Helping Clients in Westfield | Division of Assets and Debt
Serving Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties
An important part of any divorce is dealing with the couple's joint property and debts. Almost everyone has some property, whether it's a house, a car, a second home or retirement accounts. Almost every couple has some debt, such as a mortgage, car loan, credit card or other unsecured loans.
The Massachusetts statute relating to the division of marital property and debt is called equitable distribution. The goal is to apply over 20 different factors including, but not limited to, contribution of the parties during the marriage, length of the marriage, age and health of the parties, employability and vocational skills of each, and the likelihood of both parties to acquire assets in the future.
Attorneys Known as Thorough and Persistent Advocates for Clients
At The Massachusetts Family Law Group, we pride ourselves on providing aggressive advocacy for clients in all matters related to the distribution of property and debt. We make sure that all the relevant assets and debts are out on the table for distribution. If our client suspects that his or her spouse may be hiding assets in an effort to keep them out of the property division process, we investigate thoroughly, working with forensic accountants, private investigators, and other financial specialists to uncover unreported income, secret bank accounts, and other non-disclosed assets such as jewelry or collections.
Our Record Speaks for Itself
Often referred to as "the most sought after divorce attorneys in Massachusetts," our focus is on aggressive representation of clients in difficult and complex cases, including cases involving significant assets and complicated ownership trials.
No client is ever too small, and no case is too large. With more than 30-plus years of combined courtroom litigation experience, our legal team has handled well over a thousand cases. Rest assured that we have probably handled a case similar to yours.
Giving Clients the Information and Tools They Need
We believe in educating our clients about legal issues that will affect their divorces. To that end, we help clients identify the property that should be considered part of a marital estate. To be sure that nothing is overlooked, we have developed worksheets to help clients identify everything that should be included during the property division process.
Many people do not really think of the baseball card collection and credit card reward points as assets. However, if they were acquired during the marriage, they should be valued and included in the property distribution process.
Don't Overlook Assets Such as These
Some examples of assets that you might overlook include:
- Antiques
- Computers and other electronics
- Frequent flier miles
- Health club memberships
- Patents and inventions
- Life insurance policies
- Lottery winnings
- Tips
- Season tickets
- Tax refunds
Remember, income and assets do not have to be reported on your tax returns in order to be considered in the property valuation process. Our attorneys will advise you.
Springfield Divorce and Bankruptcy Attorneys
Two people live more efficiently together than they do apart. Unfortunately, when they divorce, expenses go up and their combined incomes rarely offset the additional expenses. In some cases, our attorneys see how divorce and bankruptcy go together, and how filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy can become necessary.
You need to be aware of the consequences. Our attorneys have experience handling both types of matters. With offices across Massachusetts, we represent men and women in divorce and bankruptcy proceedings, and we offer a free, no-obligation consultation when the line between the two becomes blurred. Call (800) 941-DIVORCE to schedule your appointment, or contact us online.
