There's no candy-coating it – divorce can be very stressful for more reasons than one. Even when spouses know with all their hearts that the divorce is for the best, it can still hit them hard.
One of the most difficult aspects of divorce is the process itself. When it took 5, 10, or 20 years to build a marriage and sometimes a family, it can take significant effort to legally break it apart. Considering all that's involved, it's no wonder why it's a daunting task!
We have good news for you; there are proactive steps that you can take that can ease the divorce process. It's going to take some stepping back and trying to emotionally detach yourself, but we guarantee it's worth it.
Here are some ways to make your divorce easier starting today:
- If it's not too late, refrain from telling your spouse until after you sit down with a divorce attorney and get their advice.
- Before you see a divorce lawyer, make copies of all of your financial statements, including: bank statements, taxes, mortgage documents, retirement accounts, etc. Aim to be as organized as possible – it will expedite matters and reduce legal fees.
- Try not to be bitter and resentful towards your spouse. Regardless of what caused the divorce, try to be as mature as possible.
- Don't retaliate against your spouse by damaging their property, badmouthing them, or charging up the credit cards. This only hurts you in the end.
- Don't hide or transfer any assets. If you do, the judge will find out and it can hurt your case.
- Look at your divorce as a business transaction, and try to keep your emotions out of your decisions.
Regardless of what caused the breakdown of the marriage, two of the best things that you can do is try to remain positive and work with your spouse to reach a favorable outcome.
As soon as a divorce becomes adversarial, there are negative implications, such as higher legal fees, increased stress, and less assets to divide in the marital estate!
If you and your spouse can put your heads together to resolve your divorce as fairly and amicably as possible, and if you can both treat each other with dignity and respect, your divorce will be easier and smoother. Of course, it takes two but if you can get your spouse on board, you'll be glad you did.
You don't have to agree on everything from the onset, but if you can both strive to reach a fair settlement, you'll find the divorce process can be much easier than you originally expected.
Whether you expect an uncontested or contested divorce, you'll benefit from the assistance of a skilled Nassau County divorce lawyer. Contact us today to get started.