As you end your marriage, there are critical decisions to make and agreements to reach that can impact the rest of your life. As you move forward, it’s important to know common mistakes you want to avoid if you’re getting a divorce.
11 Divorce Mistakes To Avoid During a Divorce
During your divorce, it’s important to avoid the following mistakes:
- Letting your family or friends influence your decisions. They may have your best interests at heart, but this is your divorce. You are the one who must live with the consequences of your choices, and these decisions must be your own.
- Rushing the divorce process. Although you may want this to be over quickly, you shouldn’t rush the process if it means giving up a fair settlement.
- Failing to be honest with your lawyer. Your lawyer needs to know all of your financial details, your future goals, and the reasons for your divorce to represent you effectively.
- Failing to think about taxes. Selling your property or taking retirement benefits early could result in additional taxes and less money for both you and your spouse.
- Failing to have an accurate accounting of your assets and debts. Equitable distribution of your property and division of your debts depend on a precise accounting of your assets and financial obligations.
- Being unrealistic in your standard of living expectations. Maintaining two households is more expensive than maintaining one household. Therefore, your standard of living may change after a divorce.
- Focusing more on revenge than your future. Anger and even the desire for revenge are understandable. However, they’re not more important than your future.
- Destroying property. Even if you feel anger and unfairly treated, don’t purposely destroy any property—even if it means that your spouse will get that property.
- Speaking negatively about your spouse to your children. Assuming that your spouse is also your child’s parent, any negative talk about your spouse could impact child custody and visitation.
- Posting on social media. You may accidentally post something that impacts your divorce settlement.
- Ignoring court orders. Courts do not take this lightly, and it could negatively impact the outcome of your divorce.
Any of these mistakes could impact the division of your property, your child custody agreement, and other important matters that are decided in divorce proceedings.
Let Your Divorce Lawyer Help You Avoid Mistakes
Making the right decisions can be a challenge during a divorce. Ending your marriage is emotional, even when you are confident in your choice.
Don’t go through this challenging time alone and risk making mistakes that could hurt your future or your child’s future. Instead, contact an experienced Fairfax divorce lawyer today. Our family law attorneys will help you develop a plan to achieve your goals and avoid costly mistakes.
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