Advice from survivors of divorce

Dec 13 2016 - Posted by , in Property Division, Tagged in Property Division

They got through it and they want to help others get through it, too. They are people who have gone through the complex legal process and the emotional turmoil of divorce.

In a recent newspaper article, they shared some advice for those facing similar questions about property division, child custody, prenuptial agreements and more.

One of the bits of advice those who have gone through divorce have is for those who facing a split to get financial disclosures. They say that it is undoubtedly tempting to simply do this yourself, and ask your spouse for a complete disclosure of his or her property, assets, stocks, pensions, etc. But it is best to hand this task off to your family law attorney.

The lawyer will know where to look for hidden assets and how to interpret the financial data received. “Doing it yourself is not always productive,” one of the divorce survivors said.

  • Assign prices to everything: figure out the value of your house (and the mortgage), your car, your bank accounts, all real estate holdings, retirement accounts, loans (including student loans), etc. Everything. With a complete picture of your financial situation, “your attorney can give you meaningful legal advice.”
  • Ask questions: when you do not understand legal terminology or the implications of an agreement — or anything else — ask your divorce lawyer for an explanation. One of the survivors noted that even though they have a master’s degree, they don’t have an understanding of the law. Your attorney does. So ask questions.
  • Keep it together: at least around your children. Even though the pain of divorce can be sharp and deep, it is not an emotion or experience to discuss with your kids. Save it for talks with adult family members, friends or a therapist.

Here in Houston, you can speak with an experienced family law attorney about the difficulties of divorce and how you can get through it while protecting yourself, your finances and your children.

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