Generally, there are no significant benefits to filing for divorce before your spouse. There might be some strategic reasons why you may want to file first, such as if your spouse is filing in the county where they reside and you want to file in the county where you reside. If there are children involved, it is usually better to file in the county where the children reside.
Other reasons to file first might include ending a marital asset pool or starting the filing sooner to limit the potential duration of spousal maintenance. Waiting longer to file for divorce equates to additional accrual of assets that you will have to share with your ex-spouse. In addition, domestic violence issues or starting child support or spousal maintenance payments could be reasons to file divorce sooner.
These are some of the strategic reasons to file before your spouse, or just sooner in general. However, filing first is not a factor for the court in determining the distribution of assets or awarding spousal maintenance or child support. For more information on Financial Considerations in A New York Divorce, an initial consultation is your next best step.