Using NJ Family Law Software for Easier Divorces

Easy Soft products are designed to supplement each other, allowing our customers to create customized solutions for their practices. For example our Case Information Statement software works with Divorce Financials to gives a comprehensive tool for New Jersey family law attorneys.

CIS NJ For Child Support

CIS is our dedicated New Jersey family law software. Attorneys can complete the Case Information Statement necessary for all New Jersey divorces quickly and easily, track financial information related to a case, and generate other forms and correspondence common to divorce cases. Data entry is easy and our CIS AutoFill web portal allows the client to do most of the data collection work, freeing the attorney to focus on the law.

Where CIS really shines is in calculating child support. Family law attorneys can create various custody and support scenarios quickly and easily by simply copying data from one worksheet to another. Attorneys and clients can compare the scenarios side by side to see which option will be the best for all parties concerned.

However child support is only one aspect of divorce settlement. CIS is able to share data with Divorce Financials to create a suite of family law applications.

Property Settlement And Alimony

Divorce Financials divorce settlement software solves the problem of tracking the couples' assets and dividing them equitably. Attorneys can easily enter all financial information and then determine a fair settlement. In theory this may mean 50/50 but lawyers still need to figure out who gets what. It's not practical in many cases to liquidate assets like houses and pensions, so attorneys can divide assets on paper and use cash assets to ensure the totals given to each spouse are equitable.

Attorneys can use the software to calculate tax-optimized support settlements. The IRS views child support and spousal support differently so it may be in both spouses' best interest to agree to support amounts different than those determined by New Jersey law. Trading child support for alimony or vice versa could set up a better tax situation and save money on both sides.

A saw can't turn screws and a screwdriver can't cut wood. Just as a carpenter needs a full set of tools, so does a family law attorney. Check out all of Easy Soft's legal practice management software products and see how easy it is to build a customized suite of digital tools that make your practice more efficient.

5 Myths about Child Support In New Jersey

The rules of divorce differ from state to state. Child support rules that exist in one jurisdiction may not exist in another. This gives rise to a number of myths that divorcing couples and sometimes even inexperienced attorneys may believe. Here are a few of the most common New Jersey child support and custody myths.

1) The Mother Usually Gets Custody - New Jersey custody laws are gender neutral and courts decide custody based on the best interest of the child. It is true that a stay-at-home parent may have a slight edge over a working parent in custody determinations, but that's a decision based on circumstance rather than gender. In reality single custody is rapidly becoming the exception rather than the rule, with join custody a more common resolution.

2) Parents Can Waive Child Support - Child support is not the right of the parent; it is the right of the child. While it is true that parents can come to an agreement that excludes or limits child support, either parent can challenge that agreement later and a court will use Case Information Statement information to determine what is best for the child.

3) Prenups Supersede Child Support Laws - New Jersey law specifically disallows child support provisions in prenuptial agreements. Even if both parties sign it, the court will ignore the child support provisions in the prenuptial agreement. Agreements made during or after the marriage may affect child support but ultimately it is the information on the Case Information Statement NJ courts will use to determine fair support.

4) Child Support Stops At 18 - Both parents are responsible for a child's college expenses. Although the original child support calculated by New Jersey family law software might end at 18, parents may have to continue paying some kind of support until college graduation.

5) Courts Decide Child Support - Fewer than 2% of New Jersey divorces go to trial. The state strongly encourages couples to work out their own agreements. However any agreement can be overruled by a court if one parent shows it is not in the best interest of the child.

Divorce laws are complicated, which is why even the simplest and most amicable breakups should involve attorneys. Lawyers use Case Information Statement software and other attorney practice management software to produce the necessary documentation quickly and accurately.

Keeping An Eye On Your Practice's Finances

In order to overlook all aspects of your law firm, you will need a software that can automatically do this. Here are the list of things software like this would be able to accomplish.

You are an attorney not an accountant, and yet if you don't pay attention to where the money goes then your state's bar association may not let you be an attorney for long. Today's law practices use attorney time and billing software such as Easy TimeBill to maintain a 360-degree view of the firm's finances, maximize profits and minimize liability.

• Finances At A Glance - Generic business software breaks down expenses by account; billing software for lawyers breaks down expenses by matters within an account. See the difference between the billing for a client's divorce case and the same client's will rewrite. Review which expenses haven't been billed, have been billed but not paid, or have been paid in full.
• Retainer Management - Automatic reminders let you know when a retainer balance gets low. You have plenty of time to request additional funds from the client before the well goes dry. Expenses are automatically taken from retainer funds, and retainer balances are included on invoices that go to the client.
• Automatic Past Due Notices - Too many law firms treat bookkeeping as an afterthought, letting client accounts languish for months rather than aggressively pursuing collection. Studies show that gentle but firm prompting greatly increases collection rates. Automatic reminder notices can be generated and sent through email to encourage clients to keep their accounts current.
• Electronic Billing - Move away from the expense and disorganization of paper billing. In addition to billing by email, legal billing and accounting software can generate electronic bills in standard LEDES98B format.
• Trust Account Integration - Most law firms handle some kind of trust funds. If your practice is one of those firms then you need a trust accounting solution that integrates with your billing software. The Easy Trust module for Easy TimeBill allows both programs to work seamlessly with each other.
• Paperless Paper Trail - The legal profession takes financial ethics violations very seriously, to the point that attorneys are often considered guilty until proven innocent. Lawyer billing software automatically generates a record of all transactions so you are ready for your next audit.

Whether you are a small office that can't afford a separate bookkeeper, or a large firm with a large financial staff, software is essential to account management. Try any of Easy Soft's legal practice management software risk-free for 30 days. If at the end of this period you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we will gladly refund your purchase price.