Divorce Tips and Strategies from a Clearwater Divorce Attorney
No one gets married with the intent of getting divorced. When your marriage ends, you may want to act first and think later. This may make you feel good in the short term, but cause you tremendous heartache in the long term. Family law in Florida requires strategy. In Clearwater, as in all parts of Florida, there are several tips and strategies to follow so that you make the best of this bad situation.
Tip #1 – Do Not Allow Your Emotions To Get The Better of You
This may be easier said than done. When you get divorced, it’s an emotional time for you. You may be feeling anger, sadness or guilt. It is reasonable to feel this way, however, acting upon those feelings in your divorce proceedings can have a negative impact on your life for years to come. What you posted on social media in anger could be brought up in Court. Angry texts can be used against you in a custody dispute. You do not want to be your spouse’s best witness. Before acting based upon your emotions, you should consult with your divorce lawyer so that you truly understand the ramifications of your actions.
Tip #2 – Do Not Forget To Look At The Big Picture When Rushing To The Finish Line
Divorce is unpleasant. It can be very tempting to agree to whatever your spouse wants just to get the process over and done with. You may be feeling overwhelming guilt related to the end of your marriage, or you may be so tired, either physically or mentally, that you are willing to sign anything just to finish the case. You have the right to enter into an agreement, however, it is best to make sure that you have a full understanding of what that agreement entails. It is important that you know your legal rights and your legal obligations. A divorce attorney in Clearwater can provide you with the information that you need.
Tip #3 – Failure to Communicate Is A Recipe For Disaster
“If we were able to talk we wouldn’t be getting divorced.” There may be a lot of truth to that statement, but it does not change the fact that communication increases the opportunity to settle your case without protracted, and expensive, litigation. If you have children together, you will be co-parenting for years to come. Refusing to communicate with your spouse just makes the process harder.
Tip #4 – Do Not Put Your Children In The Middle Of Your Divorce
Your children are not parties to your divorce. Do not put them in the middle of your conflict with your spouse. Children should not act as messengers between their parents. They should not be aware of what is happening in your divorce action and should not be allowed to read pleadings filed in your case, even if they ask or you believe that they are old enough to understand. Do not put your children in a position where they have to choose sides.
Judges in Clearwater take all of these factors into account when determining parenting plans. If you allow your children to actively participate in the divorce process, it could negatively affect the outcome of your custody case and it could cause tremendous damage to your relationship with your children.
Tip #5 – Accept That Divorce Will Affect Your Financial Lifestyle
You probably do not want to hear it, but your divorce will affect your financial picture. You may be going from a two-income home to a single income home. Your marital savings and retirement accounts may be split. There are tax implications to divorce settlements and the division of financial assets. Only one of you will be able to exercise the dependency exemption for your children. You need to have an understanding of what your day-to-day cashflow will be.
There is no benefit to fighting over who gets to keep the house if you will not have the ability to make the mortgage payments and do not qualify to refinance. You should create a financial plan to maximize your life in your new financial situation.
Tip #6 – Obtain Quality Legal Advice To Make The Best Of This Bad Situation
Family law is confusing and complicated. That being said, you are not required to hire an attorney to get divorced in Florida. If you and your spouse are working toward an agreement, it may seem easier and cheaper to let your spouse’s divorce lawyer handle everything. However, you often get what you pay for. Your spouse’s attorney does not represent you and cannot advise you how the potential settlement will affect you. If you do not hire your own divorce attorney, your soon to be ex-spouse could take advantage of you. When you have separate representation, you can be assured that your divorce lawyer has your best interests in mind.
Each family is different and each family law case is different. You want to make sure that you obtain advice from an experienced divorce attorney in Clearwater so that you can understand your case and make decisions as to how you should proceed.
Tip #7 – Do Not Ignore The Post-Divorce Paperwork
Arguably the most important of these divorce tips, as part of your divorce, you may be required to execute a quit claim deed or to transfer title of a vehicle after entry of the Final Judgment. It can be easy to overlook these obligations once the case has ended. Failure to do so can lead to problems months or years after the fact. You should also review your will and estate planning documents to ensure that your current wishes will be followed upon your death. You may want to change the beneficiaries of your financial accounts as well.
Contact Julie Beth Jouben P.A. for more Divorce Tips
If you’re dealing with a divorce, it’s best to have the expertise of a divorce attorney at your disposal. Contact Julie Beth Jouben P.A. for more divorce tips information about divorce in Clearwater, Florida nad to schedule a no-cost consultation.