Professional Suffolk Family Lawyer
Simonetti & Associates Law Firm, voted Best Divorce Lawyer on Long Island 8 years in a row, serves all Nassau and Suffolk County residents including Great Neck, Hicksville, Massapequa, Huntington, Woodbury, Garden City, Melville, Plainview, Montauk, and everything in between understands that regardless of your net worth, you don’t want to squander money on your divorce. We strive to provide the high-quality spousal support and representation you expect from a prestigious firm during the dissolution of marriage while working to keep your legal costs at a minimum.
With flexible office hours, free consultations, and a convenient location in both Syosset and Water Mill, Simonetti & Associates is the Long Island divorce law firm that gives you value for your money. Choose a professional law office that returns calls after business hours, answers all of your questions, and takes a personal interest in the outcome of your case. Contact us online or call us at 877-385-2560 today, and let us begin building your case.
Louis F. Simonetti, Jr.
Founding Partner
Timothy J. Fallon
Managing Partner
Megan Long
Sr. Associate
Catherine Romano
Sr. Associate
Charlotte Betts
Of Counsel & Litigation Manager
Robert C. Shea
Associate
50 Station Road, Water Mill, NY 11976
The attorneys at Simonetti & Associates are completely dedicated to guiding our Nassau and Suffolk County clients through divorce and other family law disputes. We possess extensive settlement negotiation and litigation skills and experience, which we employ to fight for your rights in court. Whatever the complexity of your case, our highly motivated attorneys are prepared to manage your case in Long Island, Syosset or elsewhere in the Nassau or Suffolk County areas.
What Are The Aspects Of Family Law in Suffolk County?
Family law encompasses a wide range of legal issues that relate to family relationships, including marriage, divorce, child custody, adoption, and domestic violence. Here are some key aspects of family law:
Marriage: Family law governs the legal requirements for marriage, including age requirements, consent, and the process for obtaining a marriage license. It also addresses issues such as prenuptial agreements and annulment.
Divorce: Family law covers the legal process of ending a marriage, including grounds for divorce, property division, spousal support (alimony), and child custody and support.
Child Custody and Visitation: Family law determines how decisions about child custody and visitation are made when parents separate or divorce. It addresses issues such as legal custody (decision-making authority), physical custody (where the child will live), and visitation schedules.
Child Support: Family law establishes guidelines for determining child support payments, including factors such as the income of both parents, the needs of the child, and any special circumstances.
Adoption: Family law governs the process of adopting a child, including requirements for prospective adoptive parents, consent of biological parents, and legal procedures for finalizing adoptions.
Domestic Violence: Family law provides legal protections for victims of domestic violence, including restraining orders (protective orders), emergency custody orders, and other remedies to ensure the safety of victims and their children.
Paternity: Family law addresses issues related to establishing paternity, including DNA testing, child support obligations, and parental rights and responsibilities.
Guardianship: Family law allows for the appointment of a legal guardian to care for a minor child or incapacitated adult who is unable to care for themselves.
Surrogacy and Reproductive Rights: Family law addresses legal issues related to surrogacy, assisted reproductive technologies, and reproductive rights, including the rights and responsibilities of intended parents, surrogates, and egg or sperm donors.
Understanding Separation Agreements and How Simonetti & Associates Can Assist You
In the realm of family law, navigating the complexities of separation and divorce can be emotionally challenging and legally intricate. When a couple decides to part ways but is not yet ready for divorce, they may opt for a separation agreement as an interim solution. A separation agreement is a legally binding contract that outlines the rights and responsibilities of each party during the period of separation. In this article, we’ll delve into what separation agreements entail and how a divorce lawyer like Simonetti & Associates can provide invaluable assistance in this process.
What is a Separation Agreement?
A separation agreement is a document that allows spouses to formalize their separation while they contemplate their next steps, whether that be reconciliation, divorce, or another arrangement. It covers various aspects of their separation, including:
Division of Assets and Debts: The agreement can outline how marital property and debts will be divided between the spouses, ensuring a fair and equitable distribution.
Child Custody and Visitation: If the couple has children, the agreement can address custody arrangements, visitation schedules, and decision-making authority regarding the children’s upbringing.
Child Support and Spousal Support: It can establish the terms for child support payments and, if applicable, spousal support (alimony), taking into account the financial needs of both parties and the well-being of the children.
Living Arrangements: The agreement may specify where each spouse will live during the separation period and how household expenses will be managed.
Healthcare and Insurance: It can address matters related to health insurance coverage, including who will provide coverage for the children and whether the non-employee spouse will continue to be covered under the other spouse’s health insurance plan.
Communication and Dispute Resolution: The agreement can establish guidelines for communication between the spouses and outline procedures for resolving disputes that may arise during the separation.
How Simonetti & Associates Can Help
Simonetti & Associates is a reputable law firm specializing in family law matters, including separation agreements and divorce. Here’s how they can assist you:
Legal Expertise: The attorneys at Simonetti & Associates have extensive experience in family law, allowing them to provide expert guidance and advice tailored to your specific situation.
Negotiation and Drafting: They can help you negotiate the terms of your separation agreement with your spouse, ensuring that your rights and interests are protected. Once the terms are agreed upon, they will draft a comprehensive and legally enforceable agreement.
Mediation and Collaboration: If you and your spouse prefer to resolve your separation issues amicably, Simonetti & Associates can facilitate mediation or collaborative law processes to help you reach a mutually beneficial agreement without going to court.
Representation in Court: If litigation becomes necessary, their skilled litigators will zealously advocate for your interests in court, representing you during divorce proceedings and any disputes related to the separation agreement.
Post-Separation Assistance: Even after the separation agreement is finalized, Simonetti & Associates will continue to provide support and legal counsel as needed, ensuring that the agreement is enforced and any subsequent modifications are handled effectively.
Suffolk County Family Laywer
Navigating a separation can be overwhelming, but with the assistance of a knowledgeable and compassionate divorce lawyer like Simonetti & Associates, you can achieve a fair and workable separation agreement that lays the groundwork for a smoother transition. Whether you’re considering separation, amid the process, or facing divorce, their dedicated team is here to guide you every step of the way, providing the legal expertise and support you need during this challenging time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Divorce in New York
If you are wondering how to get divorced in New York or about any other aspect of New York divorces, Simonetti & Associates can help. Our goal is to educate and inform you, so you can make the best decisions for your family. With more than 25 years of experience, our knowledgeable divorce attorneys provide answers to questions regarding divorce in New York:
To file for divorce in New York, you must meet the state residency requirements. New York allows same-sex couples to separate or divorce in the same ways and under the same rules as heterosexual couples.
A plaintiff may file for divorce in New York if any of the following statements apply:
- The couple was married in New York and at least one spouse has been a resident for a continuous period of one year prior to filing.
- The couple has lived in New York as husband and wife and either party has resided in the state for a continuous period of one year prior to filing.
- Either party has been a resident of New York for a continuous period of at least two years prior to filing.
New York is a no-fault state, which means you can get divorced without proving your spouse did anything specific to undermine your marriage. In a no-fault case, the grounds for divorce are an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage for at least six months, meaning that the marriage relationship is past any hope of repair.
While you have no obligation to hire an attorney, a good divorce lawyer can save you time and money and reduce frustration in the long run. If you are not satisfied with your current representation, call us to discuss how we can help you transition seamlessly to our firm.
During divorce proceedings, the court can order temporary child support or temporary spousal maintenance. This provides financial support until the court issues a final judgment in your divorce. The final judgment may continue spousal support after the divorce, although there are no guarantees. However, the final judgment consummates the division of assets so you can begin rebuilding your financial stability.
Judges consider a number of factors when deciding who gets custody of the children. These include:
- The strength of each parent’s relationship and bond with the children
- Which parent is the primary caregiver for the children
- Which parent is most likely to encourage visitation with the other parent
- Whether each parent is physically and mentally capable of caring for the child
Previous domestic violence, neglect, abuse and other negative actions can weigh heavily against a parent seeking custody.
Sadly, in many divorce cases where custody is an issue, one parent will attempt to withhold the children from the other parent. At the same time, that parent may seek to improperly influence the children with negative comments and disparaging remarks about the other parent in an attempt to damage the relationship between them. This is known as parental alienation. To enforce your parental rights, we can seek an order of temporary custody or visitation until your divorce is finalized. If you do nothing, you risk letting your relationship with your children deteriorate.
You have the right to ask the court to grant several different forms of relief in your divorce, including child custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution of property and orders of protection.
Yes. If your life circumstances change substantially, you may request a modification of your divorce settlement agreement or divorce decree. A proficient family law attorney can assist you in obtaining the modification.
Contact Our Family Lawyer in Suffolk County
If you are looking for quality legal representation at an affordable price, contact Simonetti & Associates. Our main office is in Woodbury, and we have a second office in downtown New York. With more than 29 years of experience, we work diligently to solve your family law disputes as quickly and efficiently as possible. We offer flexible scheduling and return calls after hours to accommodate your busy life. To arrange a free initial consultation, call 877-385-2560 or contact us online.
Best Ways to Reduce Divorce Cost
While divorce may be a costly and stressful endeavor, there have been proven ways to keep costs down and to keep more money in your wallet during this process. If you are looking for a Suffolk Family Lawyer, who will deliver quality service, contact us at Simonetti & Associates. We have over three decades of experience helping the community in the Long Island area, and we can ensure that all, not just some, of your requests are attended to during this difficult time. We also offer advice and techniques to help you make financially savvy decisions during this whole process. If you are interested in practical ways to reduce divorce cost, contact us today for your free consultation and read more about efficient ways here. 
Negotiate:
By opening up a setting to negotiate with your ex-spouse and your ex-spouse’s lawyer, you can avoid the unnecessary fees of hiring a judge and taking things to the next level. While the environment may initially be contentious and intimidating, try to make some time to step away from the situation and look at things practically. If you and your ex-spouse can come to negotiations on your own, you can limit the extra cost of having lawyers or judges involved in dividing up assets.
Prioritize:
By understanding what is important to you and what is worth your time, you can figure out if you and your ex-spouse will need two lawyers or possibly a collaborative lawyer who can work with both of you and help reduce costs.
Learn everything you possibly can about your state’s divorce laws:
By understanding your state’s divorce laws, you can come prepared with the documents and knowledge of the process you need before seeing the lawyer. This will help reduce costs because you will need the lawyer to review and sign papers rather than research and bring documents to you. Much of this information is public, found on the internet, and you can talk to public services such as social security to find out more.
Indigency:
If you meet specific criteria that verify you make below the poverty line in your area, you will not be obliged to pay for legal fees and services associated with hiring an attorney. This criterion is different in every state and even county at times, so it is important to keep documentation of your income level and research what this amount entails.
Make sure all paperwork is filed correctly:
By submitting paperwork again, you may have to pay additional administrative fees. For this reason, it is critical to ensure that all paperwork has been filed appropriately from the beginning with the completion of all required signatures and proper documentation. It is vital to have an attorney review the paperwork before so that you can guarantee you won’t have any unforeseen hiccups down the road.
Top Suffolk Family Lawyer
Going through a divorce in Centereach is never easy and usually causes much emotional distress to both spouses. This is why hiring the right experienced divorce attorney is the best thing you can do for yourself in order to take the emotional burden off yourself. There are many things that an experienced attorney can do for you and they will help the whole process of the divorce go as quick and easy for you as possible. Here at Simonetti & Associates, pride ourselves on expert client care and esteemed professional assistance.
Assistance & Professional Help
One of the most important things that your attorney will be able to do for you is uncovered all assets that your spouse may be hiding from you. A lot of times in a divorce one spouse may feel slighted and think that they are entitled to more of the assets and will attempt to hide them. Your attorney can use the legal power of discovery to uncover such assets so that you can then both decide what is rightfully yours.
Your attorney will also handle all of the negotiations with your spouse’s attorney so that you don’t have to worry about getting into an argument with your soon-to-be ex-spouse. This will take most of the emotion out of it allowing you to take this time to heal.
Your attorney will also be able to evaluate all of the settlements that your spouse will try and propose to you and they will be able to tell you if they think the offer is the right one for you or if they think that you should be asking for more. When you retain your attorney they will also be able to help with any child custody issues that may arise as well as any other legal issue you may encounter throughout the process.
Who To Contact?
Hiring an attorney during a divorce is one of the smartest decisions that you can make. They will make everything go quickly and make sure it impacts your life as less as possible. If you are in the Centereach area then having the best divorce attorney nearby can make the process as efficient as possible. For further assistance, contact Simonetti & Associates today!
Suffolk Family Lawyer
At Simonetti & Associates, we want to make sure you have plenty of benefits during this difficult situation. By taking the steps outlined above, you can help save your money and financial assets. We are a well-reputed Suffolk Family Lawyer, so if you think you can benefit from our services, do not hesitate to get in contact with one of our attorneys today!
How To Protect Yourself Financially During A Divorce
Divorce can be an unpleasant process for both you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse. If you’ve exhausted all options of trying to save your marriage to no avail, finding a top-quality Suffolk Family Lawyer should be the next thing to do. At Simonetti & Associates, our team has over 75 years of combined experience in serving the Long Island community. When working with our team, you can rest assured that we’ll do our part to keep you financially protected during a divorce.
Sign a Prenup/Postnup
No one wants to enter into a marriage they suspect will end in divorce. However, planning for this event ahead of time can help keep you financially secure. Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are documents that are signed before and after a marriage has taken place that dictate how assets will be divided up in the event of a divorce. Simonetti & Associates can help any interested party create these documents to help stay protected. However, there are still ways to protect yourself financially even if these agreements are not created.
Know Your Assets 
Having a firm understanding of all your assets will help keep them protected. Before filing for a divorce, you need to know how much money you have, and where it is currently placed. You should also be able to verify which assets are in both your and your spouse’s name. Our Suffolk Family Lawyer will help with your ability to confirm any necessary information regarding assets such as:
- Mortgages
- Bank accounts
- Investments
- Additional assets accumulated during your marriage
Compile Documentation
In the digital age, it’s not uncommon for people to manage all of their assets electronically. However, Simonetti & Associates warns that you must have all the crucial information in writing. It is not out of the realm of possibility that a vindicate spouse locks you out of any joint accounts leaving you susceptible to suffering losses. Having physical copies of the following will help prevent that from happening:
- Bank account statements
- Brokerage form statements
- Tax forms
Secure Quality Representation With Our Suffolk Family Lawyer
Many variables can impact the outcome of finances in a divorce. Having subpar representation can put you in a financial hole. However, our Suffolk Family Lawyer will prevent that from happening. To learn more about protecting yourself financially, and how our team at Simonetti & Associates can help with this, be sure to contact us today!
Are Assets Always Split 50/50 in Divorce?
When deciding to go through with a divorce, it’s easy for spouses to enter the process, thinking all assets will be split 50/50. But is this the case? Here at Simonetti & Associates, we hold the answer to this question. Our Suffolk Family Lawyer will walk you through what goes into asset distribution and whether or not you should expect a 50/50 split.
Equitable Distribution and 50/50 Splits
In some states, all marital assets are split 50/50 between the parties during a divorce proceeding. However, in New York State, the marital assets are split “equitably,” which is not necessarily “equally.” Fortunately for our client, our Suffolk Family Lawyer is well versed in handling this issue. We’ll take all the aspects that go into the court’s decision making process into account when building our case, including the below:
- Assets that were obtained before the marriage.
- Assets accumulated throughout the marriage.
- The length of the marriage.
- Earning capacity of both spouses.
- One or both spouses need to relocate.
- Potential custody agreements.
- Mental and physical health of both spouses.
Working With Our Suffolk Family Lawyer
Clients concerned with losing ownership of specific assets during their divorce must work with a top legal team to help prevent this. Here at Simonetti & Associates, we’d love to be that team. Our Suffolk Family Lawyer will build a case that shows the court that you should retain ownership of certain assets and will challenge any decisions that do not end in your favor.
Contact Us
Going through a divorce should not mean you have to sacrifice certain assets. At Simonetti & Associates, we’ll work hard to prevent this from happening. For more information on how we can help, contact our Suffolk Family Lawyer today.
Request A Free Consultation
Fill out the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible. Not a fan of filling out forms? We understand, call us at 1-877-385-2560 and we can set up your consultation over the phone.
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