance of offering the right amount of guidance with providing enough freedom to make mistakes. Fortunately, I learned a thing or two as I parent my own teenagers – and along the way, they’ve commented on what they like and need from me as a parent. I’m passing on...

3/26/19

Six Essential Actions Before Moving Out of the Marital Home in Divorce

The decision to leave the marital home once you decide to divorce should not be taken lightly. Leaving the marital home can have significant legal consequences. Therefore, to protect your legal rights, below are 6 essential actions to take before moving out. 1. Document the marital income Before moving out of the marital home, it’s important to document the sources of household income earned by...

3/18/19

Are You Paying Too Much Child Support to Your Former Spouse When Your Child Goes Away to College?

If you’ve been divorced for a number of years already and now it’s time for your child to go away to college (or your child is already away at college full-time), chances are the child support payments you make to your former spouse should be changed. In New Jersey, divorced and divorcing parents are generally obligated to financially support their children until each child becomes...

3/12/19

Children and Divorce: What Your Children Are Most Likely Thinking (If Not Saying) and What to Do About It

When you and your spouse decide to divorce, it’s common to experience a range of emotions and uncertainty. And when you have children, it’s also common they will experience their own emotional whirlwinds. As parents, we tend to worry about our kids. And when kids are going through such a difficult tumultuous life change as divorce, you might become that much more protective to ensure...

3/4/19

Five Actions to Protect Your Retirement in Divorce

You’ve worked diligently for years and accumulated a healthy nest egg for retirement. But now it appears divorce is a real possibility. Naturally, you’re concerned about whether your spouse has a claim on any of your retirement benefits. The short answer, as with any legal question, is that it depends. Generally, in New Jersey, all assets acquired during the marriage, regardless of which spouse holds...

2/26/19

What Happens if You Move Out of the Marital Home When You Decide to Divorce?

Once you and your spouse decide to divorce, it can be very difficult to remain together in the marital home. And when you have children, it is that much more important to decide whether it’s best to remain in the home together or to separate. It’s very common to feel you should not have to move out of your own home, especially if it was...

2/19/19

Four Tips for Successfully Negotiating While Preserving the Relationship

Whether you need your co-parent to agree on financial obligations for your children, ask for a raise from your boss, or debate with your teenager, knowing how to effectively negotiate is key for preserving relationships. After all, using strong-arm tactics might win you the battle in the short term, yet ultimately lose you the war, or more specifically, valuable relationships. So, how can you get...

2/11/19

Can I Use a Divorce Mediator to Get a New Jersey Divorce?

When you’ve decided to divorce, chances are you don’t want to spend a pile of money to hire lawyers and fight out your divorce in court. Therefore, you might look to divorce mediation to save time, money, and headaches. The first thing to do, however, is to consult with one or more competent lawyers who focus only on divorce and family law. In your consultation,...