Equitable Mediation to Open Three New Locations in Bergen County

Equitable Mediation Services announced today that it will now be serving divorce mediation clients in Bergen County, New Jersey in the towns of Paramus, Saddle Book and Hackensack, expanding the number of it’s New Jersey office locations to 12.

Managing Partner and Equitable Mediation founder Joseph Dillon said “I know I speak for everyone here at Equitable Mediation when I say that we’re pleased to be able to assist divorce mediation clients in an office location that’s convenient for them during their time of need and by expanding into Paramus, Saddle Book and Hackensack, we’re able to do just that for Bergen County couples.”

Until recently Equitable Mediation Services focused mostly on Central NJ and the lower part of Northern NJ with office locations in Bedminster, Bridgewater, East Brunswick, Iselin (Metropark), Morristown Princeton, Short Hills, Red Bank and Roseland.  With the expansion into Bergen County and the towns of Paramus, Saddle Book and Hackensack, clients in those areas will still be able to obtain the benefits of mediation in NJ but in a location that’s much closer to their home.  This is especially convenient for those individuals who may live in New Jersey but work in New York City which many Bergen County resident do.

“Our clients come to us from all over the state and up until recently, for those individuals who phoned us seeking mediation services in Paramus, Saddle Book or Hackensack, the best we could do was offer them a meeting in one of our other office locations which for some, wasn’t convenient.  Having these three new office locations is going to make it easier on our clients in Bergen County to get the services they need from a firm they can trust.  We’ve been mediating for a long time and divorce mediation is our full time profession.  Using an unknown firm without Accredited Professional Mediators just isn’t something clients should want to take a chance on.”

Because the laws of the State apply to all clients who are eligible to file for divorce in New Jersey,  Equitable Mediation Services is able to service clients no matter where they live.  Adding three new Bergen County office locations is in line with the Equitable Mediation philosophy of reducing the stress of an already uncomfortable situation by being where the clients need divorce mediation services the most. For information on the new Equitable Mediation Services office locations, please see the addresses below.

• Paramus Divorce Mediation: 140 East Ridgewood Avenue – Paramus, New Jersey
• Saddle Brook Divorce Mediation: (the Park 80 West building)- 250 Pehle Avenue, Suite 200 – Saddle Brook, New Jersey
• Hackensack Divorce Mediation (opening winter 2012) – 401 Hackensack Avenue – Suite 200 – Hackensack, New Jersey

If you have any questions about divorce mediation in NJ or our services, please call us at (908) 864-2177.

Financial Issues in Divorce Mediation: Equitable Distribution

As a NJ mediator, I’ve often said that divorce is really just a really big financial contract with a parenting component and equitable distribution is an excellent example of how true a statement that is.  Equitable Distribution is the fair but not necessarily equal division of a couple’s marital assets and liabilities and is one of the areas where financial issues really come into play.  Here are some general rules you’ll want to keep in mind when discussing Equitable Distribution.

First you’ll want to keep in mind whether an asset is a taxable or non-taxable item.  For example, if you were to receive $1000 in stocks versus $1000 in cash during your Equitable Distribution, which would you take?  On the surface they seem like the same thing but in reality, tax issues may make the stocks higher or lower in value than the $1000 they are currently worth.  Not only that, stocks fluctuate in value whereas cash sits in a bank and doesn’t drop below it’s value unless you withdraw some.   Same thing goes for IRA’s & 401(k)’s.  In this case, plan on knocking off at least 20-25% of the account’s current value as unless it’s a Roth IRA, you’ll pay tax on the money when you go to take it out come retirement.

Second is the house.  You know the old saying about what goes up must come down?  Sadly many of us in NJ found out it also applies to housing prices. Houses are not only risky investments, they require a lot of work.  For example, the average life of a water heater is 10 years.  HVAC unit maybe 15-20 and a roof can vary depending on quality and grade.  So if you plan on being in a home for an extended period of time, be real and consider the replacement and maintenance costs associated with home ownership, not just the monthly mortgage payment.  Losses from hurricanes or other disasters can be costly as well and given the weather lately, seems like you can count on one of those events every 5-10 years.

Finally talk to your accountant (or get one if you don’t have one) about what your Equitable Distribution settlement will look like vis a vis your tax return.  Many of the decisions you make in mediation will have a significant impact on your taxes so it’s important you understand those implications to make sure your Equitable Distribution is well, fair and equitable.  When you’re sitting at the bargaining table it may not always be evident what the impact may be so reserve the right to say “I need some time to consult with my accountant to understand if this is in my best interest” before proceeding.  With divorce mediation there is no rush and it’s important you feel comfortable before moving forward.

Have questions about Equitable Distribution?  Please feel free to visit the Equitable Mediation Services website or give our offices a call at (908) 864-2177 and schedule an appointment for you and your spouse to come in a discuss your unique situation as we’re always glad to help.

 

Full Mobile Version of Equitable Mediation Services Website Now Available

Did you know that 10% of the visitors to the Equitable Mediation Services website are using mobile devices? In order to make it even easier on our visitors, we have developed a true mobile version of our website that works seamlessly with your Android, iPhone or Blackberry device. Simply visit our regular website at www.equitablemediation.com and you’ll be automatically redirected. Or if you’re one of those folks who are smart enough to access it direct, please visit www.equitablemediation.mobi.  As always, we welcome your feedback and would love to know what you think.  Please call us at (908) 864-2177 with comments or questions.

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