5 Common Divorce Mistakes

5 Common Divorce Mistakes

A divorce is one of the most stressful events in your life. You never thought this would happen to you. Emotions run high, and you are asked to make life-changing decisions. Here are five common mistakes you should avoid in your divorce action:

Finding a Good Attorney

Many people rely on Google to search for their attorney. After running your Google search, you click on the attorneys at the top of the list to schedule your consultation. Many times, when you click on the person at the top of the list, you are clicking on a paid advertisement. This advertisement can often lead you to a firm where they focus on quantity instead of quality. It is important to review the attorney’s website and reviews to determine what type of experience you will have with that firm.

Taking the Right Advice

Before filing for divorce, you likely will do a lot of internet “research” and talk to other divorcees about what happened in their case. The internet offers thousands of pages of data, opinion, articles, and blogs. You may not be able to separate fact from fiction and how the law will be applied to your personal and unique case. Your friends will also have horror stories about how their spouse “raked them over the coals,” and will be willing to offer their “expertise” about your finances. No two (2) divorce cases are the same. You should rely on the expertise of your experienced divorce attorney to guide you through the process and outcomes for your particular case.

Having Realistic Expectations

All too often, people are unable to comes to terms with their actual financial situation, and have unrealistic expectations regarding outcomes, timing, and costs. Your emotions may overtake your ability to make rational decisions. Therefore, it is important to be honest and transparent about your goals and desired outcomes with yourself and your attorney. An experienced and knowledgeable attorney will be able to provide you with honest, straight-forward advice that keeps you grounded in reality.

Honesty

Many times, people are embarrassed about certain facts of their case, which makes it difficult for attorneys to effectively represent you. Not stating the truth can actually hurt your divorce action because your attorney could be blindsided in court. An experienced attorney knows how to use your facts to advocate for you.

Having the Right People by Your Side

People that are going through a divorce may not have the support system that they need.  Using only your attorney for support is a costly and less-effective way to manage your non-legal concerns. You should surround yourself with trusted friends and family, a therapist, and/or financial advisor.