Empowering Stay-at-Home Parents in Divorce

Stay-at-Home Parents Encounter Particular Difficulties, Such as Worries Regarding Their Financial Stability and Life After The Divorce.

The process of divorce in New Jersey can be stressful to even the most together person’s emotional and financial resources. When children are involved, the complexities that go into settling a divorce agreement are amplified, as the stakes are much higher. And when you are a stay-at-home parent, you can be bombarded with worries about how you will financially sustain yourself and your children after divorce, where you will live, and how you will navigate the necessities of a post-divorce financial life. If you are a stay-at-home parent, The Montanari Law Group can help represent your best interests and those of your children to ensure that you are properly set up for life after the dissolution of your marriage. Contact our family law office at (973) 233-4396 for a free consultation regarding your divorce and child custody settlement, and read on to learn more about what happens in divorce for stay-at-home parents.

Major Concerns Stay-at-Home Parents Face in NJ Divorce

Divorce is hard on everyone, particularly stay-at-home parents whose job it has been raising the children. Because they have not been bringing home a traditional paycheck, a stay-at-home parent may worry that their immense contribution to the family will go overlooked by the court. However, New Jersey is an equitable distribution state, meaning that marital assets are divided fairly and child custody is determined based on a wide variety of factors and familial circumstances. When each spouse’s financial information is provided, the court considers the roles and responsibilities of a stay-at-home parent to be highly meritable contributions to the marital household and in service to the best interests of the children, though its value doesn’t show up on paper. A stay-at-home parent is, thus, likely to receive ample spousal support, or alimony, as well as child support.

Top Challenges for Stay-at-Home Parents in Divorce Proceedings

Stay-at-home parents often come up against several challenges when it comes to divorce. The first is worry about their financial future. Considering whether to begin looking for a job immediately is a reality faced by many stay-at-home parents, as alimony does not tend to cover full costs of maintaining the marital status quo. Also, a judge is more likely to rule in favor of awarding custody to a stay-at-home parent if they have a source of income on the way, so immediately planning for entry into the job market is advised. Additionally, because so much of a stay-at-home parent’s life revolves around the household, retaining the marital home may be a strong desire, but it should be carefully considered, as associated maintenance costs and fees can become overwhelming for a single parent. And a less-often discussed but nonetheless present challenge that many stay-at-home parents face, especially those of older children, is getting clear about their identity and passions. For many, their identity is wrapped up in being a parent, yet given the financial and personal necessities of life post-divorce, a stay-at-home parent will once again need to blossom outside of the home. This existential inquiry can be an exciting but daunting one.

Equitable Asset Division Principle for Divorcing Stay-at-Home Parents

New Jersey is an equitable distribution state, so assets are fairly divided based on numerous conditions such as financial and household contributions, shared and individual assets, years married, health, relationship with the children, and other factors. A stay-at-home parent is likely to receive a fair share of the assets and other benefits such as alimony and child support if their contribution to the family has been comparable to their bread-winning partner.

Ensuring Financial Stability Through Temporary Spousal Support in NJ

Temporary spousal support, or pendente lite, is an effort to ensure that both spouses have the financial means they require to navigate the divorce and live according to their marital means. Early in the divorce proceedings, a court may award pendente lite to the non-breadwinning partner on a temporary basis, by which the breadwinning partner is responsible for supporting the other financially throughout the divorce.

Count on the Knowledgeable Advice of Our Little Falls Divorce Lawyers Assisting Stay at Home Parents

Navigating a divorce as a stay-at-home parent can seem overwhelming, but when you have the support of an experienced and professional family law attorney like those on our team at The Montanari Law Group, you can rest assured that your best interests and those of your family are skillfully protected. Our team is committed to ensuring that your equitable right to marital assets despite your limited financial contribution to the marital home is secure, as well as making sure that you are financially provided for during the divorce proceedings, as you raise your children as a single parent, and as you get back into the workforce and onto the next chapter of your life.

The conditions that determine equitable distribution and support for stay-at-home parents in a divorce are varied and detailed, and we will work tirelessly for you to ensure that your important contribution to the family is honored, protected, and repaid, while you focus on supporting your children’s emotional wellbeing through this transitional time. We serve clients in Wayne, Paterson, Clifton, Woodland Park, Ringwood, North Haledon, and throughout Passaic County. Contact us today at (973) 233-4396 for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your divorce.