Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid During Divorce
Divorce
Unfortunately, the quantity and type of mistakes you can make during your divorce are almost infinite. That’s not surprising, though. After all, you’re likely experiencing high levels of stress and emotional upheaval that can cloud your judgment at precisely the time when you need to be thinking clearly and like an adult, not a petulant child who insists on having his or her own way and throws tantrums when that doesn’t happen.
Here are the top 3 mistakes you should avoid during your divorce.
1. Putting Your Kids in the Middle
If you think divorce is hard on you, how hard do you think it is on your children? They’re facing the breakup of their home and family. They may be worried that they caused the divorce by something they said or did. Your job, as a responsible parent, is to make your children’s lives as stable as possible during and after your divorce. This means avoiding the following:
- Badmouthing your spouse in front of your kids.
- Grilling them about what they do while at their other parent’s house and what he or she says to them about you or anything else.
- Asking them to deliver messages or money to their other parent.
2. Posting on Social Media
No matter how secure you think your Facebook or other social media accounts are, don’t blithely assume that they’re safe from the prying eyes of your spouse or his or her lawyer. It may shock you to learn that over two-thirds of the nation’s divorce lawyers freely admit that their best source of negative information about their clients’ spouses that they can then use against them in court comes from social media. Consequently, while you’re going through your divorce, never post any of the following:
- Information about or photos of anyone you’re dating.
- Information about or photos of houses you’re interested in buying or apartments you’re interested in renting.
- Information about or photos of purchases you make, especially major ones.
- Photos that show you in a sexually compromising position or activity.
3. Failing to Hire a Lawyer to Represent You
Divorce is not a DIY process, despite what various websites go to great lengths to convince you of. The forms they offer may or may not comply with your state’s laws. They certainly don’t give you a full understanding of what you’re doing and what the financial, tax, or other implications may be. Only an experienced local divorce lawyer, like the attorneys at Robinson & Hadeed, can explain everything you need to know and protect your rights during your divorce.