Common Mistakes People Make When Filing For Divorce

Although divorce cases seem common and well known, people have a lot of misconceptions about divorce. People make a lot of mistakes when it comes to divorce, whether it is hiring an attorney, or understanding the divorce process. A common misconception people have about divorce is that they may not be able to afford an attorney. Other people fear going ahead with a divorce, because they feel that they won’t be able to afford or maintain the expense of a separate household. Due to these misconceptions, the couples may stay in the marriage longer.

One thing to understand is that the divorce process is not very costly. If you make the right decisions, you can significantly reduce the cost of the divorce. Mistakes during the divorce process can become costly. In most cases, the actual cost of divorce is less than $1,000. Read on for some advice when filing for divorce:

Never talk to your friends and family about your intentions. If you do plan to file for divorce, just talk to your lawyer before talking to anyone about it, even to the other spouse, your parents, or friends. Friends and family members often make the matter worse by giving suggestions and offering their own opinions. These suggestions and opinions result in poor decision making. In fact, you should contact a mediator before even calling a lawyer.

Secondly, hiring the wrong lawyer will also increase the cost of divorce substantially. Most lawyers charge on a per-hour basis, so if you contact them often for advice, they will give you a hefty bill at the end of the month. The strategy is to hire a collaborative lawyer instead of a combative lawyer.

Another common mistake people make is not consulting a mediator. A mediator will help save thousands of dollars in legal fees and emotional turmoil. The mediator can also help resolve any disputes among both parties.

Another common error people make in a divorce is by playing the part of a victim. If you try to act ignorant, or if you try to act dump, that is no excuse. During the divorce process, court will ask you to present important financial documents, your tax returns, bank records, credit card statements etc. Make sure you have access to all those documents in order for the divorce to go smoothly.

The next mistake which people commonly make is not consulting with a financial planner. A financial planner will help you plan your budget and will be able to give you an estimate of your expenses. The financial planner will help prepare an accurate and real picture of your budget and financial position.

Another common error people make in a divorce case is to use their attorney as their therapist. Counselors are different from attorneys. Your attorney is not your therapist. He can make the divorce process smooth for you, but he is there to only provide you legal advice. Lawyers are not financial planners either. So be sure to consult a financial planner and therapist for any extra help you need.

Author Bio:

Priale And Racine PLLC has years of experience handling criminal defense, immigration matters and personal injury cases.