Common Divorce Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
A divorce lawyer Austin, TX residents trust understands that getting divorced can be one of the most stressful times of your life. You see your family going through a major transition and aren’t sure how everything will pan out. Being overwhelmed with so many different emotions can make it difficult to think clearly and cause you to make the wrong decisions.
There is no one “right” way to approach divorce, as the same tips and legal strategies that work well for one couple may not work well for another. As a result, it is generally a good idea to speak with an Austin, TX divorce lawyer before committing to a particular divorce strategy. This includes consulting about the timing of your formal filing process. Because the timing that worked for another couple may not work well for you and your spouse. Speaking with an attorney about your unique circumstances will better ensure that your divorce process is timed in accordance with your specific needs.
Every Austin divorce lawyer at The Law Offices of Ryan S. Dougay can offer advice on divorce mistakes you want to avoid.
Here are some of the most common:
Yelling and Screaming at Your Ex-spouse
If you and your ex-spouse ended things on bad terms, there may likely be ill feelings. However, you shouldn’t allow your anger toward your ex-spouse get the best of you. If you scream and yell at your ex, it will just upset you even more and possibly make the judge look at you in a bad light. If you feel yourself getting upset, take a deep breath and step out of the room until you’re calm.
Keeping Secrets from Your Divorce Lawyer Austin, TX Families Recommend
Your divorce lawyer has your best interests in mind, so you shouldn’t keep secrets from them. If you, for example, have a bank account that your ex-spouse doesn’t know about, tell your lawyer about it. If your lawyer knows this ahead of time, he or she can do as much damage control as possible before the trial.
Talking Poorly About Your Ex-spouse in Front of Your Kids
If you have children, you should keep them out of your divorce as much as you can. They likely are stressed enough as it is over the whole ordeal and shouldn’t have to feel more pressure. This means you should avoid talking badly about your ex-spouse in front of your kids, no matter how angry you are. Explain to your children that you and your ex-spouse love them all equally and nothing will ever change that.
Giving Into Your Ex-spouse’s Demands
Don’t let your ex-spouse bully you into accepting a settlement you don’t agree with. It might be tempting to accept whatever he or she wants just to get things over with, but it can hurt you in the long. If you aren’t sure if your ex’s offer is fair, consult with your divorce lawyers Austin, TX parents rely on.
Not Being Realistic About Your Finances After Divorce
It’s important to realize that your financial situation may change drastically once you get divorced. Without two incomes anymore, it may be necessary for you to create a tighter budget and avoid accumulating any new debt.
How Timing May Affect Your Case
It is important to consider both the interests of your legal case and your own personal needs when thinking about when to file for divorce. The vast majority of divorce cases are no-fault, so it does not generally matter which spouse files first. However, there may be jurisdictional advantages to filing first if you and your spouse live in different states. If this situation applies to you, it may be worth speaking to your Austin, TX divorce lawyer about potential advantages of filing first. But beyond this and other potential technical exceptions, you can generally choose to file whenever works best for you and your family. Just be aware that you will generally need to have a significant amount of documentation ready to be evaluated once you are ready to file. Getting paperwork in order (both your personal financial documentation and legal papers filed by your attorney) can take time.
How Timing May Affect Others
Many couples choose to take others into consideration when determining when to formally file for divorce. Most often, concerns involving children inspire parents to file at a specific time of year. Understandably, many parents choose to avoid both filing for divorce and implementing major living situation transitions during the holidays. Oftentimes, parents find that waiting until a school year has completed is the best choice for their families.
However, every family operates in a different way, so it is important to take your family’s unique needs into consideration when determining the best time to file. For example, you may care for an elderly parent and will need to take his or her needs under advisement. Or perhaps the needs of your family business will influence your timing. No matter what your situation may be, an attorney can help you to figure out how timing may impact your case, your interests and the interests of your loved ones.
Let a Divorce Lawyer Austin, TX Clients Depend on Help
Divorce is hard and making any of the above mistakes can make it even harder. Whether your divorce is likely to be amicable or contentious, complex or straightforward, it is important to have experienced legal counsel advocating on behalf of your interests. Divorce can be a surprisingly intricate process and it doesn’t always evolve as spouses expect that it will. Having a divorce lawyer in Austin, TX that you trust to be on your side will help to ensure that your interests remain protected whenever possible.
To make things go a lot smoother, consult with an experienced divorce lawyer in Austin, TX from The Law Offices of Ryan S. Dougay. He or she may provide you with sound legal advice about your rights and responsibilities. A lawyer may also prevent you from making errors that could cost you later. Learn more about What is the divorce process?
If you want to set up a free consultation with a divorce lawyer Austin, TX provides, give us a call at (512) 469-0811.