If you are someone considering getting divorced, or your spouse is considering filing for divorce, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. You may be wondering if you should hire an attorney, how you will share responsibilities and parenting time with your children, or how your assets and property will be divided. Additionally, you may be worried about how you will mentally and emotionally cope with the end of your marriage. There is no perfect way to get divorced, but there are some actions which can certainly convolute the process and make it more drawn out and expensive than necessary.
Hiding Assets or Lying About Your Financial Status
Everyone handles divorce differently, but there are some mistakes which should be avoided at all costs. Hiding assets is one of these mistakes. Divorce is a not only a personal separation but also a financial separation. Courts need accurate financial information from both spouses in order to make decisions about spousal maintenance, child support, property division, and more. Artificially deflating your income, failing to report a piece of real estate, or otherwise misrepresenting your financial circumstances can result in penalties, money sanctions, and a more problematic and expensive divorce. In order for things to go as smoothly as possible, it is critical that both spouses are honest regarding marital debt and assets.
Being Uneducated About All of Your Options
Because divorce is so common, there are a multitude of options for getting divorced. For example, some couples find that mediation is a good supplement to litigation. A mediator is a neutral third-party negotiator who is knowledgeable about the couple’s circumstances and can help the couple come to agreements regarding parenting plans or other issues. Collaborative divorce is an option which can involve experts such as child specialists, financial planners, mental health professionals and more. In order to pursue a collaborative divorce, you must retain a lawyer certified in collaborative law.
Refusing to Compromise
Sometimes during divorce, one or both of the spouses can get tunnel vision. Instead of focusing on the bigger picture of creating a better future for both spouses and any children they have together, they focus on unimportant details. For example, some couples spend hours arguing over specifics like who will get the coffee table. This is not only a waste of time, but it can also get expensive. Instead of adopting a “my way or the highway” mentality, be willing to compromise or even let some of your wishes go. Most find that the things which seemed important during the emotionally-heated divorce process no longer matter a few years later.
Let Us Help
If you are ready to start the divorce process, contact an experienced Kane County divorce attorney for the guidance you need. Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC is qualified for both mediation and collaborative family law. To schedule a confidential consultation, call 630-549-0960 today.
Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/cheryl-and-joe-dillon/common-divorce-mistakes_b_6057888.html
http://info.legalzoom.com/penalty-hiding-assets-divorce-25071.html
