Getting divorce advice from the right people can help you see your options more clearly. Divorce advice from the wrong people, however, can cause you pain, heart ached, and even financial distress. Even if you considering an uncontested divorce, seeking legal advice is often a good idea. From the first time you consider making a decision to end your marriage, many experts advice that it is important to consult an attorney.
Whether you are in need of an attorney for child custody or you are looking for divorce advice about dividing a large amount of assets, finding an attorney who understands your story is essential. No one goes in to a marriage expecting to fail, but if your marriage is not working it is important to come up with a list of questions to ask when you meet for the first time:
- How do divorce procedures operate in your particular state?
- How do alimony amounts get determined?
- How are child custody decisions determined in the state where you live?
- Is there anything I can do to make sure that I keep the assets that I brought into the marriage?
- What are my options if I do not have a prenuptial agreement?
Divorce lawyers can help their clients understand all of the available options, and make sure that the proper papers are filed at the appropriate times. The first step is to talk to your friends and family about recommendations for an attorney. Following those questions, you will likely have to make sure that you have all of the information about your personal finances and any kinds of prenuptial agreements that are in place.
And while it can seem like you are in a very lonely place, sometimes it is helpful to know that there are many others who are also struggling, or have struggled through the process of ending a marriage. Consider some of these facts and figures about divorce in this country:
- More than one million people every year in the U.S. have parents who separate or divorce.
- If there is daughter and no son in a marriage, the union is 5% more likely to end, according to U.S. statistics.
- Divorce rates among couples over 50 have doubled in the last 20 years, according to a Bowling Green State University study.
- The divorce rate among couples who divide household chores is twice as high as those in which the wife handles the housework, according to a Norwegian study released in August 2012.
- Women who clock an extra 12 minutes a week face a 1% increase in the risk of a marital breakdown, according to a November 2012 European Economic Review study.
Divorce attorneys are able to help their clients understand the importance of being proactive in the divorce process and making sure that they understand the importance of filing all of the proper paperwork by the required deadlines.