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This is a question I am asked so often, I thought an explanation would be appropriate. Mediation Mediation is a process where a third party, a “Mediator” helps you and your spouse settle the issues in your divorce. It is the best way to resolve your issues, costs the...

I recently worked with a client to assist her in negotiating a settlement of her legal bill for her divorce. Her lawyers were unscrupulous and I have not run into billing practices like this with any other lawyer clients have worked with. They over charged for just...

When it comes time to share your assets you need to be mindful of the valuation of investment accounts. If you have two accounts, both with a value of approximately $100,000 you might think that I will keep mine and my spouse will keep theirs. Sounds simple, but you...

Monday was Martin Luther King Day. A time to remember a great man who had a great vision for our country. When I hear the words “I have a dream” it makes me think about what I wish for my clients in their divorce.  The current way folks get a divorce in this country...

Last year was tough, no question. You are caught up in your divorce and you feel like you are drowning. Not a way to live. When you start down the path of a divorce the process can become all encompassing. The critical decisions you need to make are about situations...

In a divorce, the assets that you have acquired during the marriage are shared and, in most cases, this means that one of you will transfer funds out of your name to the other’s name or that funds in joint names will be transferred to an account in a single name. This...

This blog touches close to home. I recently ran into a man in the gym who seemed very familiar but I could not place him. I asked him, how do I know you?  He introduced himself and then it all came back. He was a friend of my X’s who turned against me in my divorce...

Big question:  One that you need to think about, and plan for. How much it will cost depends upon the track that you take, the lawyer you hire and, unfortunately, something completely out of your control, your spouse. The least costly way is to negotiate the terms and...

The cost associated with getting a divorce can be astronomical. Evan a fairly amicable divorce can result in significant fees if you are not mindful of what you ask of your lawyer. Lawyers get a bad rap in divorce, and there are undoubtedly some lawyers who’s billing...

Mother’s Day, is more than the day we celebrate Mom.  It is a day where we thank all the Mothers in the world, not just our own.  The bond between a Mother and her child is somehow different than that of a father and his child.  Perhaps it is the physical connection;...

Your child has just graduated from college; such a proud moment. Everything you have struggled through in your divorce seems like a distant memory as you watch your child walk to receive their degree. Life is good, no, life is excellent! A month later you receive your...

Say the words “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” and what immediately comes to mind? Soldiers returning from war? Survivors of domestic or sexual abuse? How about crime victims or even those who have emerged from horrific car or plane accidents? While these are all...

Is your X telling you that they will take care of you? Saying that they will pay for the children’s college expenses? Are they showing compassion and remorse for your divorce? If the answer is yes to any of these questions is YES, it is time to get a move on and...

There are, unfortunately, no exact rules for the determination of the amount of alimony. Rules of thumb have emerged and tend to be used but it is difficult to calculate, on day one of your divorce, what you will get/pay. The rule of thumb in NJ is 1/3 of the...

Your divorce is finally done and everything is going smoothly.  However you were not specific or clear as to how children’s expenses are to be handled.  Typically Parenting Agreements or Property Settlement Agreements only contain sections as to how college costs,...

Mediation is a great way to settle your divorce; it gives you control of the outcome (instead of a Judge deciding things you get to decide), it goes as fast or as slowly as you need it to and it tends to lead to an agreement that sticks (sticks is a technical term for...

If you are in a high conflict divorce, the stress you are under is enormous. You could be experiencing sleepless nights, feeling irritable or angry and snapping at the people you love, intense sadness or just plain depressed. All of these emotions are normal under the...

It is to your advantage to see if the assets you owned prior to marriage can be excluded from the marital estate.  If you are successful, these assets will not be subject to equitable distribution (you get to keep all of it). Assets that typically fall into this...