Divorce is a difficult time for any person. There is naturally going to be a certain amount of stress as you and your spouse work through important issues, including how assets and debts will be divided, how much parenting time each person will have with the children and obligations such as child support and alimony. That having been said, there are certain steps one can take to reduce the amount of stress they face during the divorce process. Below we discuss some stress reduction strategies.
PICK YOUR BATTLES
If you are so inclined (and have the funds and energy to do so), you can fight about absolutely every issue during your divorce. From the number of minutes your children spend with their other parent, to who gets the dog, to whether the art collection is valued as highly as the vacation home, there are endless opportunities to go into court and litigate issues. However, this will not reduce one’s stress during the divorce process. Experienced divorce attorneys encourage their clients to think carefully about going into court on every issue. Many divorces benefit from having the parties compromise on issues whenever possible. This way, when a potential battle does present itself, the parties are clear this is an important issue, rather than just one more thing to fight about. It also helps to keep the cost down. Do you really want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars arguing about gardening tools that you could replace at a fraction of the cost?
LISTEN TO YOUR ATTORNEY
If your attorney tells you there is no way you will get the house, both cars, the vacation home, and full custody of the kids, while your ex gets all the debt, believe them. Sometimes one party doesn’t want a divorce. Other times, one party has engaged in conduct the other spouse finds offensive. However, the laws in New York call for an equitable distribution of property and child custody arrangements that reflect the best interests of the children. An experienced family law attorney can advise you on what outcomes are and are not reasonable. It is a good idea to listen to their advice.
GIVE YOUR ATTORNEY WHAT THEY NEED – PROMPTLY!
There is a certain amount of information your divorce attorney needs to complete the divorce process. Some of this information is needed within specific timelines. Failing to respond to your attorney’s requests could result in a court ruling you don’t like – one that could have prevented had you just responded in a timely manner.
CONSIDERING DIVORCE?
If you are considering a divorce in the new year, contact Frost & Kavanaugh at (518) 730-4222. David Kavanaugh focuses his practice on family law and divorce cases. Let him put his experience to work for you. Call today to schedule a consultation to discuss the facts and circumstances of your case. We look forward to working with you.