His wife had always been controlling — charming in public, but unpredictable and manipulative behind closed doors.
Classic narcissistic traits.
Charles just wanted to create some space without starting a war.
So he moved out.
Quietly.
Respectfully.
No lawyers.
No court filings.
Just a short-term rental nearby.
But within weeks, she flipped the script:
Froze their joint accounts
Told friends he had “abandoned” the family
Took control of their kids’ schedule — and claimed he had walked away
All because Charles didn’t realize what could happen when one's spouse controls the narrative.
In New Jersey, there’s no formal process for legal separation.
No forms
No filings
No court orders
You can separate informally.
Today, even.
But here’s the catch:
What you do right now can impact your finances, custody, and future leverage.
This is especially critical if your spouse is manipulative, image-obsessed, or plays games behind the scenes.
I’m Steve Kaplan, 
a divorce attorney in Monmouth County with 37 years of experience.
I’ve helped countless people navigate high-conflict separations, especially those involving controlling or narcissistic spouses.
It’s called Steve Kaplan’s Divorce Course.
It’s free, private, and focused on helping you think clearly, even if your situation feels overwhelming.
Here's a preview of the first lesson:
"A very nice woman (let's call her "Susan"), who was frightened out of her mind, hired me recently.
She had just been informed an hour earlier that her husband hired a divorce lawyer, filed for divorce, and that her divorce case was scheduled for TRIAL in 2 days!
The email from the husband's lawyer gave her the address of the Courthouse, but told her that she "...really didn't need to appear in Court."
That is not the way it is supposed to work.
After listening to her tell her panicked story, I told her that SHE WAS NOT PROPERLY SERVED with NJ Divorce Papers and that I would take care of it for her.
We fixed the problem for her. She's fine now.
She calmed down.
I then told her how the system is supposed to work.
Afterwards, I thought that it might be helpful if I would repeat what I told her here to help others understand the New Jersey divorce process.
So, here's an overview of how the NJ divorce process is generally supposed to work..."
If you sign up for the free course, you'll immediately be able to read the rest of this really helpful article.
As you can see above, the article is filled with links to virtually any area of divorce law in New Jersey that you might want to learn about.
You really should sign up.
But if you're still not certain, before you decide whether my free course is for you, read this excerpt from another article in my course.
This article is called, "How I Help People Like You in Monmouth County Take Back Control":
"You didn’t expect to be here—at this crossroads, typing questions into Google, trying to make sense of your future.
Most of the people I work with didn’t either.
They’re not looking to "win" a divorce.
They're looking to stop the chaos, get their head clear, and protect what matters most: often their kids, home, and their peace of mind.
I’m Steve Kaplan, a divorce lawyer in Monmouth County for over 37 years.
I help people who feel emotionally overwhelmed take back control of their lives, one smart decision at a time..."
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF MY ARTICLE
My NJ Divorce Course will walk you through exactly what to do, and what to avoid doing, if you’re considering separation in Monmouth County.
You’ll learn:
It’s private.
It’s practical.
And it starts the moment you enter your email.
No name required.
If you want to discontinue at any time (perhaps you and your spouse reconcile, for example) I make it simple for you to stop the course quickly.
One click on an obvious link does it easily and immediately.
You'll never hear from me again.
And no one other than me will ever know that you had signed up for the course.
I promise.
But that rarely happens.
Because my material is really helpful to people considering divorce.
It is, indeed, a lot of work.
But it's good for business.
Many people get so much value from my course that if they end up needing a divorce lawyer, they hire me.
Because they already know that they can trust me and my advice.
And most of my referrals of clients come from people who took this course and ultimately retained me to represent them, and were satisfied with the results that I helped them obtain.
If you’re thinking about separation, this is an opportunity to learn how to do it right.
You need facts, strategy, and calm guidance.
Join the 5,000+ New Jersey residents who I have already helped.
You’ll feel more confident by the time you finish the first lesson, which takes less than 10 minutes.
Just enter your email in the form on this page to begin my free Divorce Course now.
I'm looking forward to helping you.
Until next time,
Steve
Steven J. Kaplan, Esq.
Specializing in Divorce in Monmouth County
5 Professional Circle
Colts Neck, NJ 07722
(732) 845-9010
www.KaplanDivorce.com
