Why Is Divorce So Expensive?
These days, almost everyone, regardless of marital status, is experiencing financial stress, but seeing your nest egg disappear when you get divorced is a unique kind of pain. When celebrities get divorced, journalists stoke the public’s envy by writing about the enormous value of the couple’s assets, but also their Schadenfreude at how much money the denizens of the red carpet have spent on their divorce. How much your divorce costs depends in part on factors unrelated to decisions you make about how to conduct your case, such as the value of your assets and debts and whether you own any property jointly with someone other than your spouse and whether you have minor children. Despite this, you have some control over the extent to which you engage in legal battles with your ex-spouse. A Boca Raton divorce lawyer can help you figure out which issues are worth fighting about for your long-term financial wellbeing.
Using the Divorce Court as an Outlet for Your Anger
No matter how much your spouse was able to hurt you and make you angry while you were married, it gets worse while you get divorced. As much as it may have upended your life, the judge really does not care that your spouse cheated on you. Florida law does not require the court to assign fault in a divorce; most divorce cases are legally no one’s fault. It is fine to talk to your divorce lawyer about all the ways, financially and emotionally, that your spouse hurt you. Your lawyer can help you strategize about how to emerge from your divorce in a stable financial position. This way, you can decide what to request and which arguments to use to persuade your spouse or the judge that you are entitled to it.
Making Unwise Financial Decisions to Keep the Peace
While some couples spend huge amounts of money fighting over every little thing in court, others seem to care only about getting their divorce finished with as little acrimony as possible. When you only care about keeping the peace with your co-parent, you might agree to a lesser share of marital property or less child support than is truly fair. Remember that it is less expensive to have the difficult confrontations now than to find yourself destitute a year or two down the road and have to take your ex-spouse back to court so you can make ends meet.
Planning and Collaboration Can Help You Save Money
Not going to trial saves a lot of money, but not hiring a lawyer leaves you vulnerable to making mistakes that will require future litigation. The best way to end up with a divorce settlement that is acceptable for both parties is for you and your spouse each to hire a lawyer and to treat the mediation process as the end goal instead of as a way to persuade the court that you need to go to trial. Most couples can finalize a marital settlement agreement during mediation, which is much less expensive and stressful than having a court decide.
Contact Schwartz | White About Thinking Clearly About Your Divorce
A South Florida family law attorney can help you understand how decisions you make during your divorce can affect your finances in the long term. Contact Schwartz | White in Boca Raton, Florida about your case.
Source:
ourfamilywizard.com/blog/what-makes-divorce-so-expensive
