As you go to court to divide property during your divorce, it’s crucial that you ask all of the right questions and gather as much information as you can. A few questions to consider include the following:

— Is there anything that could make the marriage invalid? This can happen in some cases, and it may mean you’re not obligated to split up your property the same way you would be if the marriage is valid.

— What is the exact date that you and your spouse have separated? Property obtained after that date but before the divorce often doesn’t have to be divided. This way, if the divorce takes months to come together, you don’t have to split up your earnings from after the marriage is effectively over.

— Do you know all of the property that you and your spouse own? You are both required to declare this to the court. Look over the records carefully, especially if you think that your spouse may try to hide assets from you.

— Did you sign a prenup when you got married? This can have a drastic impact on property division, and you need to know exactly what it does.

— Have you identified your debts? Remember that property division is about dividing debts as well as assets, and the way these debts are split may even have more of a long-lasting impact on your life than the division of property.

To learn more about the divorce process in Massachusetts, please take a moment to visit our webpages on the topic.