7 Costly Divorce Misconceptions
While a lot of people get divorced, most people don’t know a lot about divorce. The result is a lot misinformation that causes problems that can take years to resolve after a divorce is final. If you are thinking about divorce, watch out for these 7 misconceptions:
1.But, we agree on everything – There are so many things wrong with this statement. You agree on everything you know to talk about, but what are you missing? You agree on everything today, but what about when things change? You agree on everything, but your agreement is not in writing. You may even agree to do something that is a very bad idea.
2. I don’t need a Divorce Finance specialist – You do! Divorce is serious business and mistakes can haunt you for years. You must work with someone who can show you how to separate your financial lives without destroying your credit report.
3. My attorney/CPA/financial advisor can handle it – Not necessarily. Typically, attorneys focus on law, CPAs focus on taxes, and financial advisors focus on investments. They usually do not know how to separate your financial lives without destroying your credit.
4. I can’t afford specialists – You really can’t afford mistakes. The smallest mistake can cost far more than the cost of a specialist. A big mistake can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars and haunt you for years. Some can even result in bankruptcy or cost you your home or career. So, you either need a specialist or another professional who can provide this advice.
5. I can just fix any mistakes – Fixing mistakes is costly and time consuming. You may have to redo your divorce decree and open up old wounds. Some mistakes can’t really be fixed. Save yourself a lot of time, money, and tears, get it right the first time, and get on with your life.
6. The decree requires my ex to pay for that – Maybe, but you are still liable for the full amount of all joint debts regardless of what the decree says. Any late payment will hit your credit, you will be sent to collection, and you will be responsible for any deficiency judgment.
7. Credit monitoring will protect me – Credit monitoring does not stop anything bad from happening and only tells you about it after the fact. It will not fix your credit nor will it lower the high cost of poor credit.
If you think you may be headed for divorce, you must protect your family and yourself from costly mistakes. Don’t wait. Find professionals to help you and the information you need to avoid these problems and get the results you want.
