Legal Question in Family Law in New Jersey
Money boundaries
My wife and I have been separated 3 years. She aquired her own checking account since she left and I have utilized the joint account since my paycheck gets directly deposited into it. In 3 years she has never touched the joint account until a week ago when I had a $5000 pension loan deposited into the joint account and she withdrew $2500. How can I go about getting the money returned to me? We are not legally divorced yet. Should I pursue this in small claims court? When I asked her about taking the money, she said to talk to her lawyer and that her lawyer advised her to take half of it. If she gets to keep the $2500, shouldn't she be responsible for repaying that portion of the loan?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Money boundaries
She is exactly right - you should talk with her attorney, if you are comfortable in doing so. If you are not, then you should have your attorney speak with her attorney. The fact of the matter is that this is a claim that needs to be sorted out in the context of the divorce. It is not a "Small Claims" matter.
Keep in mind that this advice is given based on the little bit of information that you have
provided in your question. My advice may change based on other information. Further, no one
can rely on advice from an attorney who has not been retained. You cannot rely on this advice
because we have not personally met and you have not retained me as an attorney. If you have not
already done so, you should immediately meet with an attorney for a full consultation before you take any further steps. You may feel free to call me to discuss this matter in more detail. If you do so, mention Law Guru and your first one hour of time will be free. Good
luck! Rob Gleaner
Re: Money boundaries
If the 401(k) monies were "marital" assets, she may have a right to a certain portion. However, she should not have taken it from the account. It is not a small claims issue, as she is jointly on the account. Rather, it is a matrimonial issue. You should consult with a lawyer to explore your options.