Ending a marriage can be a chaotic, trying time. You have a lot going on. Meetings with attorneys, mediation, forms to fill out, documents to submit; the list is practically endless. It makes things easier to have a few divorce tips and strategies in your pocket, to have a plan in place.
Four divorce tips and strategies:
Creating a divorce strategy benefits you in a number of ways. It helps protect your assets, potentially reduce expenses, improve your chances of custody and visitation, and more. Often it even helps preserve your peace of mind and reduce stress.
1. Slow Down and Evaluate Your Options
By the time you reach the decision to divorce, you likely just want it to be over and done with. That’s a perfectly normal feeling, but it also often leads to mistakes.
It’s vital to slow down and take the time to evaluate your situation. This prevents you from rushing into an unfavorable divorce settlement.
The decisions you make right now have long-lasting effects. Once final and in place, it’s difficult and often expensive to change the terms of your divorce agreement. Make sure you can live with the conditions, the split of assets, custody arrangement, and any support payments. You have a better chance of fixing any problems now than you do later.
Related Reading: Grounds for Divorce in Oregon
2. Recruit Help
A big part of your divorce strategy should include seeking the advice and guidance of an experienced divorce lawyer. Every divorce is unique and it’s essential to consult a knowledgeable family law attorney to understand how your specific circumstances affect the process.
Attorneys are usually full of divorce tips and strategies. A qualified divorce lawyer will educate you on your rights, let you know your options, and provide guidance in navigating the divorce process.
Even if you take a do-it-yourself approach, consider consulting a family law attorney. You may not retain them for the long haul, but sometimes with just a consultation, they point you in the right direction, offer advice, and inform you of any specific issues you need to be aware of.
If you reach an agreement, it also often benefits you to have a professional look over the paperwork to ensure it’s all on the level.
Divorce is also stressful. You shouldn’t overlook the emotional impact and the toll it takes. Beyond a divorce lawyer, consider tools to help support your mental and emotional well-being. Working with a therapist may provide useful tools to manage stress and cope with a difficult situation.
Related Reading: How Long Does Divorce Take?
3. Establish the Right Precedents
There are a number of ways that establishing a precedent can help (or hurt) you in divorce.
If you have children, being an active, regular part of their existence is important. Not only for them but also for your custody claim.
- The courts are reluctant to drastically change a child’s daily life and routine. If you aren’t in their lives as much during a pending divorce, that sets a precedent going forward.
- When deciding custody, they evaluate how entrenched each parent is in day-to-day activities. The more involved you are, the more likely it is a custody arrangement will reflect that.
- As part of your divorce strategy, you shouldn’t move out of the marital home until you create a separation agreement. Moving out of the marital home can set a precedent that doesn’t accurately portray your financial situation.
For example, if you move out, but continue to contribute financially to both households, that may impact how the court rules on support. Even if you struggle to keep both households afloat–draining savings, borrowing money, neglecting other obligations–the court may see that as sustainable for the long term.
This can turn what you meant as a temporary transition into a permanent responsibility.
Related Reading: How to File for Divorce in Oregon
4. Prioritize What’s Most Important to You
Prioritizing is essential. This is a key part of outlining your divorce strategy. Deciding where you’re willing to compromise, and where you’re not, saves you time, money, and stress.
Emotions tend to flare during a divorce. It’s easy to find yourself in a heated battle about an asset you don’t really care about just because you don’t want your ex to win. If you emerge victorious, it might feel good for a moment. But in the big picture, it wastes time and money and causes unnecessary stress.
Figure out what’s most important to you, what you need, and what you can’t live without.
That’s where you should spend your time and focus your efforts. Not racking hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of attorney fees arguing back and forth about who gets the painting of a seascape you found at a garage sale.
Know what you need and want and take the steps to achieve your goals.
Establishing a divorce plan early on goes a long way to securing a favorable outcome. Not everything will work out to your advantage, but preparing helps increase your odds. These are just a few divorce tips and strategies to keep in mind that may prove useful.
Related Reading: Divorce Statistics: From the Interesting to the Surprising
Comments 1
I liked how you mentioned that a family law attorney can help you go in the right direction during a diverse. My wife and I are struggling in our marriage and I was wondering how I can get help going through a divorce. I’ll be sure to look for a family law attorney to help me go in the right direction of our relationship.