Having the appropriate paperwork ready for your initial consultation with a divorce lawyer can streamline the divorce process and contribute to a favorable outcome. If you are facing a divorce in New Jersey, having a knowledgeable team of lawyers at your side can make a significant impact. Please continue reading to discover what to bring to your first meeting with our seasoned Middlesex County Divorce Lawyers and how our team can assist you in navigating toward a brighter future.
What Should I Bring to My Initial Consultation with a Divorce Lawyer?
First, your lawyer will need to know when and where you and your spouse were legally married, so you’ll need to bring a copy of your marriage certificate. This will help them establish that you are legally married and that a court can grant you a divorce in the state.
If you and your spouse created a prenuptial agreement, you should bring a copy to your initial consultation as this document outlines rights and obligations in the event of divorce. It can help to establish alimony and how pre-marriage debt is handled. Much of the divorce process involves finances, particularly how marital property will be divided. Your lawyer will require financial documents to anticipate how the court is likely to distribute your assets. New Jersey is an equitable distribution state, which means marital property will be split fairly, though not necessarily equally. Therefore, you must let your lawyer know what is separate property. Since it was acquired before the marriage, it’s not subject to equitable distribution.
It’s important to note that the court may order one spouse to pay alimony to the other to help maintain the same standard of living that was established during the marriage. As such, you should provide your lawyer with proof of income through pay stubs, tax returns, bank account information, statements from retirement accounts, and other employment records that can help determine what you or your spouse are entitled to receive or obligated to pay.
What if I Have My Own Business?
Although you may consider your business to be separate property, the court may not. If you have a business, you should bring along any relevant financial documentation and anything that can show when your company was incorporated. If your business is a separate property, you need to show that it should not be distributed along with other marital property, then we can help you safeguard it.
If you are ready to move forward with your divorce, please don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer from Arndt, Sutak & Miceli, LLC, who can help you understand your options and fight for the best possible outcome on your behalf.
