Divorce Advice That May Do More Harm Than Good

 Posted on October 17, 2015 in Divorce

When family, friends, or coworkers learn you are about to go through a divorce, it is natural for them to want to help. Sometimes, that help comes in positive forms—a shoulder to lean on, an offer to help out with the children, or even just space to cope with the emotional baggage that often accompanies a divorce. But advice, often given with the best of intentions, may not always be helpful for a divorcing couple. In fact, sometimes divorce advice can end up doing more harm than good.

Most Common Forms of "Bad" Divorce Advice

In most instances, bad divorce advice comes from those that truly do want to help. Unfortunately, they may not fully comprehend the emotional or legal repercussions of what they are suggesting. Thankfully, it is pretty easy to spot poor divorce advice because most will involve "shortcuts" of one sort or another. Examples may include tips like:

• "Why waste money on a lawyer? You can do everything yourself these days."
• "You can get through it faster if . . . "
• "Just do it online. It is easier that way."
• "A divorce attorney will just drag things out."

As you can see, most of these forms of bad advice are related to either rushing the divorce process, or going at it without experienced legal representation. The problem is that, not only are you creating more stress for you and your children in an already difficult time in your lives, you may also end up creating long-term problems that could have been prevented, had you gone about your divorce differently.

Reasonable Expectations May Help Ease Some of the Stress

You can have the most amicable divorce on the planet and still be stressed, but it is pointless to create even more stress for yourself by trying to go through the divorce process alone. It is also counterproductive to rush through the decision phase of a divorce, just to save yourself stress now only to create more for yourself later on down the road.

Instead, focus on what your long-term goals are, and, above all, be certain to hire quality, professional help for your divorce. With the right attorney, matters like child custody, alimony, or child support can be fully discussed and thought out prior to your court date. This will help you and your children both today and in the future.

For help in navigating the complexities of your divorce, contact A. Traub & Associates. Our experienced Arlington Heights divorce attorneys are skilled in all matters of divorce, and we go above and beyond to ensure that the rights of our clients and their children are protected every step of the way. Call us today for a confidential consultation.