Divorce Lawyer in New York for the Future You're Building

Reviewed by Alan Vaitzman, Esq. — 5+ years handling elder law, estate planning, and guardianship matters in New York.

Divorce Touches More Than One Part of Your Life

A divorce reaches into your finances, your family decisions, and the estate plan behind them. We bring those pieces together so you make decisions with the full picture in mind.

Our work in family law and estate planning allows us to consider these areas together rather than treating each issue separately.

A Fresh Start for Your Estate Plan

Divorce is an opportunity to revisit your estate plan and make sure it reflects the life you are moving into. We help you understand how New York law affects your existing plan and identify the decisions that are yours to make.

Understanding Where Your Assets Stand

New York follows equitable distribution, which means marital property is divided fairly based on the circumstances of the marriage. That does not mean an equal division.

Separate property remains separate, but the way it is used or combined during the marriage can change that. We walk through what counts as marital versus separate in your specific situation.

Making Sure Your Plan Reflects What Comes Next

Some changes take effect under New York law when a divorce is finalized. Others are decisions you make as part of updating your plan.

Changes under New York law

• Certain provisions in a will benefiting a former spouse are revoked once the divorce is final.

Updates you make

• Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance.
• Powers of attorney and health care proxies.
• Trust documents.
• Other provisions that no longer reflect your wishes.

We look at these pieces together with your divorce planning, helping you make thoughtful updates for the next chapter of your life.

Direct Guidance From Your Attorney

You work with one attorney across your whole case, not a rotating team of associates.

This same attorney also handles our estate planning and probate work, so your divorce and the plans that follow stay with one point of contact.

Planning Around Your Business, Inheritance, and Retirement Assets

A divorce involves assets that need a closer look, particularly when you own a business, have received an inheritance, or have accumulated retirement assets during the marriage.

New York’s equitable distribution rules treat each of these on its own terms, and we walk through the planning considerations that matter for your situation.

• Asset tracing clarifies what is separate property and what counts as marital.
• Business valuation and division account for each owner’s or partner’s stake.
• Retirement account division often requires a qualified domestic relations order.
• Real estate and investment accounts are reviewed alongside your other holdings.
• Deferred compensation and stock options are addressed in the same review.
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are factored in where they apply.

Keeping an Inheritance Part of Your Estate Plan

An inheritance is considered separate property in New York, though how it was held or used during the marriage can change that treatment.

We trace inherited assets, confirm their status, and factor them into your broader financial and estate plan.

Our matrimonial law and asset protection work covers both sides of that question.

Looking Ahead With Asset Protection Planning

Once your divorce is settled, you have new decisions to make about the assets you retain and how you want them structured going forward.

Together, we explore divorce and asset protection planning in light of your new circumstances, including trusts, entity structures, and beneficiary designations.

The goal is to help your financial and estate plans reflect the life you are building after divorce.

Divorce Representation Across New York

We work with clients throughout New York City and the surrounding counties, with consultations available in person or virtually.

Our Lower Manhattan office serves clients from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, as well as Nassau, Westchester, Suffolk, Rockland, and Orange counties.

We have worked with more than 500 families across our practice areas, including asset protection planning in New York.

Start With a Conversation About Your Situation

You don’t need to have every detail figured out before reaching out. We start with where things stand, listen to your concerns, and help you understand what comes next.

Consultations are available in person in Lower Manhattan or virtually via Zoom or phone. Contact us to schedule a conversation about your situation.