{"data":{"id":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2a-34-23.1","jurisdiction":"us-nj","citation":"N.J. Stat. § 2A:34-23.1","heading":"Equitable distribution criteria.","body":"4.\tIn making an equitable distribution of property, the court shall consider, but not be limited to, the following factors:\na.\tThe duration of the marriage or civil union;\nb.\tThe age and physical and emotional health of the parties;\nc.\tThe income or property brought to the marriage or civil union by each party;\nd.\tThe standard of living established during the marriage or civil union;\ne.\tAny written agreement made by the parties before or during the marriage or civil union concerning an arrangement of property distribution;\nf.\tThe economic circumstances of each party at the time the division of property becomes effective;\ng.\tThe income and earning capacity of each party, including educational background, training, employment skills, work experience, length of absence from the job market, custodial responsibilities for children, and the time and expense necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party to become self-supporting at a standard of living reasonably comparable to that enjoyed during the marriage or civil union;\nh.\tThe contribution by each party to the education, training or earning power of the other;\ni.\tThe contribution of each party to the acquisition, dissipation, preservation, depreciation or appreciation in the amount or value of the marital property, or the property acquired during the civil union as well as the contribution of a party as a homemaker;\nj.\tThe tax consequences of the proposed distribution to each party;\nk.\tThe present value of the property;\nl.\tThe need of a parent who has physical custody of a child to own or occupy the marital residence or residence shared by the partners in a civil union couple and to use or own the household effects;\nm.\tThe debts and liabilities of the parties;\nn.\tThe need for creation, now or in the future, of a trust fund to secure reasonably foreseeable medical or educational costs for a spouse, partner in a civil union couple or children;\no.\tThe extent to which a party deferred achieving their career goals; and\np.\tAny other factors which the court may deem relevant.\nIn every case, except cases where the court does not make an award concerning the equitable distribution of property pursuant to subsection h. of N.J.S.2A:34-23, the court shall make specific findings of fact on the evidence relevant to all issues pertaining to asset eligibility or ineligibility, asset valuation, and equitable distribution, including specifically, but not limited to, the factors set forth in this section.\nIt shall be a rebuttable presumption that each party made a substantial financial or nonfinancial contribution to the acquisition of income and property while the party was married.\nL.1988, c.153, s.4; amended 1997, c.407; 2006, c.103, s.80; 2009, c.43, s.2.","path":["TITLE 2A ADMINISTRATION OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE"],"source_url":"https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/statutes/STATUTES-TEXT.zip","current_through":"P.L.2025, c.405, and J.R.22","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:54:13Z","sha256":"32fbe88855620b8b9373dc7f2df4c2cd78d29938a89f4e6ac36cbf38c073505c","source_id":"us-nj","stale":true,"prev":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2a-34-23e","next":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2a-34-23.2"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}