New Jersey Lawyer Blog

Recording star Mariah Carey’s Australian billionaire fiancé recently broke their engagement. One question immediately asked was, “What will happen to the 10-million-dollar engagement ring James Packer had given her?” As of now, Mariah has refused to return it. Legally speaking, however, the answer is “that depends.” Although Mariah and James had discussed a prenuptial agreement,…

Some Marital Settlement Agreements in divorce contain parental relocation provisions when there are children and child custody issues involved. Unless there is an inclusion about non-relocation or a specific exception referring to the reason the custodial parent wants to move out of New Jersey, a change in the divorce agreement may be needed. Of course,…

According to a decision published by the New Jersey Appellate Division in September 2016, a couple’s habit of saving regularly should be taken into consideration when determining alimony. For many years, New Jersey case law has recognized that a savings component of alimony is sometimes necessary in order to protect the dependent spouse. Including enough…

Direct Pay or Probation? What’s Best for You? Child support is one of the most important issues to be decided in a divorce or legal separation. Once the calculations have been made, the custodial parent has to decide whether to have the payments go through the Probation Department or to receive them directly from the…

Are you nearing ten years of marriage and contemplating divorce? If so, you should be aware that the timing of your divorce can effect your future financial situation. Understanding how Social Security works—whether you are divorced or not—can help you make important decisions. Social Security Benefits Based on Your Ex-Spouse’s Record A divorced spouse collects…

The Answer Is “Maybe.” Many of the questions divorce lawyers hear from their clients have to do with where they will live during or after their divorce. This is not surprising because the marital home is often among a couple’s most valuable assets. When the couple agrees on how the house should be handled, then…

New Jersey divorce law calls for the complete disclosure of assets and liabilities, and hiding assets is illegal. If discovered, hiding assets carries strict penalties; nevertheless, some spouses—especially those with high income or assets—try to do just that. The most obvious reason for hiding assets is to pay less in alimony or child support. In…

Marcia K. Werner of Aretsky Law Group, P.C., located in Hackensack, NJ, has been named Professional Lawyer of the Year for 2016 by the Bergen County Bar Association and the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law. This prestigious award is bestowed annually upon lawyers throughout the state whose “conduct, competence and demeanor set…

Thanksgiving is a time for sharing! But you didn’t think you would be sharing your child! Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for sharing. School children learn about the autumn feast celebrated by the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag neighbors in 1621. They may learn that beginning in 1817, individual states—starting with New York—began to adopt official…

Here Are Steps You Can Take! Domestic violence is a serious crime. It affects families from all walks of life. Of course, victims of domestic abuse must be protected. On the other side of the coin, however, it is also true that there are victims of false accusations of abuse. Like victims of domestic abuse,…