When someone who lives in New Jersey decides to file for divorce, it may be a good idea for them to go ahead and do so rather than waiting for their spouse to file first. Once reconciliation is no longer possible in a marriage, filing for divorce first is a good idea because it allows people to arrange their finances and prevent their spouse from hiding assets. Additionally, it can enable people to have the best selection of legal representation.
One of the biggest issues related to a divorce is division of marital property. When someone knows they are going to file for divorce, this will allow them to be proactive about collecting financial information, including bank statements, tax returns and property titles. People can also start saving money to handle legal fees and living expenses once they are paying for them on their own.
Another reason to be the first to file for divorce is that it gives an individual’s spouse less time to start hiding assets. Unfortunately, some people will try to hide assets during a divorce to prevent it from being split during property division. Filing sooner rather than later makes it difficult for these covert activities to succeed.
Those going through a divorce should also be aware that if their spouse has shared confidential information with an attorney, that attorney cannot represent them. The sooner that someone files, the more options they have for selecting an attorney who could help them protect their rights and assets during the divorce.
Source: Forbes, “What Are The Financial And Legal Advantages Of Being First To File For Divorce?,” Jeff Landers, March 26, 2013
