Somerset County Asset Division Lawyers
Experienced Legal Assistance with Equitable Distribution in New Jersey
What is Equitable Distribution in New Jersey?
New Jersey is an "equitable distribution" state, meaning that New Jersey family courts distribute marital property fairly but not equally. New Jersey is not a 50-50 divorce state.
This does not mean it will be a 50/50 split; the court will examine many factors that help influence the decision, including:
- The length of the marriage
- The contributions of each spouse during the marriage
- The income of each spouse
- The age, health, and well-being of each spouse
Often mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, charge accounts/credit cards, and other liabilities need to be addressed and allocated. Here at Lane & Lane, LLC, we focus on a fair and equitable allocation of all such liabilities.
Principles of Equitable Distribution in New Jersey Divorces
When a married couple acquires property, they essentially share ownership rights to such property. Sharing ownership is not problematic for the couple when they live together. However, when a couple decides to get divorced and live separately and apart, it is not feasible for them to continue sharing their marital property as they did when they were married.
As a result, the couple must decide how to divide marital assets between themselves upon divorce. If the couple cannot agree on how to divide these assets, the court must equitably distribute their marital assets.
However, an “equitable” distribution of marital assets does not always mean that the court will “equally” divide marital assets between the parties. Instead, a court must consider the specifics of each case to determine a split that is fair and “equitable” under the circumstances.
Among the factors that courts will consider for purposes of equitable distribution include the marital debts that the marriage incurred.
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“Quick, knowledgeable, professional, and very responsive to questions and inquiries. A positive experience from reception-to-attorney. I would request legal services from Lane & Lane again as well as recommend them to others.”- Orlando H.
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“Steven worked diligently to represent my best interests. He went above and beyond to be sure I understood every detail of every document relevant to my divorce. He spoke to me with respect and in a down-to-earth manner. His efforts resulted in a very favorable decision, weighted on my side of the field. I have already referred Steve and his firm to friends, at least one of whom has hired him. Well done L&L. Thank you.”- Billy M.
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“I would highly recommend relying on Daniel should you need his service.”- Eric
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“Thank you so much Steve Lane and Lane & Lane firm for the outstanding representation you have given me! I was very impressed with how knowledgeable Steve is and how welcoming and friendly he and his staff is. Steve made me feel comfortable and confident and always exhibited dedication and concern for my situation. Always professional and compassionate! I would recommend Lane & Lane to anyone. Again, thank you so much Steve for you amazing help!”- Anastasios B.
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“I highly recommend hiring Daniel Lane to represent you with your legal matters. He handled my case with the utmost professionalism and sincerity. I found him to be highly attentive and knowledgeable to reach a positive resolution with my legal issue.”- Former Client
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“Because Daniel Lane’s specialty is matrimonial law, I found him to be experienced and tough, but also kind and willing to negotiate to settle the dispute.”- Former Client
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“Dan's patience and understanding allowed me to put trust in someone at a time when that was most difficult for me.”- Dominic
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“Dan and his team were always there to answer any of my questions as well as always keeping me informed as to what is going on.”- Scott D.