Mistakes To Avoid When Going Through A Divorce
Life can get messy and difficult when going through a divorce. You may not be feeling like yourself and could be making a lot of mistakes that could be costly to you if you aren't careful. You need to pay close attention and not lose focus just because of ill feelings. Avoiding these mistakes is very important. Read on for a few of the mistakes that can be made throughout a divorce and what you can do to protect yourself.
Not Being Informed
Make sure you are well informed. Don't take your soon-to-be ex's word for things, get your own information from your own attorney, and do your own research on everything and anything you can. Being ill informed, or getting misinformation can be costly to you. Also be sure you aren't signing anything or making changes to anything without consulting your own attorney first. If you aren't sure what you're signing, don't sign it.
Not Educating Yourself On Your Finances
If you weren't the one that did the bills in your home, or didn't pay attention to bank accounts, retirement funds, or any other information on your finances, you need to educate yourself on all of these things. Your ex could be hiding money from you and you could not be aware of it at all. Look through everything you have, call for invoices and check balances. Keep copies of everything, and make copies for your own records of anything you already have, and take note of any changes in these funds. This also goes for credit card statements - watch for extra purchases being made after the divorce is filed.
Not Having Your Own Attorney
Don't attempt to share an attorney with your ex. Even if you think you are still friends or can do things amicably, things can still get ugly. In this case, the person that originally made the appointment with the attorney is the main client and the other party needs to find their own attorney. It's in your best interest to get your own attorney to start with and avoid any extra drama or problems later down the road.
If you are going through a divorce, it may start out without problems, but it may not end up that way. Avoid making the mistakes above and other mistakes. Talk to your divorce attorney and follow the instructions and advice you are given for a smooth divorce so you can move on with your lives.