Are you getting a divorce for the first time? If so, you’re probably acutely aware of the fact that you’ll need to tread carefully. A misstep on your part could result in irreversible damage, which could affect you financially and emotionally, especially if you have children with your spouse.
People tend to make the most mistakes when they aren’t educated on the divorce process. Understandably, people “don’t know what they don’t know,” so they don’t always know which questions to ask or which information to research. It’s this lack of knowledge that gets spouses in trouble, particularly when they act before thinking something through.
In order to help you during your divorce, we created a list of what not to do. If you familiarize yourself with this list, you should be able to dodge some common pitfalls of divorce.
- Do not rant about your spouse or your divorce on social media. If you do, your spouse’s attorney or even the judge could find out and it can backfire on you.
- Do not max out the credit cards. This is irresponsible financial behavior and it can hurt your spouse’s credit and your own.
- Do not post anything on social media that you would not want the judge on your divorce case seeing. This is not the time to post pics of you partying, drinking alcohol, or dating someone new.
- Do not hide assets from your spouse. Judges frown upon this behavior and it can hurt your divorce settlement.
- Do not make any major purchases, such as an elaborate vacation, a boat, or a new car. You want to refrain from making big purchases while your divorce is pending.
- Do not badmouth your spouse to your children. This behavior hurts the children and damages their relationship with their other parent; it’s counterproductive.
- Do not fight to keep the house if you can’t afford it. Often, spouses are emotionally attached to a marital home they cannot afford. Instead, consider selling the property and splitting the proceeds with your spouse.
- Do not count on spousal support. If you’re the lower-earning spouse, you don’t want to depend on the promise of spousal support because it’s not guaranteed. Even if it is awarded, it may only be temporary.
- Do not start dating without speaking to your divorce attorney first. If you have minor children and you mishandle dating, it could affect child custody.
We sincerely hope the above information helps you during this time of transition. If you are searching for a Las Vegas divorce lawyer, contact our firm to schedule a consultation!