Don’t Make Serious Blunders: Five Common Divorce Mistakes Couples Often Make In The Process
When you’re getting divorced, you must understand that neither party is walking away a winner. One job your Austin divorce attorney must contend with is getting you the best outcome considering the situation. To increase your chances of a good outcome in your divorce proceeding, there are five common mistakes you must avoid.
Five Common Mistakes People Tend To Make During Divorce Proceedings
1 – They Ignore Their Attorney’s Advice
If you’re going to ignore your attorney’s advice, why did you hire one in the first place? Many times clients end up sabotaging themselves by ignoring the advice their attorney gave them. It’s the biggest common mistake people who use an attorney make. If you’re going to employ the help of an Austin divorce attorney, you’re going to be paying him/her for their experience and professional training. Ignore what your family and friends are saying and listen to your attorney instead.
Bear in mind that your attorney is going to know more about the law and how it’s going to help or hinder your case. He/she knows the legal system and how it works. The attorney will finagle their way through the system to find how it settles best with you. The top Austin divorce attorneys will never use the same strategy for all divorce cases they are handling. Instead, they’ll look at every individual case and design a tactic based on facts, goals and needs of their client.
2 – No Preparation
Remember that a divorce is a process that must not be made rashly. If you think your marriage is heading in the direction of divorce, then you need to gather up the necessary documents including bank statements and real estate deed and vehicle titles. If you’ve been abused in the marriage and have documentation of that abuse, bring all of it with you to the attorney’s office. If you suspect cheating, bring the evidence that you have. If you’ve already done the grunt work, you’ll save money in the long run.
3 – Let Your Emotions Control You
Talk with any Austin divorce attorney and they’ll tell you the same thing: a divorce that has no emotional connection is a much easier case. When the client is emotional, it can hinder them from making good decisions. The emotional client’s goals are typically to prove fault and get revenge. This often makes settlement negotiations impossible.
4 – Thinking Your Attorney Is Also Your Therapist
When you employ the help of an attorney, it’s important to remember that the person is not your therapist. Many people think that their attorney will give them advice in personal matters. However, the attorney is going to listen to what you say and come up with a legal strategy that will help you achieve your goals. The majority of attorneys are not trained to handle the psychology aspect of their clients’ needs. You may need to vent to your attorney but if he/she’s charging you by hour, then your legal tab is getting up into the thousands of dollars.
5 – Not Getting Financial Advice
Many people fail to look at the financial repercussions that come from getting divorced. After all, a divorce can have some serious immediate and tax implications attached to it. If one spouse is left to deal with most of the debt, this could put him/her into financial ruin and bankruptcy. It’s best to seek the advice of a financial planner or CPA before you take the steps of getting divorced.
While there are many other mistakes made by divorcing couples, these are the most common. If you want to get a better appreciative of how to plan your divorce and avoid all these mistakes, talk with a knowledgeable Austin divorce attorney today.