Getting A Divorce: 7 Mistakes
It's no secret that getting a divorce is very emotional process. For one reason or another, the vows that you and your spouse took are breaking, and you are both about to embark into new territory filled with lots of unknowns. To make matters even more complicated, divorce has many legal considerations in addition to the emotional one. Getting a divorce at the Lake of the Ozarks can be a complicated legal process, and it's important to make sure you approach things carefully and strategically. Don't fall victim to one of these common mistakes!
Mistake #1: Assuming Your Divorce Has To Be Combative
Highly contested divorces, both in real-life and in the movies, get a lot of publicity. Consequently, many people may not realize that there are other less-stressful (and less expensive) solutions. Mediation involves hiring a neutral third-party to act as a liaison between you and your spouse so you can reach compromises that will work for both of you. If you and your spouse may be able to work cooperatively with one another, mediation could be a great option to save you both a great deal of time and money.
Mistake #2: Being Too Emotionally Invested To Think Objectively
Keeping your emotions in check is certainly easier said than done, but it is a crucial step towards navigating a successful divorce. This applies to all emotional aspects of the divorce, including your financial assets. For example, try to avoid becoming so attached to the idea of keeping ownership of your family home that you can't carefully evaluate whether or not you will be able to afford the upkeep or the mortgage payments. Emotions cloud our judgment, so it's important to keep them in line as much as possible.
Mistake #3: Being Out Of The Financial Loop
In marriages, it's very common for one person to take on the responsibility of managing the couple's finances. This is generally a fine solution, but it can pose problems in a divorce. Being unaware of the overall financial situation can put a spouse at a serious disadvantage in a divorce situation. If you know your spouse manages your finances and you think a divorce may be in your future, do what you can now to educate yourself on your financial situation and secure copies of important financial records.
Mistake #4: Being Too Expressive On Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, and other social media are public platforms. Just as anything you say can and will be used against you, anything you post could be used against you during your divorce. Even if you delete your post, it doesn't really go away. Do yourself a favor and resist the temptation to post anything on social media during your divorce proceedings - especially if it in any way pertains to your spouse or the divorce.
Mistake #5: Rushing The Process
Divorce takes time - no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Many couples who decide to get a divorce often (understandably) want to hurry up and get through the process as quickly as possible, but being in a hurry typically causes more problems than it solves. Both you and your spouse should first talk to divorce attorneys and accountants to determine the best course of action. As the proceedings get underway, it's important to move slowly enough that you have plenty of time to think about every decision and read all of the fine print.
Mistake #6: Allowing Yourself To Be Swayed By Friends Or Family
Divorces impact everyone, not just the couple involved. Your friends and family will likely have very strong opinions about your divorce and feel compelled to offer their two cents at every chance they get. Listening to the stories and advice of those closest to you can be helpful, but be careful not to let their stories influence your decision. Consider their advice, but make your own decisions based on what you believe will work best for you. After all, you are the one who will have to live with the consequences of these decisions.
Mistake #7: Using Your Children To Make Threats
When there are children involved, divorces become even more emotional and even more challenging. Custody, child support, and visitation rights become major factors, and both parents typically have very strong feelings regarding what happens to their children and how much they get to be involved in their lives. In these situations, one of the worst things a couple can do is use their children to make threats against each other (such as threatening to withhold visitation rights or to hold back on child support payments). Your divorce will be hard enough on everyone (including the children) without involving them more than necessary.
Contact PMCW Law For Representation During Your Divorce
If you are in need of an experienced divorce attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks to help guide you through the process, we hope you will consider reaching out to the team at Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. Our team has handled many divorce cases in the past, and over the years we have learned a great deal about how to handle them successfully. If you are in need of representation for your divorce, give us a call.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising. When you need a knowledgeable attorney, we invite you to contact us to set up a consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We have access to interpreters.
Mistake #1: Assuming Your Divorce Has To Be Combative
Highly contested divorces, both in real-life and in the movies, get a lot of publicity. Consequently, many people may not realize that there are other less-stressful (and less expensive) solutions. Mediation involves hiring a neutral third-party to act as a liaison between you and your spouse so you can reach compromises that will work for both of you. If you and your spouse may be able to work cooperatively with one another, mediation could be a great option to save you both a great deal of time and money.
Mistake #2: Being Too Emotionally Invested To Think Objectively
Keeping your emotions in check is certainly easier said than done, but it is a crucial step towards navigating a successful divorce. This applies to all emotional aspects of the divorce, including your financial assets. For example, try to avoid becoming so attached to the idea of keeping ownership of your family home that you can't carefully evaluate whether or not you will be able to afford the upkeep or the mortgage payments. Emotions cloud our judgment, so it's important to keep them in line as much as possible.
Mistake #3: Being Out Of The Financial Loop
In marriages, it's very common for one person to take on the responsibility of managing the couple's finances. This is generally a fine solution, but it can pose problems in a divorce. Being unaware of the overall financial situation can put a spouse at a serious disadvantage in a divorce situation. If you know your spouse manages your finances and you think a divorce may be in your future, do what you can now to educate yourself on your financial situation and secure copies of important financial records.
Facebook, Twitter, and other social media are public platforms. Just as anything you say can and will be used against you, anything you post could be used against you during your divorce. Even if you delete your post, it doesn't really go away. Do yourself a favor and resist the temptation to post anything on social media during your divorce proceedings - especially if it in any way pertains to your spouse or the divorce.
Mistake #5: Rushing The Process
Divorce takes time - no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Many couples who decide to get a divorce often (understandably) want to hurry up and get through the process as quickly as possible, but being in a hurry typically causes more problems than it solves. Both you and your spouse should first talk to divorce attorneys and accountants to determine the best course of action. As the proceedings get underway, it's important to move slowly enough that you have plenty of time to think about every decision and read all of the fine print.
Mistake #6: Allowing Yourself To Be Swayed By Friends Or Family
Divorces impact everyone, not just the couple involved. Your friends and family will likely have very strong opinions about your divorce and feel compelled to offer their two cents at every chance they get. Listening to the stories and advice of those closest to you can be helpful, but be careful not to let their stories influence your decision. Consider their advice, but make your own decisions based on what you believe will work best for you. After all, you are the one who will have to live with the consequences of these decisions.
Mistake #7: Using Your Children To Make Threats
When there are children involved, divorces become even more emotional and even more challenging. Custody, child support, and visitation rights become major factors, and both parents typically have very strong feelings regarding what happens to their children and how much they get to be involved in their lives. In these situations, one of the worst things a couple can do is use their children to make threats against each other (such as threatening to withhold visitation rights or to hold back on child support payments). Your divorce will be hard enough on everyone (including the children) without involving them more than necessary.
Contact PMCW Law For Representation During Your Divorce
If you are in need of an experienced divorce attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks to help guide you through the process, we hope you will consider reaching out to the team at Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. Our team has handled many divorce cases in the past, and over the years we have learned a great deal about how to handle them successfully. If you are in need of representation for your divorce, give us a call.
Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C.
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising. When you need a knowledgeable attorney, we invite you to contact us to set up a consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available. We have access to interpreters.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
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