There are certain things in life that bring out the worst in people. One of these times is when someone goes through a divorce. A breakup can bring out a side of people that may surprise even them. Whether you’re surprised by your spouse’s attitude and actions or not, it’s always best to do all you can to protect yourself.
The Underlying Causes
There are some cases where a person always displays greed, violence or even downright meanness. In the case of a divorce, though, it’s most often the feelings of failure, anger, fear or sadness that brings about bad, and sometimes shocking, attitudes and actions. Whether you expect to see some of these qualities displayed or not, it is important to protect yourself as best as you can.
Protect Yourself in These 3 Areas During Your Divorce
As soon as you see that divorce is in your future, take measures to protect yourself in these three areas:
- Physically. Moving out of the marital home can cause problems. It can affect whether or not you get the home, or a share of it, in the divorce. Leaving the home could also result in child custody issues. The problem with staying in the home, however, is that with all of the raw emotions in the house it can be easy for a spouse to become adversarial. Do what you can to ease tensions so as to prevent fighting or violence. A recommendation made by attorney Lina Guillen for Divorcenet.com is to time share the home. This protects the interests of both spouses, as well as the children, and can reduce the chances for physical confrontations. If violence does occur, call police immediately.
- Legally. Make sure you don’t sign any papers given to you by your spouse without first thoroughly reading and discussing them with your attorney. If you have children, keep them in the family home. Do not allow your spouse to take the children away. Both parents have equal rights to be with their children. You and your spouse can either try to live peaceably together until the divorce, arrange regular visitation times, or time share the family home.
- Financially. Any joint credit card accounts should be cancelled immediately. Michael Estrin of Askmen.com recommends notifying the creditors of the divorce in writing and asking for written confirmation from them in return. As soon as you decide to separate, get a copy of your credit report. Keep this on file in a safe place. This will help you prove which debt is yours so that your spouse can’t run up thousands of dollars of debt and foot you with the bill.
Get Help Right As Soon As You Realize a Divorce Is On the Horizon
It is imperative to talk with an attorney as soon as you realize you’re heading for divorce. Waiting could cost you—mentally, emotionally, physically or financially. Call the law office of John C. Fitzpatrick today. We are here to help you protect yourself and your rights.