What If I Want No Contact With The Father
Both parents have legal rights to their children, with rare exception, including in New York. This is true for custodial, and non-custodial parents.
Even if a mother wants no contact with the father, acknowledging paternity has important benefits for the child, such as financial or medical support, information about family medical history, and the possibility of sharing parental responsibilities.
New York Office of Child Support
Should You Cash Out Your 401k Before Divorce
Rember that withdrawals from a 401K prior to age 59.5 are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty. The withdrawal will be reported as income on your tax return. If the withdrawal happens before the divorce is final, the owner is responsible for the taxes and penalties unless you negotiate otherwise. If you are cashing out a portion of the 401K for the non-owner spouse, wait until after the divorce is final and do it through a QDRO so you can avoid the 10% penalty.
How Do You File For An Uncontested Divorce In New York
If you and your spouse agree that you both want a divorce and are in agreement over specifics then you may file for an uncontested divorce. To do so, you must meet New York State residency requirements and qualify for one of the grounds for divorce outlined above. The process typically follows these steps:
If in step three above the defendant files a Notice of Appearance, then the divorce is contested and you may need to hire a lawyer to argue your case. If the defendant does not return the affidavit or file a Notice of Appearance, then they will have defaulted, resulting in an uncontested divorce.
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How Are The Funds Split If He Rolled His 401k Over Into An Ira
: My spouse had a substantial amount in the 401K account when we married and the account has accrued a lot more during our marriage….I know that in a divorce I am allowed half of what was accrued during the marriage. But what if he retired and rolls the money into an IRA. Am I still entitled to half of the money accrued during the marriage? Also if he starts withdrawing on the retirement account, does that entitle me to less if we get divorced?
Brette’s Answer: It doesn’t matter where the funds are – if they are marital assets, they are subject to division. Generally assets are valued as of the date of separation, so withdrawals after that date would not impact your share. Talk to an attorney in your state for detailed information and personal advice.
How Does Shared Custody Work
Many people assume that when parents live separately, time is split evenly between the parents. In New York, that is not presumed, and the default ruling of judges still tends towards the every-other-weekend, Wednesday night dinner schedule.
Throughout the country, the trend is shifting away from this traditional schedule, and to shared custody, or equally shared parenting, in which time between the parents is split approximately 50/50. Here is some research on why experts believe equally shared parenting is best for children.
One of the first co-parenting apps, and widely used app, OurFamilyWizard, which features chat, information storage , and financial record-keeping. 30-day free trial, discounts for military families, and a program to provide OurFamilyWizard free to low-income families. Each parent can add unlimited numbers of other people for free, including children, grandparents, step and bonus parents, as well as attorneys.
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Judge Rules In Favor Of Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager
It looks like New York hedge fund billionaire Steven Cohen will not have to go to trial for fraud. A federal judge ruled that his ex-wife failed to produce enough evidence that the founder of SAC Capital Advisors hid assets from her during their divorce.
In her ruling, the judge said that Patricia Cohen has not produced evidence of any bank account, cancelled checks, property, or other assets belonging to Steven which he did not disclose to her in his 1988 financial statement.
Its been 18 years since the couple broke up, ending a nine-year marriage. Patricia Cohen alleged that her husband had filed a separate tax return in order to hide substantial income during their divorce proceedings.
Mrs. Cohen says that it wasnt until years after their divorce that she learned that her ex-husband had received a $5.5 million dollar settlement over a failed investment in some apartments with a friend. She filed a lawsuit in late 2009 against Cohen, his brother and the friend with whom Cohen invested in the Queens apartments. A judge dismissed the RICO case against Cohen in 2014.
Patricia Cohens attorney has not yet said whether his client will appeal this most recent ruling. He did say, If all the evidence were put before a jury we believe a jury would find for Mrs. Cohen.
Courthouse News Service, Billionaire Steve Cohen Ducks Ex-Wifes Suit, Adam Klasfeld, May 20, 2016
How To File For Divorce In New York Without A Lawyer
If you have an uncontested divorce, in which there is not much disagreement, few assets, and no big argument over how time or custody of the children will be shared, and general agreement on co-parenting, you can likely file for divorce in NY without an attorney.
Two tools we recommend: RocketLawyer provides documents you need to file in your state for $39.99/month for unlimited documents, as well as $59.99 per 30-minute attorney consultation. Typical forms you will need include a separation agreement, divorce worksheet, and, finally, a divorce settlement agreement. Learn more with our RocketLawyer review.
3 Step Divorce provides all the legal documents you need for a divorce in your state, detailed instructions for filling them out and filing them online, for a total fee of $299. You can also store your documents online, share them with your spouse or an attorney . More about 3StepDivorce, or read our 3StepDivorce review:
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Here are the steps to take to get divorced in New York:
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What Is Marital Property
This applies even if the title of a specific assetsuch as a car or houseis in the name of just one spouse. All assetsincluding tangible and intangible assetscan be considered marital property. It includes money, cars, boats, houses, collections, furniture, antiques, stock options, businesses, retirement accounts and pension plans.
Understanding Marital Property Division
One of the most difficult things about the end of a marriage is splitting up the assets. You and your soon-to-be ex-spouse may be at odds over certain items accumulated during the marriage. Who keeps the car? Who stays in the house?
New York is an equitable distribution state, which means that property must be divided as fairly as possible in a divorce. This does not mean that assets are automatically split 50/50, however. The court will look at many factors, such as the age and health of both parties, how each party contributed to the marriage, loss of pension rights or health insurance and maintenance awards. If there are children involved, the judge will also consider whether or not the custodial parent wishes to remain in the marital home.
Under New York law, only marital property is subject to equitable distribution in a divorce. Non-marital or separate property remains the possession of its original owner. Therefore, its important to understand what is rightfully yours and what you must split in a divorce.
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Whats The General Rule Of Property Division
New York State is an Equitable Distribution state. The marital assets and debts of the parties will be divided in an equitable fashion. This does not necessarily mean equal, however. What it does mean is that, based on the particular facts of the case, the assets and debts will be divided in a manner that fairly represents the parties contributions to the marriage. For example, if assets were brought into the marriage, but have appreciated in value, the marital portion would be subject to equitable distribution based on what contributions were made.
How Can Divorce Affect Your Business
Apart from issues involving children, the distribution of property is typically the most fiercely contested issue in any New York divorce case. When your assets involve your own business interests, things can become even more challenging. As has been reported by Reuters, a divorce can have an immense impact on small businesses.
The bottom line: You need to protect your legal rights and financial interests. If you are a Capital District business owner who is facing a divorce, it is imperative that you speak to a qualified Saratoga County family lawyer who has experience handling complex financial issues. Your lawyer will be able to assess your circumstances and find a solution that best protects your business.
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Is The 401k Value Determined At The Filing Date Or The Trial Date
Gina’s Question: We are working cooperatively toward divorce however we have stalled in one particular area related to my 401k. My question is this, do we look at the value of the 401k at the time I filed for divorce or do we look at the value at the time of the trial?
Brette’s Answer: Generally assets are valued on the separation date, but you want to date all assets to the same date.
Know Your Retirement Plans Rules And Regulations
You and your ex-spouse can decide how to split up certain retirement plans such as a 401 in a divorce along with other financial assets if applicable. Of course, agreement rarely comes up during a divorce. Thats why its best to seek professional legal and financial help to make sure you come up with a clean divorce agreement that wont leave you open to loopholes that can suck your hard-earned cash.
Divvying up retirement accounts in a divorce is different from splitting other types of assets, because specific tax laws and regulations governing these plans. The court cant simply order you to split retirement accounts in half.
In any case, your summary plan description would give you some details as to where your assets would go in a divorce. If you receive retirement benefits from work, you can get it from your employer. Otherwise, you can contact your plan administrator.
But, well cover the basics of how you can protect specific retirement plans below. Well also cover other steps you can take to shield your entire financial picture.
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Your Spouse’s 401k In Divorce
When you file the Qualified Domestic Relations Order to have all or part of your former spouses 401K distributed to you, you have an opportunity to take cash out of the account without paying the IRSs 10% penalty . To take advantage of this, when dividing a 401K in divorce, have the portion you need, paid directly from the account to you. It does not need to be the full amount that you are receiving. This is important, though. Don’t roll it into an IRA first and then take it out because if you do, then you will be subject to the penalty. You only avoid the penalty when the distribution is made directly from your former spouse’s 401K to you directly.
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What Typically Happens With 401s And Other Retirement Accounts During A Divorce
The division of retirement accounts are typically one of the most complex issues in divorce cases. There are tax implications and unique rules and laws that apply.
For example, a divorce is a rare time that allows you early access to your 401 or IRA without a tax penalty if your spouse is awarded part of your account.
Dividing retirement accounts during divorce is also tricky because investment accounts are tied to the stock market, so changes in the stock market directly affect your account’s value. That’s why very specific language has to be used in the divorce decree.
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Is It Legal To Cash Out Your 401 Before A Divorce
After a divorce starts, it is generally not permitted to dispose of martial assets such as retirement accounts. Additionally, just because you empty the account doesn’t mean that your spouse won’t just ask for their martial share, so you could still end up having to pay. Finally, while you can choose to cash out your 401 whenever you want, there is a penalty fee of 10% if you are under age 59 ½, and you will owe income tax.
What Happens To The House And Other Real Estate During A Divorce
Who gets the house?
Besides custody disputes over the kids, the question of how real estate should be dividedespecially the marital houseis perhaps the most contentious issue most divorcing couples face. Its not just about the monetary value if it were just another asset, no one would care that much. Rather, the house carries sentimental value, usually for both spousesand if youve been raising kids, tearing them from their childhood home could be devastating.
Needless to say, theres a lot to iron out herebut truthfully, most of the challenge lies in finding a point of agreement with your ex. Here in New York, where we practice, the laws about asset distribution are fairly clear and balanced. The problem is that if you cant agree on who gets the house, the judge will decide for both of you, and neither of you might like the outcome. Lets discuss this tricky aspect of the divorce settlement so you know what to set your expectations and how to prepare for some potentially difficult discussions.
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Options For Dividing Up Your Marital Real Estate Holdings
Once youve identified how much of your real estate is marital property , the question becomes how to divide that properly fairly and equitably in relation to your other assets. Effectively, you can resolve this question with one of three solutions:
Again equitably doesnt always mean equally.
In a divorce agreement, especially one that is litigated, the judge will take into account a variety of factors to decide what is an equitable distribution of your real estate and other holdings. For instance, if you are a stay-at-home mom, if the kids have spent their entire childhood in that home, and if your ability to produce an income is significantly less than that of your ex, the judge may be more likely to award you the house, or possibly to award you a larger than 50-percent share if the house must be sold.
Contact Our Albany Divorce Lawyers Today
At The Colwell Law Group, LLC, our dedicated divorce lawyers have helped many New York business owners through their divorce. If you have any questions about how divorce will affect your private business, please contact our team today at 213-4204 to request your initial consultation. From our office in Albany, we serve clients throughout the Capital District region.
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Why Is My Lawyer Charging Me For Filing The Qdro Papers
Kristen’s Question: My ex-husband has been awarded half of my 401k. Our QDRO has been prepared and is ready to be submitted to the court for the judge’s signature. My lawyer wants to charge me $300 JUST to file the paperwork with the court. Is this something I can do myself?
Brette’s Answer: I find it hard to believe the $300 is simply to mail the form in – are you sure that does not include some of the preparation? You will need to pay the attorney for completing the form. You could offer to come pick it up and take it to the courthouse yourself if that would save some money, but your attorney likely has a motion prepared to go with it or correspondence to the court explaining what it is and what needs to be done.
How Do I Know How To Best Divide The 401k In My Divorce
The best way to divide accounts in your divorce is going to be based on your financial situation. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. It is best to consult with your financial advisor and/or tax professional to determine what is in your best interest. A CDFA , who has specialized training in divorce financial planning can be especially helpful. A CDFA can help you make the right decisions when dividing your 401K and other assets in a divorce.
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