Westchester County Divorce Lawyer

Stephen Bilkis & Associates is led by Westchester County divorce lawyer Stephen Bilkis, who has nearly 30 years of experience handling divorce, custody, support, and other matrimonial matters in New York. The firm has handled a combined more than  10,000 divorce consultations and cases, and its attorneys collectively have more than 300 years of legal experience.

Deciding to end a marriage often brings a flood of practical worries. You may be wondering whether you can keep your children in the same school district, whether the house you worked so hard to buy will have to be sold, how bonuses, retirement accounts, and a family business will be divided, and whether your spouse is giving an honest account of the family’s finances. We start by learning about your family, your finances, and the goals that matter most to you, so that the strategy we recommend is built around your life rather than a template.

Every Westchester divorce is shaped by its own facts. Some couples have modest assets and mainly need help reaching a fair parenting arrangement. Others have complex finances, including executive compensation, investment accounts, real estate, and closely held businesses, and one spouse may know far more about the money than the other. We examine every part of the picture, from the children’s needs to the details of each account, so that nothing important is left to chance.

Throughout his career, Stephen Bilkis has also received recognition from respected legal organizations. He has been selected to the New York Super Lawyers list, a distinction limited to 5% of attorneys in the state, and is rated Excellent by Avvo. He has also been recognized as a Top-Rated Lawyer by Justia, as well as by Expertise.com and TopLawyer.com.

Uncontested and Contested Divorce in Westchester County

Whether you and your spouse can still make decisions together or every conversation turns into a dispute, the way your divorce unfolds will determine how long it takes, how much it costs, and how much it disrupts your family’s daily life. Westchester County divorce attorney Stephen Bilkis represents clients in both uncontested and contested divorces in Westchester County Supreme Court in White Plains. Our approach is to handle an uncontested case with the same care we bring to litigation, because a settlement agreement that overlooks an issue can lead to costly disputes long after the divorce is final.

A divorce is uncontested when the spouses agree on every issue, including property, support, custody, and parenting time. In those cases, the firm prepares or reviews the settlement agreement so that it is thorough, clearly written, and enforceable. When spouses disagree about even one issue, the divorce is contested, and Stephen Bilkis and his team obtain financial records through discovery, analyze sworn statements of net worth, work with appraisers and financial experts, and prepare the testimony and evidence needed for trial.

Every Westchester divorce is filed in Westchester County Supreme Court at the Richard J. Daronco Courthouse, 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., White Plains, even for families who live in Yonkers, New Rochelle, or elsewhere in the county. Contested cases are assigned to judges in the court’s matrimonial part, who hold a preliminary conference early in the case and set deadlines for exchanging financial documents. Being organized from the first conference helps keep the case on schedule and avoids giving the other side an opening to delay.

Most contested divorces in Westchester settle before trial. Thorough preparation often gives our clients the leverage they need to reach a fair agreement.

One of the questions clients frequently ask us is who pays the attorney’s fees in a divorce. Each spouse is generally responsible for their own fees, but under Domestic Relations Law § 237, New York presumes that the spouse with less income or fewer assets should receive a contribution toward counsel fees from the other spouse. This helps make sure both spouses can afford representation, especially when one spouse controls most of the family’s money.

Divorce Mediation and Collaborative Divorce in Westchester

Many couples would rather keep their divorce out of the courtroom, protect their children from conflict, and make their own decisions about the future instead of leaving them to a judge. Stephen Bilkis & Associates advises spouses who are considering mediation or collaborative divorce and helps them decide whether either process fits their situation. We support a cooperative approach while making sure you fully understand your rights and the long-term consequences of any proposal before you agree to it.

In mediation, a neutral mediator helps the spouses work through their disagreements but cannot give legal advice to either of them. An experienced Westchester County divorce lawyer at our firm can prepare you for each session, explain how a proposed term compares with what a court would likely order, and review the final agreement before you sign. In a collaborative divorce, each spouse has their own attorney, and everyone commits to resolving the case through negotiation rather than litigation.

Neither process is right for every family. When there has been domestic violence or when one spouse controls the family’s finances and will not share information, a more formal approach may be necessary, and we will tell you so honestly.

Privacy is typically a concern and our clients wonder whether their divorce records will be public. Generally, they will not, because unlike most court records, New York divorce records are not open to the public. Access is typically limited to the spouses and their attorneys unless a court orders otherwise, which can be an important consideration for families concerned about privacy.

Child Custody and Parenting Time in Westchester County

For most parents, nothing about divorce is more painful than the fear of losing time with their children or watching them struggle to adjust to two homes. Stephen Bilkis has represented mothers and fathers in custody and parenting time disputes in both Westchester County Supreme Court and Westchester County Family Court. The firm works to create a parenting arrangement that protects your relationship with your children and keeps their school, activities, and friendships as stable as possible.

New York courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child. Judges consider factors such as which parent has provided day-to-day care, the stability of each home, the child’s needs, the child’s wishes depending on age and maturity, and each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent. In Westchester, where families often choose where to live based on the school district, the question of where the children will attend school can become a central issue in the case.

Some custody cases involve a forensic evaluation or an attorney appointed for the child. An experienced Westchester County divorce lawyer from our firm prepares clients for these interviews, responds to findings that are incomplete or unfair, and makes sure custody decisions fit within the broader strategy for the divorce.

Child Support in Westchester County Divorces

Child support decisions affect everything from your monthly budget to your children’s ability to stay in their activities and schools, whether you will be receiving support or paying it. At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, attorneys represent parents on both sides of support disputes throughout Westchester County. Our approach is to establish each parent’s true income, including salary, bonuses, commissions, and business income, before any calculation is made.

Parents in New York must support their children until age 21. Basic child support is generally calculated as a percentage of the parents’ combined income up to a statutory cap, with the percentage increasing for each additional child. Courts may also divide costs such as childcare, health insurance, medical expenses not covered by insurance, and educational expenses.

Many Westchester families have combined incomes above the statutory cap. In those cases, the court has discretion to apply the percentages to some or all of the additional income, based on factors such as the family’s standard of living and the children’s needs. We present the financial evidence needed to argue for the outcome that fits your family.

Consider a parent whose spouse lists only a base salary on a sworn financial statement, even though that spouse receives a large year-end bonus and stock awards every year. In that situation, we would obtain the spouse’s compensation records and award agreements through discovery and ask the court to count that additional income when setting child support, so that the award reflects what the family actually lived on.

One of the questions parents frequently ask us is whether the other parent can be required to pay for private school or college. In some cases, yes, since a court may order parents to share these expenses based on the family’s circumstances, the parents’ finances, and the child’s needs. Settlement agreements often address college costs directly, including how expenses will be divided and whether contributions will be limited to a certain amount.

Spousal Maintenance in Westchester County

A spouse who left a career to raise the children or support the other spouse’s professional success may be deeply worried about maintaining a home and a reasonable standard of living after the divorce, while the higher-earning spouse may be concerned about an award that feels unmanageable. Stephen Bilkis represents both spouses seeking maintenance and spouses who may be ordered to pay it. The firm focuses on presenting an accurate picture of each spouse’s income, expenses, and earning potential so that any award is fair.

Maintenance, formerly called alimony, can be paid while the divorce is pending, after it is final, or both. New York uses a formula based on both spouses’ incomes to calculate a guideline amount up to an income cap, and the length of the marriage helps determine how long payments may last.

When a spouse’s income is above the cap, or when the guideline amount would be unjust, the court can consider additional factors, such as the standard of living during the marriage, each spouse’s age and health, and career sacrifices made for the family. We gather the evidence needed to argue for or against an adjustment.

High-Net-Worth Divorce and Property Division in Westchester

Dividing a home, investment accounts, and retirement savings that took decades to build can feel overwhelming, and in a high-net-worth divorce, a single valuation error can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Stephen Bilkis handles property disputes involving family homes, vacation properties, investment and brokerage accounts, executive compensation, retirement plans, professional practices, and closely held businesses. Our approach starts with a complete inventory of every asset and debt so that nothing is overlooked, undervalued, or moved without disclosure.

New York divides marital property through equitable distribution, which means a fair division that is not always an equal one. According to the New York State Department of Health, 2,633 divorces were granted in Westchester County in 2022, and roughly 600 of them ended marriages that had lasted 20 years or more, when couples have often built up significant assets together. Marital property generally includes anything acquired during the marriage, regardless of whose name is on the title. Separate property, such as property owned before the marriage, inheritances, and certain gifts, is generally not divided, although disputes often arise when separate funds have been mixed with marital funds or have grown in value during the marriage.

When a business or professional practice is involved, the firm works with valuation experts to determine what it is actually worth. If assets may be hidden, Stephen Bilkis and his team analyze tax returns, bank and brokerage statements, and business records and, when necessary, use subpoenas and forensic accountants to trace and value them.

Prenuptial Agreements, Postnuptial Agreements, and Modifications in Westchester County

It can feel deeply unfair when an agreement signed years ago decides what you leave the marriage with, or when an existing order no longer reflects the way your family lives. Stephen Bilkis & Associates represents clients in Westchester who want to enforce or challenge prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, as well as clients seeking to modify existing orders. The firm reviews how the agreement was negotiated and signed and what each spouse disclosed, because those details often decide whether the agreement will be upheld.

A prenuptial or postnuptial agreement may be set aside in some circumstances, such as when it was not properly signed and acknowledged, was obtained through fraud or duress, or is unconscionable. After a divorce, support, custody, and parenting time orders can generally be modified when there has been a substantial change in circumstances.

Our firm also handles separation agreements, paternity proceedings, and enforcement actions when a former spouse does not comply with the divorce judgment.

Orders of Protection in a Westchester Divorce

If you fear for your safety or your children’s safety, protecting yourself has to come before any question about property or support. The attorneys at Stephen Bilkis & Associates represent clients who are seeking orders of protection as well as clients who have been named in a petition. We act quickly, because the court’s early decisions in these cases can affect where you live and when you see your children.

An order of protection can require a spouse to stay away from the home, the children’s school, or the other spouse’s workplace, and it can affect temporary custody and who may remain in the marital residence while the divorce is pending. Violating an order of protection is a criminal matter that can lead to arrest and prosecution, and anyone facing that charge may also need a New York criminal lawyer.

Request a Free, No-Obligation Consultation with Stephen Bilkis & Associates

If you are considering divorce or have been served with papers, contact an experienced Westchester County divorce lawyer at Stephen Bilkis & Associates today for a free consultation at 800.696.9529. Tell us what is happening in your marriage, whether a court date or temporary order is pending, and what you hope to accomplish. We will discuss your situation and identify the next steps that may be available. Early action matters, because decisions made at the beginning of a divorce, such as moving out of the home or changing how family accounts are handled, can have a lasting effect on the result.

Clients who contact the firm are represented by a team led by Stephen Bilkis, whose work has earned recognition from respected legal organizations. He has been selected to the New York Super Lawyers list, which recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in the state. He is also rated Excellent by Avvo and has been recognized as a Top-Rated Lawyer by Justia, as well as by Expertise.com and TopLawyer.com. Stephen Bilkis & Associates represents clients in divorce cases throughout Westchester County, from Yonkers and New Rochelle to White Plains and Scarsdale, as well as clients throughout New York City and the surrounding area.