Back in September, Lucas and Joanne called it quits and decided to end their 15-year marriage. The New Jersey couple is currently separated, with plans to move forward with filing for divorce in January, once the holidays are over (waiting was Joanne’s idea because, as she explained Lucas, she didn’t need the added stress). Over the past few months, Lucas and Joanne have have had very little contact with each other, especially since each party established their own bank accounts as soon as they decided to separate. For all intents and purposes, except for the official paperwork, Joanne and Lucas are living like a divorced couple.
In late December, Lucas receives a year-end bonus at his job. Because his company had a successful year, the amount of the bonus turns out to be a considerable windfall. Before Lucas deposits the check in his personal back account, he thinks about the divorce he will be filing for in mere days, and how this money may come into play. Is this money — received after he and his wife separated — considered marital or separate property? If his wife can lay claim to it, how much will she get? Will this money mean a higher alimony payment? And what if Lucas holds off on depositing the money until after he files for divorce… would that be a loophole to keep it safe? Read more
New Jersey Divorce Chronicles, Part 2: Watch Out For Sharks!
In part 2 of our continuing blog series on avoiding common divorce mistakes, we take look at something most people do early on in the divorce process: hire an attorney. In part 1 of our series, we introduced you to our two New Jersey couples: Robert & Sharon and Jason & Melissa. In part 2, we will see what happens when one of our subjects tries to make a decision about hiring an attorney. Read more
Facing Both Bankruptcy & Divorce? Here’s Which One To File For First
New Jersey couple Rhona and Matthew experienced some very rocky years leading up to their decision to divorce. The problems began in 2011, when Matthew lost his job and Rhona, who had been staying home with kids, could only find part-time work. With no savings, the couple lived off their credit cards, racking up over $150,000 in debt by the time Matt found employment in 2013. Even with Matt making money again, dealing with all their debt felt like an oppressive and impossible-to-complete task. After careful thought, in 2014, Matt and Rhona decided to file for bankruptcy. At the same time, mainly due to the toll money stress had taken on their relationship over the past few years, Matthew and Rhona also decided to file for divorce.
Does any of this sound familiar? Read more
Highlights from December’s Family Law Tuesday Q&A
What kinds of questions do people ask? Check out some of the highlight’s from this week’s event: Read more
One Couple’s Dilemma: What Do You Do When Child Support Payments Are Late?
Stacy and Mike are two New Jersey residents who have been divorced for approximately one year. The former spouses have two minor children, ages 6 and 10. According to their divorce decree, Mike is obligated to pay approximately $750 per month in child support.
For the first few months after their divorce, everything seemed relatively calm. Stacy and Mike established a somewhat cordial relationship for the sake of their children, and Mike was on time each month in making his child support payments.
Then, out of nowhere, Mark’s payment was late one month. Read more
New Jersey Divorce Chronicles: Avoiding Common Divorce Mistakes (Part 1)
We have all heard at least one divorce horror story in which mistakes and missteps in the divorce process left one or both parties feeling angrier and more bitter than ever before. If you are going through a divorce right now, or thinking about filing, it is important to know that for the vast majority of cases, negative outcomes can be avoided through thoughtful planning and intelligent decision making.
In our new blog series, we will follow two typical couples going through divorce in New Jersey and use their case studies to highlight complications that can arise in a divorce case, along with the many possible ways to prevent these mistakes from leading to spiraling conflict and out of control costs. Read more
You Are Invited to Our LIVE Facebook Family Law Q&A
On the first Tuesday of every month, Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group, LLC hosts a LIVE Facebook Q&A to answer your questions related to divorce and related family law issues, including child support, child custody, alimony and more. Our next Family Law Tuesday is scheduled for December 2 from 8-9 pm. We cordially invite you to stop by and ask your question(s) during the hour (we’ll be on hand to answer). You are also free to send us questions via private message. We will post your question using only your first name — or keep it anonymous if you wish.
What kinds of questions do others ask? Here’s a sampling from November’s Family Law Tuesday: Read more
What Happens To The Year-End Bonus When You File For Divorce?
Back in September, Lucas and Joanne called it quits and decided to end their 15-year marriage. The New Jersey couple is currently separated, with plans to move forward with filing for divorce in January, once the holidays are over (waiting was Joanne’s idea because, as she explained Lucas, she didn’t need the added stress). Over the past few months, Lucas and Joanne have have had very little contact with each other, especially since each party established their own bank accounts as soon as they decided to separate. For all intents and purposes, except for the official paperwork, Joanne and Lucas are living like a divorced couple.
In late December, Lucas receives a year-end bonus at his job. Because his company had a successful year, the amount of the bonus turns out to be a considerable windfall. Before Lucas deposits the check in his personal back account, he thinks about the divorce he will be filing for in mere days, and how this money may come into play. Is this money — received after he and his wife separated — considered marital or separate property? If his wife can lay claim to it, how much will she get? Will this money mean a higher alimony payment? And what if Lucas holds off on depositing the money until after he files for divorce… would that be a loophole to keep it safe? Read more
14 Gifts to Give Your Divorced Friends (or Your Ex) This Holiday Season
Make the holidays a little happier for newly divorced friends and loved ones with these light-hearted gift ideas. Is it your first holiday season since your separation or divorce? Put yourself on your own gift giving list! And if you’re really feeling generous this year, there are even a few gifts listed below that might be the perfect present for a former spouse. Read more
State Judiciary Fee Hike Affects Cost of New Jersey Divorce
If you are gearing up to get a divorce in New Jersey, be aware that the cost of filing the necessary paperwork just went up. Read more
5 Steps to Take Before Filing for Divorce
You’ve decided to get a divorce, so now what? Before filing any paperwork, it pays to take some time to get yourself organized and acquainted with the legal process you are about to embark on. As those who rushed into the divorce process may be able to tell you, there can be unintended consequences for not getting your “ducks in a row” before filing for a divorce.
As for which particular “ducks” you need to pay attention to, here are 5 important steps you won’t want to skip before filing for divorce: Read more