Are you going through a divorce or planning to file for a divorce soon? There are various mistakes that people make when going through a divorce that can lead to them ending up with the short end of the stick. The following are mistakes you should avoid if you want to protect your rights.

Insisting on taking your case to court

Going through a divorce is an emotional process. You may feel betrayed, hurt and angry all at the same time. It isn’t uncommon for a hurt spouse to want to take revenge by prolonging the divorce proceedings and insisting on taking the case to court.

While you may initially get some satisfaction from taking your case to court, your case can quickly become complicated in a court setting. Going to court will increase the cost of the divorce significantly. A prolonged divorce can be stressful on you, your children and your friends and family. The outcome of a court case is unpredictable. You may end up with a judgment that is unfavorable to you.

Bad mouthing your spouse

It isn’t uncommon for spouses to be angry and hurt when going through a divorce. Many people badmouth their spouses to their children, friends or on social media in an attempt to win them over and take their revenge on their soon-to-be ex-spouse. While this may be satisfying in the moment, it can have negative consequences.

Bad-mouthing your spouse can harm your children in the long-term. Remember that your ex-spouse is still their parent. It won’t help to involve your children in a dispute between you. You could also end up hurting your chances of getting custody of your children. The court will consider which parent will foster a healthy relationship and may choose your spouse if there is evidence that you badmouth your spouse.

Hiding assets

People have a wide range of reasons why they hide assets from the court in divorce proceedings. You may feel betrayed by your spouse and not want them to benefit from divorcing you. It may be that you put a lot of work into obtaining assets after marriage and feel that it isn’t fair to have to split assets with your spouse.

Whatever your reasons, hiding assets is not in your best interest. Lying to the court could result in you losing ground in your divorce case. Your lies may give your spouse the opportunity to appeal divorce decrees that are in place and be awarded even more of your assets than was initially agreed upon. You may even face criminal charges for fraud.

Allowing your emotions to guide your decisions

Parties going through a divorce experience a wide range of emotions including rage, despair and frustration. However, it is important to be calm and rational when making decisions during a divorce. This will help you make logical decisions that are in your best interest. Allowing your emotions to take over can result in prolonging the divorce, which will ultimately increase your financial and emotional burden. It can also lead to making poor decisions that have long-term repercussions.

Avoid the mistakes above when going through a divorce. Consult an experienced divorce attorney to determine the best way to approach your divorce.

Are you planning to get a divorce? A divorce where one or both parties are military service members is no more complicated than divorce involving only civilian parties. However, there are some special rules and requirements that only apply to military divorces. These can present challenges for couples seeking to end their marriages.

Understanding the special requirements for military divorces is important. This will help you be prepared for the challenges you may face. The following are some things you should know about military divorces.

Deciding where to file your divorce can be tricky

This is especially true when you or your spouse is in active service. Members of the military tend to move around a lot. They therefore have multiple homes. Some move around with their families and therefore have multiple records of home addresses shared with their spouses. There are some who have a shared address with their spouse and addresses for where they currently reside.

Deciding where to file a divorce in a civilian marriage is easy. You file in the jurisdiction in which you are resident. For a military divorce, you should file for a divorce in the place where the domicile spouse holds legal residence. At least one of the spouses must have been a resident of the state for 6 months immediately prior to filing for the divorce.

How military pension is split depends on the court

Divorce proceedings often become complicated when it comes to dividing assets including property and savings. Couples often disagree when it comes to splitting assets. This also applies to military divorces.

For military divorces, military benefits are also considered as part of the assets that ought to be divided between the spouses. The Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFPA) gives partners of military personnel the legal right to part of their spouse’s benefits. This applies to marriages of any length. The court may therefore decide how your military pension will be divided.

A divorced spouse may continue to benefit from healthcare

As previously mentioned, military benefits are considered part of the assets in a military divorce. While many benefits that the spouse was entitled to while married to the military service member end on the date of the divorce judgement, they may still be eligible for healthcare coverage. This depends on how long the couple has been married and the length of the time the military service overlapped with the marriage.

Former military spouses may also obtain health insurance coverage by applying for Continued Health Care Benefit Plan.

An active duty service member can get custody of their children

Child custody is often one of the biggest sources of conflict in divorce settlements. Active servers often worry that they won’t be able to get custody of the children because of their work. However, this isn’t the case. Although being in the military can have an impact on awarding custody, active military service members can get custody of their children. However, arrangements for custody can be complicated by their military service.  A family care plan which guides parents on how the children will cared for after the divorce is finalized will help to make the situation easier for the couple.

If you’re facing a military divorce, get in touch with a seasoned lawyer to guide you through the process. A good understanding of the special requirements for military divorce will help ensure your rights are protected.

When your marriage is coming to an end, it is important to get help from a divorce lawyer the moment you have made the decision to move forward with divorce proceedings. This is because the lawyer will start representing you and giving you the right advice.

There are many things that you need to sort out during the divorce proceedings, and a divorce lawyer will help you find the right way to navigate the issues. Some of the things that you need to iron out include your relationship with your children, how to share finances and property, and whether there is need for spousal support among other issues.

Three key reasons why you should hire a divorce lawyer to assist you are discussed below.

You can make significant savings during the divorce process

You may be concerned, and many people are indeed concerned, that hiring a divorce lawyer is expensive. However, the truth is that getting the services of a divorce lawyer as soon as you plan to start the divorce proceedings can help you in the long run.

By involving a lawyer at the start of the process, you and your partner can work hand in hand with your respective attorneys and arrange to have an out-of-court process. With an out-of-court process, it is possible for you and your spouse to arrive at an uncontested agreement.

Divorce lawyers understand the law and can guide you on how to reach an amicable settlement. They are also able to help their clients by using their negotiation skills and keeping emotions out of the negotiation process. Therefore, by involving a divorce lawyer, the likelihood of you and your spouse being able to get a fair deal on issues such as child custody, support and property division is increased.

Helps in safeguarding your bond with your kids

If you and your spouse have children, whatever agreement you make regarding your divorce has to be in the best interest of the children. The custody agreement that you make should allow you adequate time to see your children so that you can continue creating a strong bond with them.

With the help of a lawyer, you and your partner can negotiate on the matter of child custody and come up with a parenting plan without requiring a court’s intervention. This way, you can create a plan that works well for you, your spouse and the children without having one party compelled to act in a certain way.

If you are unable to reach an agreement out of court, your lawyer will represent you in court and help you present a compelling argument to the court regarding your relationship with your children.

A divorce lawyer can help you with long term finances

Divorce outcomes that require you to pay for spousal support or share marital property can adversely affect your financial status. A divorce lawyer can assess your financial status and help you make a strong argument so that any decision that is made regarding your finances does not harm you.

Conclusion

These three key points demonstrate why you should hire a divorce lawyer in case you decide to end your marriage. Even if the divorce process looks simple, there are some things that a lawyer can help you iron out.