Divorce

Getting a divorce may be as easy as filing paperwork.  But whether your matter is settled or litigated, the road ahead requires a detailed plan of action.  Our attorneys work with you to assess your prospects for employability, your fair share of the marital assets, and your child sharing options.  Talk to a lawyer at our firm for advice specific to your case.

Before you file for divorce...

Retain an attorney

Do not make any sudden changes in your lifestyle until you get a better sense of your financial assets and liabilities.  Consult with Sager and Gellerman to obtain the guidance you need to ensure your long-term interests.

Get informed

It is an all too common scenario - a wife who does not know where her husband stores important financial documents, such as retirement account and brokerage statements, tax returns, business records, utility bills, or 401K statements.  It is critical, when you are contemplating divorce, to educate yourself about everything in your marriage.  Obtain copies of your financial records, including proof of the following shared assets and debts:

• Household income - Judges use this information to decide on child support and alimony
• Financial holdings - cars, pensions, investments, properties, savings, stock options - these assets may be shared between you and your spouse
• Family heirlooms - expensive paintings, jewelry, or furniture are part of your shared assets
• Assess your debt - personal loans, bank loans, credit card debt, and mortgage payments factor into your shared debt
• Household expenses - utility bills, mortgage payments, and miscellaneous costs for yard work or snow shoveling can all factor into your expenses

Our attorneys can help you gather the documentation you need to receive a fair distribution of the marital estate.  It is much easier to obtain copies of your financial records before you seek a divorce. 

Make a plan for life after divorce

Housing, child care, utilities, and transportation are just a few of the extra costs associated with splitting one household into two.  You will need to revise your expectations and your outlook while developing a realistic plan for the future.  Our attorneys take a hard look at your future goals to negotiate an acceptable resolution. 

Case studies of two past successes

Forensic accounting reveals hidden assets

In this case, the wife retained us to pursue a divorce from her husband, who owned a construction company.  All the husband’s financial documents showed limited income and limited assets, yet the wife asserted that the husband earned much more than he claimed.  Through the use of sophisticated forensic accounting, we prepared a detailed lifestyle analysis, and established that the family’s affluent standard of living belied the husband’s claimed income.  As a result, the Court found that the husband had secreted assets, and further that the husband’s income was far in excess of that disclosed by his financial documents.  The Court imputed income to the husband and granted the wife a far greater amount of support as well as a larger percentage of the marital assets than would have been awarded if the husband’s claims were accepted.

Equitable distribution of marital assets

In another case, despite the fact that the parties were above the age of 60, their second marriage was of relatively short duration.  The wife sought lifetime support as she had not worked since the marriage, had limited work skills and limited earning potential.  We were able to prove to the Court that at her age, and with limited marketable skills, the wife should not be required to return to the workforce.  The Court awarded her lifetime support, a share of the marital assets, and a share of the husband’s appreciated pre-marital assets.

Serving the following geographic regions in New York:
Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn; Westchester and Nassau Counties