We are excited to announce that Karen G. Salib, Esq. is the new owner and leader of New Hope Divorce Mediation, proudly carrying the torch passed to her from its original founder, Mindey Elgart, Esq.   A distinguished graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and the University of Pittsburgh, Karen proudly continues her decades of service to our region’s families, a journey she began as a teacher and has continued as a family law attorney and mediator.     With Karen at the helm, New Hope Divorce Mediation begins its latest chapter of delivering the h ..read more

It’s time to remind yourself of who you are now that you are on your own.  There are plenty of steps to take to boost your self-esteem.  Check out this article for a few tips. The post Boosting Self-Esteem After Divorce appeared first on New Hope Divorce Mediation ..read more

This article outlines some wise steps for moving forward after divorce.  While many fear the unknown financially and otherwise, it is also an opportunity to take control and be the CEO of your own independent financial household. The post Divorce and Your Finances appeared first on New Hope Divorce Mediation ..read more

The author of this article is a Certified Divorce Financial Planner which I respect greatly.  She advises prioritizing saving for retirement.  In a perfect world putting a little away on a regular basis when your children are young which can accumulate over time can also pay off greatly, but only if you can afford it.  I also want to note that in New Jersey you are required to contribute to your child’s college education if he/she begins right after high school so that is important to bear in mind as well when planning for your and your family’s financial future.   The post ..read more

This article addresses what to do if your credit is affected by your ex-spouse not paying joint debt that he/she promised to pay during your divorce.  This concern should be addressed in writing in your Settlement Agreement to make sure that your credit is not impacted.  Make sure that your name is removed from any joint obligations that are the responsibility of the alternate party.  Make sure that you have access to any debt statement that contains your name so that you may continuously monitor the debt status.  These issues/concerns should be addressed during your negoti ..read more

This article provides some helpful information about the availability of collecting social security benefits as a divorced spouse if you qualify, i.e. being married for 10 years or more in an amount up to 50% of the alternate spouse’s benefit without affecting the divorced spouse’s benefit amount.  The article also mentions some of the information about getting remarried affecting your benefit.  One point it doesn’t cover is the exception to the remarriage issue which is if you remarry after age 60, then you have the choice to still collect under your former spouse’s benefit. The pos ..read more

It is important to know when you are divorcing that the mortgage for your jointly owned home is contracted with both of you and your lender.  Therefore, your lender needs to be a part of any changes that you make.  While this article suggests refinancing, you can also speak with your current lender about the possibility of a release/assumption of liability in order to take the marital residence liability from joint names into one spouse’s name alone.  I call this ‘refinance light’ since you will still have to qualify in your name alone, but it is less of a burden and expense tha ..read more

It is important to make sure that you feel comfortable with your divorce mediator.  I think that the two most important features you should look for in the divorce mediator you choose are; 1. their professional expertise; and 2. empathy.  You need to be comfortable expressing yourself.  That being said, the ground rules of treating all the parties with respect are important to the success of the process. With the advent of more virtual mediations since COVID entered our world the point that you need to attend without distractions and multi-tasking has become an additional point ..read more

If I had the power to proclaim one rule unbreakable in the divorce process, it would be that nothing about the process, finances, the other party’s failings, the wins, or losses, would ever be discussed within earshot of the children. These are adult matters and should remain that way. The ones who are hurt most by the breakage of this rule are the children. The tips in this article are helpful in that regard. Some control of the parenting process is lost when you divorce. Each parent has the right to structure the day-to-day rules in his/her own home as they think is best for the children so ..read more

The most productive way to get through your divorce grief is to choose to move on and implement positive and constructive methods to meet your goals.  Going it alone can be very lonely.  Creating a network of support and implementing the strategies listed in this article can get you to the finish line more quickly to create your new reality of a stronger, more independent future. This article, 7 Tools to Help You Get Through Your Divorce Grief, provides some great tools to help you overcome your divorce grief. The post Getting Through Your Divorce appeared first on New Hope Divo ..read more