Divorce is stressful in even the most amicable cases. The number of decisions you have to make seems endless, and you could inadvertently make costly mistakes. These are five mistakes to avoid during your North Carolina divorce.

Choosing a DIY Divorce

A quality divorce lawyer can be expensive, but choosing to handle the legal portion of your divorce without quality legal representation can cost you more in the long run.

North Carolina is an equitable distribution state. The judge will determine what is fair, which does not necessarily mean equal. By attempting to handle your divorce yourself, you could end up with less than you are entitled to, simply because you did not understand the law.

Your divorce attorney will identify issues in your divorce that you may not realize need to be addressed. You need to handle these issues before the judge issues your final divorce decree or you and your ex-spouse may fight over these afterwards –possibly for years –landing you back in court.

Expecting Your Lawyer to Handle Every Aspect of Your Divorce

Your lawyer will handle all of the legal aspects of your divorce, but you will have to be an active participant. Some tasks will fall on you, such as gathering your financial records and determining what personal property you want granted to you in your final divorce decree. You cannot ignore your divorce and expect it to proceed without you.

Refusing to Compromise

Divorce requires compromise. Your attorney will fight for the things that matter most to you, but you may have to give up other, less-important items. Refusing to compromise on anything can extend your divorce process for months, making it even more expensive for both parties.

Not Consulting with a Financial Advisor

Divorce completely changes your finances and can have significant tax impacts. Consulting with a financial advisor will help you calculate the amount you need to achieve your long-term goals so that a divorce does not completely derail your future goals.

You should hire your own financial advisor, rather than sharing one with your ex-spouse. This ensures that your financial advisor does not have split loyalties and will protect your best interests.

Failing to Create a Realistic Parenting Plan

Although your Parenting Plan may look good on paper, you may discover that it is not realistic for your unique situation. The judge will grant the parenting plan based on the best interests of the child, but you know your child best. Your children may not function well on some schedules, or you may discover that your initial ideas do not coordinate well with your ex-spouse.

Before the judge issues the final parenting plan as part of your divorce, practice your proposed schedule with your ex-spouse, including pickup and drop-off locations and transportation arrangements. Make sure that your ideas work in real life, and then have your attorney add them to your parenting plan.

Hire an Experienced North Carolina Divorce Attorney

Mistakes during your divorce can be expensive and have long-lasting consequences. At Jerkins Family Law, our attorneys are dedicated to providing you with the best legal representation through every step of your divorce and beyond. Contact us today.