After you’ve made it through your divorce, you’ll likely look back and see things that you should have done differently. That’s only natural. You’re making decisions that will impact you and your children for a long time to come at a time when your emotions are likely impairing your judgment.
Getting sound legal and financial advice can help keep you from making serious mistakes. However, in the end, you’re the one making the decisions. Sometimes even the best advisors can’t save us from ourselves. Following are a few mistakes that can end up impacting divorcing people in a way they didn’t expect.
Don’t start the process by going on the attack. You may think that it will make you look strong, but it will likely cause your spouse to react in kind. Even amicable divorces take some time. If you come out swinging, it can make the whole process exhausting and possibly more costly.
Avoid social media. No matter how privately you think you’ve shared a Facebook post or Instagram photo, there are ways to access it. You never know what your spouse will choose to use against you. Some attorneys advise their clients to refrain from posting on or looking at social media sites at all during the divorce.
Understand the various types of child custody and what custody-related terms mean. In Texas, the word “conservatorship” is used instead of custody. There are two kinds: joint managing conservatorship and sole managing conservatorship. Know what rights each type gives you and the other parent. Of course, it’s often best if divorced parents can jointly parent their children. However, if your relationship with your spouse is so bad or if there are other circumstances that would make that arrangement detrimental for the children, you may want to consider seeking sole managing conservatorship.
Finally, make sure you understand everything that you are signing. Too many people are afraid that asking their attorney to explain things to them will reflect poorly on their intelligence. However, part of their job is to make sure that their clients understand the ramifications of what they are agreeing to and are making fully-informed decisions.
Source: Huffington Post, “10 Legal Mistakes People Make During Divorce (And How Not To Make Them!),” Karen Covy, DivorcedMoms.com, July 20, 2015