Prenups aren’t just about protecting money anymore: they’re about defining fairness. As modern marriages evolve, so do the agreements that precede them. Today’s high-net-worth couples are finding creative ways to address issues that traditional prenuptial language never imagined: business growth, phantom equity, and even “milestone” payments tied to time, children, or success.
In New York, we want things to move fast: cabs, Seamless deliveries, information, and yes, even divorces. The city that never sleeps does not have the patience for endless waiting. But here’s the catch: when it comes to divorce, “fast and cheap” often turns into “messy and expensive.”
If you Google “cheap NYC divorce,” you’ll get pages of ads promising uncontested divorces filed in days, “no lawyers required,” all for the low low-cost of a couple of cocktails in Soho. Tempting, right? Why spend thousands on attorneys when you and your spouse can sign a few papers, call it quits, and get back to your lives?
But life — and divorce — is rarely that simple.
You’re not just a diaper-changer. You’re an active dad: handling tantrums, bedtime routines, homework help, and everything in between. You’re deeply present in your kids’ lives.
So what happens when an engaged father gets pulled into a contentious custody fight? Here are five things every active dad needs to know before stepping foot in court:
Divorce in New York isn’t just about dividing property: it’s also about figuring out whether one spouse owes the other ongoing support, known here as maintenance (what people in other states call “alimony”). And in Manhattan, where lifestyles can include doormen, Hamptons shares, and $150 spin classes before breakfast, maintenance awards aren’t always driven by numbers on a W-2. Sometimes, they’re driven by lifestyle.
So when does lifestyle matter more than income? The answer is: when the standard of living during the marriage creates expectations the law is designed to protect, especially in marriages with big disparities in earnings. Let’s talk about it:
Continue reading “Maintenance in Manhattan: When Does Lifestyle Matter More Than Income?”
The Divorce Artist™️ 