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Divorcing after a short marriage

by | Nov 1, 2017 | Blog

New Jersey is actually home to one of the lowest divorce rates in the United States. Roughly 9 percent of adults in the state divorce, and one component of this seems to be that people in New Jersey tend to marry at an older age. 

Every divorce is different, which means the division of assets will end differently. However, there are factors most courts take into consideration every time. One such factor is the length of the marriage. A judge may see things differently with a couple that was together for two years compared to one that was together for 20. 

What is the definition of a short marriage?

Short marriages have a broad definition. Most courts view a marriage that lasted less than five years as short. This is because most couples do not commingle assets or combine bank accounts until around the five-year mark. 

Are short marriage divorces easier?

The answer to this question is highly subjective. It all comes down to each individual case, but generally speaking, they tend to be easier because many couples do not have children for the first few years of a marriage. That means if the couple divorces, then they do not have to worry about child custody and support, which takes up a huge part of the divorce process. 

Is alimony on the table?

Alimony can still come up during these cases, but it is more likely to be less than if the marriage lasted a long time. The reason for this is that these days, both spouses are probably still in the workforce. If the couple does not share any children, then one would not need more money to care for the kids. A judge may still award alimony to one spouse based on the fault of the divorce and the couple’s standard of living during the marriage. Additionally, a couple married for a short time would probably have greater success with mediation, which is an avenue worth looking into.