Law Offices of Jeffrey L. Hoffer Jeff@DivorceLawyer4men.com 1-888-456-4MEN Serving Los Angeles and Ventura Counties
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10 Divorce Mistakes That Could Cost You a Fortune
The
financial consequences of a divorce can often be as devastating
as the emotional aspects. Besides legal fees, you face the cost
of setting up and maintaining a second household. Here are mistakes
people going through a divorce often make -- mistakes that can cost
a fortune.
Mistake #1: Taking action without obtaining legal
advice. Divorces are full of financial pitfalls. A
skilled family lawyer can help you avoid them.
Mistake #2: Failing to realize the importance of the status
quo. One of the most important concepts in family law is that of
the status quo. The courts are loathe to change the way things are
going, unless it is clear that there is a big problem. For instance,
if you make payments to your spouse without a court order, it will
become difficult to convince a court that you cannot afford to continue
making the payments.
Mistake #3: Making decisions while you are depressed or upset
about your divorce. A divorce is a very emotional and difficult
time. If you make decisions when you are depressed or upset, you
can easily make bad decisions. Try to make important decisions only
when you feel strong.
Mistake #4: Getting divorce
advice from family and friends. No doubt you will hear
a lot of urban legends about divorce law. Many of them are not correct.
While your family may have good intentions and want to help you,
that does not change the fact that many things they tell you may
not be accurate. Just because your friend got the house in his or
her divorce does not mean that you will too. The only reliable source
of divorce information is your lawyer.
Mistake #5: Using your divorce to punish your former spouse.
Not only will this cost you a bomb, but it will also hurt you and
your children a lot.
Mistake #6: Failing to think strategically. Thinking strategically
means deciding what is worth fighting for and what is not worth
fighting for. It may be too expensive to fight about everything
with your former spouse. You also have to decide how much you are
willing to pay to fight for your assets. It does not make sense
to spend $5,000 in legal fees to get $1,000 more in your divorce
settlement.
Mistake #7: Being generous to win back your spouse. This
does not work. If your marriage is over, no amount of generosity
will win your spouse back.
Mistake #8: Failing to keep a journal. In a highly contested
case, the details of what has happened can be particularly important.
A journal that contains all the daily events surrounding the divorce
will be invaluable when you want to remember what has occurred.
Mistake #9: Overlooking the mediation option. Mediation is
where you and your spouse, together with a mediator, discuss the
issues you face in hopes of reaching an acceptable agreement. The
mediator is a neutral third party who helps you and your spouse
work towards a reasonable solution of the issues in your divorce.
In many cases, mediation may be the quickest and cheapest way of
reaching an agreement with your spouse. And because it happens so
quickly, you avoid much of the emotional trauma that you and your
children might otherwise have to endure.
Mistake #10: Failing to obtain security for support payments.
If your former spouse dies, what will you do without the child
support payments you were receiving? Getting appropriate
life insurance can make all of the difference.
Don't make these mistakes when going though a divorce. Send an e-mail
to Jeff@DivorceLawyer4men.com
or call 1-888-456-4MEN and we will assist you every step of the
way to ensure you receive the best possible settlement.
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