Islandia Property Division Lawyers

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During divorce proceedings, dividing up the couple’s assets can become highly contentious, with each spouse insisting that they deserve a greater share than the other is willing to give them. These quarrels frequently end up in the courts where a judge listens to arguments from each spouse, and then orders the assets to be divided in a certain way—not necessarily in a manner acceptable to either side. If you are facing divorce and need help with dividing assets fairly, contact Montefusco Law Group. for a free consultation.

Division of Assets: An Overview

Under New York State law, divorcing spouses have the right to reach their own settlement about how their assets should be divided. The result of this process is a binding written agreement. When such an agreement is not possible due to a conflict between the spouses, the matter is turned over to the court. At the conclusion of a trial, the court will go about determining which assets are to be classified as marital property and which as separate property.

Marital & Separate Property

Marital property: Any businesses, personal property, securities, savings accounts, debts, and pension plans are generally placed in this category if they originated or were obtained during the period of the marriage. This property can be divided up by the courts. In some cases, this will mean liquidating the property and distributing an equitable portion of the money to each spouse.

Separate property: Any property you owned prior to the marriage will usually be ruled to be separate property, hence not subject to division. Inheritances, personal injury compensation, and gifts from third parties are also usually classified as separate property.

What Is Equitable Distribution?

New York courts follow the principle of “equitable distribution” when allocating marital assets. This does not necessarily mean that contested property is split 50/50. There are a large number of factors that the courts can take into consideration when distributing marital property.

These include the following:

• The duration of the marriage
• The current age of each spouse
• The health condition of each spouse
• The future earning potential of each spouse
• Spousal maintenance
• Wasteful spending or attempts to depreciate assets in anticipation of the divorce settlement
• Post-divorce taxation issues
• Loss of benefits as a result of the divorce (e.g., health insurance)

Some types of property, such as homes and businesses, must be carefully appraised in order to arrive at a fair evaluation of their worth. After considering all relevant factors, the court will order the distribution of assets in a manner it deems fair and reasonable.

Contact Our Firm for Your Free Consultation

At the conclusion of a trial, unless the parties settle beforehand, the court will go about determining which assets are to be classified as marital property and which as separate property. When you need a lawyer for your division of assets case, contact Montefusco Law Group.