Experience Navigating Financially Complex Divorces in New Jersey
Last updated on February 14, 2025
Divorce is difficult for every couple, but families with significant assets face unique issues. Attorney Laurie A. Bernstein is an accomplished Essex County high net worth divorce attorney who works closely with high net worth clients, providing the personalized advice and zealous advocacy they need from a divorce lawyer.
With more than 40 years of experience fighting for clients in high-asset divorce cases, Ms. Bernstein has the knowledge, experience and skill to give clients the edge they need when their financial future and property rights are on the line.
Experienced Representation For Complex Asset Valuation
Before the court can make an equitable division of assets and debts, a comprehensive accounting of the couple’s property and financial holdings may be required. Attorney Bernstein works closely with well-respected experts, including forensic accountants, economists and tax experts, to calculate income, value assets and address other financial concerns in cases involving:
- Businesses
- Real estate holdings
- Retirement plans, 401(K)s and pensions
- Investments, stocks and stock options
Attorney Bernstein will tenaciously defend your financial interests during your divorce.
Frequently Asked Questions About High Net Worth Divorces
When a couple has significant assets between them, a divorce tends to be a lot more complicated. Here are some of the biggest questions attorney Bernstein hears:
What counts as a high net worth?
You may not even think of yourself as having a high net worth if a lot of your wealth is tied up in complex assets like stock options, retirement accounts, business ventures and real estate. Generally speaking, if you and your spouse have at least one million in assets, you are considered high net worth. That means that you need to take a strategic approach to your divorce that takes into consideration not only the division of your marital assets and debts but also tax liabilities, issues of support, and more.
Can mediation work in a high-asset divorce?
Mediation can be especially beneficial in high-asset divorces. This is largely because mediation allows couples to take a creative approach to their financial split, which is not likely to happen if the divorce goes to litigation. Mediation gives the divorcing couple more control over the decisions that are made and more privacy when it comes to keeping their financial information out of the public eye. Mediation can also be cost-effective and faster than a court battle, and that ultimately preserves more of the marital assets to be divided.
What assets are considered in a New Jersey divorce?
In New Jersey, marital assets are equitably divided in a divorce. Equitable distribution means that marital property is divided fairly but not necessarily equally. It’s important to note that only marital property is subject to division; separate property generally remains with the individual who owns it. Marital property broadly includes anything that was acquired during the marriage, while separate property can include assets acquired before the marriage by one spouse, gifts and inheritances.
Contact an Essex County High Asset Divorce Attorney
When you work with attorney Bernstein, she will provide the personalized attention and care you and your family need. She will answer your questions, listen and make herself accessible. She understands that family law conflicts impact everyone involved and will handle your case with the sensitivity and respect you deserve. Contact The Law Office of Laurie A. Bernstein, P.C., here or call 973-567-3591 to schedule a confidential consultation today. Attorney Bernstein represents clients in northern New Jersey and throughout the central counties.