One of the most basic steps to take in asset protection is using insurance. Insurance can help to protect your assets and an umbrella policy brings with an active defense of your assets through the insuring company.
Your retirement accounts, however, are protected through ERISA and bankruptcy law and because these often have matching contributions from employer, maxing out on your own contributions is a great tool.
For the home and real property, the state of New Jersey allows persons to choose between New Jersey & Federal exemptions in the event of bankruptcy. Joint ownership through tenancy by the entirety can protect the home against creditor for closure.
An LLC may be another opportunity that is better than gifting assets as you retain control over those assets. The overall key of protection however, is consultation and planning that ultimately builds a wall around your assets, matching the height of that wall in terms of complexity in cost to the anticipated threats.