Going through a divorce is challenging, especially when children are involved. Most of the time the men are also the ones who often move out and leave the children in the care of the mother, which can hinder your case moving forward. If you and your spouse are currently thinking about going through a divorce, consider these four tips:
Don't Move Out: If possible, consider staying at the house with your wife and children. The reason for this is that if you move out, which men often times do in this situation, you are typically at the mercy of your wife as far as visitation with the children and financial issues go. By staying in the house, it also shows the judge that you should be considered for better child custody terms and financial terms, as well. This is important if your case ends up going to court.
Hire a Family Law Attorney: In order to keep the peace, men will often agree to whatever terms their spouse comes up with. The problem with this is that you can easily be taken advantage of. To ensure that this doesn't happen, it's best to take the advice of a family law attorney and ensure that proper paperwork is established that clearly lays out the terms of your divorce that will be more in your favor.
Focus on the Kids: If you have children, continue to keep your focus on them. Whenever you have communication with your spouse, it should be about the children. By keeping your focus on the children, it shows that you are responsible as a father and should not be discounted as a being a part of their daily life. If your case goes to court, the judge will likely agree to you being an active part in making decisions about schooling and religion and to at least be able to see your children every weekend if not split 50/50 with your spouse.
Be Honest About Finances: Any property that you have, savings, your income, and more, needs to be talked about with your attorney. If you lie about your finances and are caught, most often the property is taken from you and given to your spouse in a way to split your finances. When you're honest about your finances, your attorney will ensure that all finances are split fairly between you and your spouse.
When you consider these four tips, you can be sure that you are not taken advantage of and the outcome of the divorce is fair. Contact an attorney, like Rute Law, for more help.