How the length of the marriage matters
In New York, the length of the marriage shapes how long post-divorce maintenance usually runs under the advisory schedule, and a shorter marriage generally points to a shorter duration, if maintenance is awarded at all. Property acquired before the marriage generally remains separate, so the marital estate in a short marriage is often small. Disputes still arise when one spouse paid toward the other's premarital home, business, or debts, or when funds were mixed together. A short marriage is not in itself a ground for annulment, which rests on narrow grounds, so divorce is the usual route. If there are children, child support follows its own rules regardless of how long the marriage lasted.
Records that keep it simple
Find documents showing what each of you owned around the wedding date, such as account statements and deeds, along with records of what was bought, paid off, or improved during the marriage. Wedding gifts, engagement rings, and joint purchases sometimes cause disputes out of proportion to their value. Shared debts, such as a car loan or a lease signed together, also need a plan, because creditors are not bound by the divorce agreement. If a prenuptial agreement was signed, bring the signed copy. If either spouse's immigration status depended on the marriage, that is a separate matter to review with immigration counsel before anything is filed.
Keeping the case proportionate
When we first talk, we discuss whether the matter can proceed as an uncontested divorce, which is often realistic when property is limited and there are no children. We review any premarital agreement and what each of you brought into the marriage. If there are disputes, we focus on the specific items in question rather than treating the case like a long marriage. We also talk frankly about cost, because heavy litigation spending rarely makes sense when the marital estate is modest.
