Does the Length of a Marriage Impact the Outcome of a Divorce?

Divorce, very often, is a marathon, meaning you must always keep your head up, and you must push forward until the end, no matter how difficult, or prolonged, it gets. Divorce is a complicated process, and it tends to weigh on spouses both emotionally and financially.

If you and your spouse have recently begun the divorce, process, or are about to begin, you must hire an attorney with years of experience in the field. When you and your spouse cannot agree on the terms of your divorce, you will most likely be forced to endure the litigation process. In litigation, both spouse’s assets are subjected to equitable distribution, which is extremely scary to some, as all marital assets are essentially up for grabs.

When financially dependent spouses get divorced, they very often worry about how they are going to continue living as they have been for the past several years without the support of their spouse. Some of the most common questions are “can I still keep my house?” or “will I have to get a new job?” These are all completely logical, and rather heavy, very real questions.

Fortunately, New Jersey courts seek to keep a level playing field, in that generally, they will not further punish a financially dependent spouse, especially if the marriage was a long-term marriage. Instead, New Jersey courts simply try and mitigate the financial impact of the divorce on both parties, and especially your children, if you have any.

Therefore, when couples get divorced, New Jersey courts will analyze several different aspects of both spouse’s lives before deciding the outcome. They will consider your age, health, child custody agreement, yearly salary, and more. However, one of the most important factors when deciding who gets what is the duration of your marriage.

If you are the financially dependent spouse in a long-term marriage, you will most likely be awarded more marital property than your spouse, which may include your home. Additionally, if you are seeking alimony payments, the longer the duration of your marriage, the longer the duration of your alimony–generally speaking, of course. New Jersey courts analyze each case individually, so there is no telling how your divorce will go until it actually happens. However, you can maximize your chances of a positive outcome by hiring a compassionate, knowledgeable firm.

Contact our experienced Bergen County firm

At Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to understand and protect their legal rights before, during, and after the divorce process in towns across New Jersey and Bergen County, including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, and Fort Lee.

To speak with our team of divorce lawyers today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your concerns about moving out of your marital home during your divorce, please contact us online, or through our Hackensack, NJ office at (201) 397-1750.

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