Who Gets What Property In The Divorce?
During a divorce, deciding who gets the house, car, boat or any other property you acquired during the marriage is a significant undertaking, and often a contentious one. Decisions about property division have ramifications that can extend far into the future. You want to ensure that your best interests are protected by an experienced Dedham property division lawyer.
At the Law Office of Alan J. Pransky, we work closely with our clients throughout the property division process, seeking an outcome that is fair and lays the groundwork for a stable future.
For experienced legal counsel in your property division matter, contact our law office online today for a free initial consultation. You may also call our firm at 781-613-8809 to learn more about our services.
Equitable Division And Asset Distribution In Massachusetts
Massachusetts is an equitable division state. This means that the court takes into account many factors in determining how to divide marital property fairly, including:
- Conduct of the parties during marriage
- Length of marriage
- Income potential of each party
- Liabilities of each party
- Employment status (or the ability to obtain employment)
- Age and health of each party
The court commonly arrives at a division in the range of a 50-50 to 45-55 percent. While other splits are possible, these tend to be costly and time-consuming to pursue.
As such, it is often a better idea to seek an agreement on property division rather than engage in costly and protracted litigation. However, when there are significant assets at stake (where equity in the property exceeds $300,000) or you have assets that are both a sum of money as well as a source of income (self-employment at your own business, for example), it may be worthwhile to fight.
What You Can Expect From Us
When clients visit our offices, we work hard to set realistic expectations and provide perspective. It is important to be truthful when disclosing assets, and we encourage all of our clients to be completely honest with us when disclosing finances. Only with a complete picture of your financial situation can we work for a property division agreement that fits your specific circumstances.
We will explain how equitable division works, help you understand the factors the court considers, and the weight of each of those factors. We will thoroughly evaluate your and your spouse’s situations and determine the likelihood of coming to an agreement.
Should an agreement not be possible or advisable, you can trust that we will be prepared to vigorously advocate on your behalf in court.
We Utilize Experts To Obtain Accurate Valuations
Where necessary, we will retain expert witnesses such as forensic accountants and actuaries to determine the value of businesses, real estate, pension accounts and other assets. We will help identify hidden assets. For cases involving self-employed parties, we will examine work-in-progress and past income to arrive at the most accurate financial picture possible.
Contact A Boston-Area Property Division Attorney
For more than 30 years, we have helped men and women throughout the Greater Boston area seek fair outcomes in property and asset division. Contact our Dedham law office online or call 781-613-8809 for a free, initial consultation.
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