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Going through a divorce can sometimes be a messy and emotionally draining experience. From difficult conversations with your family members and loved ones to arranging all of your legal documents, you want the hard times to pass. And even though this is one of the most difficult times that you can go through, you need to stay strong and be careful with the decisions that you make. With all the stress that you’re going through, you are more likely to make mistakes. Here are some common mistakes that you should try to avoid during a divorce.
Not Checking the Accuracy of Paperwork
Although you will have a divorce attorney with you to help you with the paperwork, you should also be taking an active part in the process. You need to go through the paperwork yourself and look for any inaccuracies from your spouse. Along with making sure that everything is accurate in the final paperwork, regularly checking also ensures that you are up to date with all of the information regarding your case.
So now, if your spouse’s attorney asks you to sign something, you will be in a better position to question what it is.
Accepting a One-sided Settlement
Negotiations with your spouse, even when you have an experienced divorce attorney on your side to help with your case, can be very exhausting. So, you might have the urge to get the proceedings over without properly considering the deal you are getting. You need to work with your Right Lawyers and be completely open to them about the deal that you are getting. Not only does it ensure that you do not accept an inherently unfavorable deal, but it also ensures that your attorney can negotiate better terms.
Making Decisions Out of Guilt or Anger
It is very common for you to feel angry, guilty, or a range of other emotions during your divorce. Being intimate with your partner for so long and then leaving them means dealing with a lot of complicated feelings that you initially buried deep. And sometimes, those emotions can flow into our decision-making process.
Making emotionally charged decisions could lead to settling for a poor deal ormaking other decisions that you would end up regretting. It is important that you surround yourself with friends and family to help ease the stress of going through a messy divorce. You should also readily consult with your attorney about what decisions you are planning on making so that you can get their unbiased opinion.
Refusing to Negotiate
Studies show that over 70% of individuals believe that their spouse could have worked harder to save the marriage. Whether you have initiated the divorce or are defending against it, it can be not easy to negotiate with your ex-spouse. But even if you feel hurt by their presence, being unwilling to negotiate will only prolong the divorce. Along with racking up divorce attorney fees, it will also prolong the proceedings, further affecting your health. Holding out negotiations will not teach your ex-spouse a lesson, and it will not make the current situation any easier.
Instead of shutting down, make sure that you open up with your family law lawyers and keep negotiations going. The better you communicate, the faster things will go.
Making Concessions with Your Ex on the Side
Another big mistake that many couples make during a divorce is making concessions for each other through text messages or in general conversation. These side deals can make it a lot harder for your divorce attorney to negotiate a better deal for you, as they will sometimes have to spend time undoing issues that come as a result of deals. The concessions could be initiated as a result of one of the spouses trying to manipulate the other or genuinely feeling bad for their condition. Regardless of the situation, it is important that you talk to your spouse about the details of the divorce with your attorney present.
Not Getting Quality Legal Advice Sooner
It is likely that you have friends or family that have gone through the divorce process, guiding you through the steps that you should take. While it is good to surround yourself with friends and family for emotional support, you should not take general legal advice from them.
Remember that no divorce cases are the same, and they should be given the attention and care that they deserve. So, when it comes to legal matters, you should exclusively talk to your divorce attorney to make sure everything is clear. Talking to an experienced attorney as soon as possible also ensures that you will get the best deal in your situation.
Not Considering Taxes
This is another surprisingly common mistake that individuals will make when filing for a divorce. As they craft their settlement plan, they will not consider taxes and how much they could take away. Any division of assets or wealth can also be liable to taxation, which you will also have to file separately. In fact, you should be especially careful about taxation if pension and retirement plans are being divided. If you fail to take these factors into consideration, you could end up with a spousal support plan that is significantly undervalued. Make sure that you talk to your divorce lawyer about possible taxation.
Not Being Open with Your Family Attorney
Finally, an unfortunately common mistake that individuals will make during a divorce is that they need to be open with their divorce attorney. Whether it is financial assets that you have stashed away or arrangements with your spouse that you made in secret, you need to inform your attorney about these decisions. Only by informing them about these decisions will they be able to help you through the divorce proceedings better.
Conclusion
It’s important to be an active participant in your divorce by regularly communicating with your lawyer. You should make sure that you are not hiding any personal or financial details that could likely affect how your case goes. And even though this is a difficult time, it will pass eventually with emotional support from family and legal support from your divorce attorney.