The Reality of Marital Property Division.

Equitable Distribution is the process by which a separated or divorced couple divides their martial estate – cash, real property, personal property, retirement savings, investments, and debts – all of the assets accrued during the marriage term. “ED” cases never (well almost never) go to trial. Out of over 17,000 domestic matters filed in Mecklenburg County last year, less than 10 went to trial. There are sitting family law judges who have never presided over an Equitable Distribution Trial! The reason? Well, you don’t need a judge to value and divide the assets for you. Judges will tell you, or anyone else who wants to listen, that in all but the most bizarre instances, the property allocation will be as close to 50 – 50 as possible. In a rare case which qualifies under the statutory factors as an “Uneven Distribution” we might see a 52 – 48 split. Experienced domestic lawyers, like Lake Norman Law Firm, can achieve a fair and orderly distribution of the marital estate much more efficiently through private negotiations.

To be sure, there will be disputes along the way. Equitable Distribution is not simple. There are a lot of moving parts: quarrels over who gets what; arguments over the value of property; allocation of post-separation debts paid and monies accrued. But, you don’t need to spend thousands of extra dollars in attorneys’ fees and court costs to sort these matters out through litigation. You do need an advocate like Lake Norman Law Firm to diligently value the estate, and counsel you on the most efficient distribution scheme. Divorce is a life changing event. The assets you receive will set your new path in life. We work with local accountants and financial advisors so that we can best advise our clients how to optimize their property allocations and chart a new course. That’s the trick. We aim to make our client’s 50 % more valuable than their spouses 50 %. We do so in a professional manner and in a low stress environment.

Lake Norman Law Firm works on a high volume of ED matters, and particularly, high asset ED cases. If you find yourself facing separation and divorce, trust us to provide Smart Honest Legal Advice, and achieve the most efficient and practical estate distribution based on your circumstances and interests.