When dealing with a divorce and division of assets “what happens to my stuff?” is a question often encountered by family law attorneys. A good family law attorney will be able to advise you on issues such as the division of marital assets, real property division, spousal support and the variety of issues which may arise in a divorce.

A divorce can be a difficult and painful process. It is very important that you make sure the attorney you choose is experienced in the field of family law and is a good fit for your family situation.

When working on division of marital assets, your attorney can provide you with a variety of options to bring to the table. Your lawyer can help you identify which assets will be considered marital property (owned by both parties) or non-marital (owned by only one party). Once this step is completed, most attorneys will create an Asset & Liability Statement. An Asset & Liability Statement is a spreadsheet that indicates which party will be responsible for the itemized marital assets and debts. This document can be an important bargaining chip in settlement negotiations or at trial.

If the parties are unable to come to an agreement regarding the division of personal property such as jewelry, furniture, electronics, appliances, and cars, most family law attorneys will begin by engaging in settlement negotiation with the opposing counsel or party to see if a reasonable resolution can be reached out of court, this can be a lengthy and challenging process which is why it is a good idea to have a unbiased third party such as an attorney involved. If settlement negotiations fail, this may be an issue to be resolved at trial or in an issue specific hearing.

So, lets say you owned a home prior to the marriage, and your spouse made no major contribution to the improvement or maintenance of the home, they may not be entitled to 50% of the value of the property, however, they may be entitled to 50% of the increase in equity in the property from the date of marriage.

Division of retirement and pension benefits can be another contentious issue in a divorce. In many cases this issue may require a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relation Order) attorney to draft an order regarding this division to supplement the final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.

Spousal support/Alimony awards are an issue which can put a strain on your finances. Spousal support awards vary from case to case and are dependent on issues such as the length of the marriage, work experience and training of the receiving party, level of education completed and child care costs. Again, this is a complicated issue which is best addressed by a family law attorney.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that the judge’s goal is to reach a “fair and equitable” resolution to all of the contentious issues in a divorce, including but not limited to the division of the marital assets and debts.

Before entering into a Divorce Proceeding you should consult with an attorney about division of marital assets and debts..