Our years of experience working as divorce attorney, have shown there are common mistakes men and women make that impede a positive outcome in family and marital conflicts. Your priority should always be to safeguard your financial interests, and if children are involved, safeguard their interests as well. While divorce may be complex and overwhelming, there are a variety of remedies for a fair resolution. However, too often people get wrapped up in the emotional aspects of divorce and do not think rationally. When that happens, their mistakes can cause their divorce to become needlessly contentious and drag on to a less than optimal conclusion.
Tips for a Smoother Divorce
No one gets married and expects that the marriage will fail. Unfortunately, divorce does happen, and when it does, it is a very difficult period of time in one’s life. It is possible to have a healthy breakup though, and you can play a big role in making your divorce as smooth as possible.
Communication– Keeping cool, calm, and rational is the most practical approach. Good communication can make divorce healthier for everyone involved. Choose your words to your spouse very wisely, whether they are spoken, written, emailed, or texted. Avoid blame, shortcomings, criticisms, and ambiguity. Agree to be civilized in all of your interactions and set aside any of your strong emotions. Don’t make the mistake of letting your anger take over.
Collaboration- Keep in mind that cooperation may seem difficult at times, but try to focus on divorce as a collaborative and respectful process. Adhering to that mindset will pay off in the long run. Do not automatically just take a hard line financial position. Compromise is sometimes what makes it possible for a divorce to be settled without a trial. Your ex-spouse has his or her own reasons for his or her negotiating position. You should understand that property is equitably divided between the two spouses in a divorce. This means that there may be reasons why one spouse receives half the property or even more.
Children of Divorce– Don’t agonize over how divorce will affect the children. There is a lot you can do as a parent to help ease this transition for them. Keep any conflict and adult topics away from the children, but have honest, age appropriate conversations with them about the changes that are occurring. Never say anything bad about the other parent to your children. In almost all cases, children do better when they maintain close contact with both parents. Make sure you and your spouse come across as a strong parental unit and united front.
.Protect Yourself– Most importantly, realize that entering into a divorce is complex, and it should not be something you try to figure out on your own. Do not obtain legal advice from friends and family rather than seeking the guidance of a legal expert. Every situation is different and you will become even more confused and often misled by others who try to be “helpful” and think they are looking out for your “well-being.” Talking things through first with an attorney will help you decide on how to best communicate your decision, create appropriate boundaries, and interact with your soon-to-be ex-spouse. When you speak with an attorney, be forthcoming and truthful. What you say to an attorney will be kept in complete confidence.
Obtain the counsel of the best divorce attorney you can find and to do it as early as possible! A family lawyer will provide you with objective tips on how to stay focused and help you avoid actions that can derail efforts for a successful outcome. Without representation, individuals and couples make missteps that cause additional legal issues, as well as heavy financial and emotional burdens. The attorneys of Staack, Simms & Reighard, PLLC are aggressive and committed to negotiating for your best interests at every turn and are willing to litigate or go to trial if needed. Our priority is to obtain the best outcome as we guide you through the difficult legal processes involving divorce.