Blog
11/26/18
New Alimony Tax Law on the Horizon – How Will It Affect You?The end of 2018 is rapidly approaching. In December 2017, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 into law. The alimony tax law will take effect for all divorce agreements and Judgments of Divorce obtained on or after January 1, 2019. Therefore, divorcing spouses who have not signed a divorce agreement or obtained a judgment of divorce by December 31, 2018...Read More11/20/18
Six Simple Yet Powerful Tips for Celebrating the Holidays During DivorceThere’s no question about it – divorce can be one of the most difficult times in your life. Seemingly in an instant, the world as you know it turns upside down. And then the holidays approach. Where you might have always celebrated with family, it can be tempting to slip into bed and hide under the covers until after the New Year. Instead, here are 6...Read More11/12/18
The Number One Way to Avoid Hefty Legal Fees in New Jersey DivorceChances are you’ve heard about astronomical legal fees charged by divorce lawyers and never-ending court battles. Although such cases are not the norm, we hear about them because, while rare, they do exist. But In 25 years of practicing law, my experience is that the answer boils down to one thing: The divorce lawyer each spouse hires. Specifically, when one or both spouses hires a...Read More11/5/18
Will I Lose Some or All of My Pension or Retirement as a Result of a New Jersey Divorce?If you’ve worked many years putting money into your pension for retirement, the last thing you might want to do is give it all away to your soon to be ex-spouse. If you want to hold on to your pension, or at least a good portion of it, it’s important to know the basics about how pensions are divided in a New Jersey divorce. In...Read More11/1/18
The Ultimate Child Custody and Parenting Time Plan for Divorcing ParentsWhat should you do first when you and your spouse decide to divorce but haven’t yet told the children? Generally, the best thing is to first agree on what the custody and parenting time arrangement will look like. Children generally thrive on consistency, structure and routine. Above all, they need stability and security and know what they can expect from both of you. Therefore, before...Read More10/31/18
Sample Custody and Parenting Time AgreementSelect from the below sample provisions as appropriate: The parents agree to the following terms and conditions related to the parenting of their child(ren). This parenting plan shall determine the procedures for the day-to-day care of the minor child of the marriage, namely, TYPE OF CUSTODY ARRANGEMENT Custody of the children shall be as follows: The parents agree that the Mother shall be the...Read More10/22/18
How long does it take to get divorced in New Jersey?One of the most common divorce questions is how long the divorce will take to be finalized. The short answer is – it depends. Since no one marriage is exactly alike, each divorce is uniquely different. New Jersey family courts, however, generally look to have a divorce entered within one year from when the divorce complaint was filed. The following circumstances can help gauge if...Read More10/15/18
How Do New Jersey Courts Decide Who Gets Custody of Children in Divorce?It’s generally much better for children if divorcing parents can agree on arrangements for child custody and parenting time without involving the court. It’s also generally far less expensive. Such agreements must provide for at a minimum: 1. Which parent will have physical or primary residential custody of the child, that is, where the child will live more than 50% of the time; and 2...Read More10/9/18
5 Actions to Take Now to Protect Your Small Business in DivorceEntrepreneurs and business owners can be uniquely susceptible to divorce. For instance, when family finances are put on the line to finance a business or the business is bootstrapped for money, this can put a strain on the marriage. Likewise, spending the exorbitant amount of time and energy necessary for running a business can result in lack of time and energy spent on the marriage...Read More10/1/18
Can My Spouse and I Use the Same Divorce Lawyer?Perhaps you and your spouse are on relatively good terms and worked out many of the marital issues. These might include child custody, child support, alimony, and division of marital assets. Under these circumstances, it might appear logical to hire one lawyer to draft the divorce agreement and file the legal documents with the court to have the divorce entered. In New Jersey, however, a...Read More