Getting divorced can be a difficult process no matter how long you’ve been married, but if you and your spouse have been together for decades, the process can be even harder. There’s more to consider and the divorce may have a more significant impact on your life than it would if you’d been married for just a year or two. Though navigating divorce after a long-term marriage is doable with help from an experienced New Jersey divorce attorney, it’s still helpful to understand the differences you’ll see before you go to court. Let’s take a closer look.
What Counts as a Long-Term Marriage?
Before we look at the differences that long-term married couples will see when divorcing, let’s first define a long-term marriage. In most cases, long-term marriages are those that have lasted for 10 or more years.
That’s not to say that shorter-term marriages can’t be just as complicated. Every divorce is unique and the circumstances surrounding your divorce will determine the ease or difficulty with which you and your spouse come to a fair settlement agreement.
The Differences You May See
If you and your spouse are getting divorced after being married for a few years, the division of your assets and the settlement of your divorce will typically be easier and more straightforward simply because you’ve had less time to combine assets and integrate fully into each other’s lives. But if you’ve been married for 10 or more years and are pursuing a divorce, you may see differences like the following.
Larger Alimony Payments
New Jersey divorce courts consider the length of your marriage when determining alimony or spousal support settlements. The longer you were married, the more you and your spouse came to financially depend on one another. If you supported your spouse financially for the bulk of your marriage or made significantly more money than them, you may have to pay a larger alimony amount for a longer time than you would if you were only married for a short time.
Again, every alimony settlement will be different and based on the nuances of the case. Your New Jersey divorce attorney can help you negotiate a fair settlement.
More Complex Property Division
The longer you’re married, the more assets you and your spouse are likely to share. This can make it harder to fairly divide the property you have between the two of you. During your divorce, you can expect property division to take longer and, if you and your spouse are negotiating with each other, you can expect to have more conversations to reach an agreement.
More Time-Consuming Legal Process
Long-term marriages can result in more complex divorces. This means you may experience more time-consuming and complex legal processes surrounding your divorce. Your New Jersey divorce attorney will help you compile the necessary documents and figure out which terms are most beneficial for you so you can streamline the process as much as possible. However, you can still expect the process to take at least several months, even if you and your spouse agree on everything.
Your attorney will do what they can to speed up the process and help you reach a fair settlement as quickly as possible so you can move on with your life.
Look for a New Jersey Divorce Attorney Who Understands Long-Term Marriages
As with any divorce, having an experienced New Jersey divorce attorney represent you when you’re divorcing your long-term spouse is key. The right legal professional can take the stress out of the case and help you figure out the best way to move forward.
At Carvajal Law, our team has years of experience helping couples who have been married for decades move on with their separate lives. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.