Six Common Myths about Going through a Divorce

Divorce is not easy and the myths that surround divorce can make it even harder. Because of these myths, you may not be able to protect yourself and your needs. When you go through a divorce, it is easy for you to come across misleading and harmful information. It is important to identify the truth about divorce to make the process pain-free. The following are the myths you might hear about going through a divorce:

A Divorce Always Ends in Court

A lot of people think that couples can only get a divorce through a court hearing. However, methods such as arbitration or mediation can prevent couples who want to end their marriage from going to court. With these methods, your divorce will feel less like a business transaction or a lawsuit. You and your spouse can avoid going to court when you cooperate.

You Can Hire any Attorney

Attorneys vary in their specializations and you must hire a divorce attorney who has handled cases like yours. Pick a tacoma divorce attorney who can comfortably assist you with your unique needs and puts your mind at ease about the entire divorce process.

Custody to Children is Always Awarded to Mothers

Custody is not always awarded to mothers. Although the mother often gets custody, it’s not an automatic process. These days, both parents can be awarded custody of their children. The court decides custody based on what is best for the children.

Ex-Wives Always Get Alimony

Some divorces don’t involve alimony. Alimony can usually be a tough thing to get. It is awarded based on the amount of time a spouse has been out of the workforce. The court decides alimony on a case-by-case basis and doesn’t award it automatically.

A Divorce is Always Long and Expensive

Many people believe that a divorce is always financially devastating. Because of this, couples prefer not to seek a divorce. However, couples can get pre-paid legal insurance to keep the costs low. Also, they can lower costs by using mediation.

A Spouse can Take a Smaller Property Settlement to Avoid Paying Child Support

Property settlement and child support are different issues and one can’t be used to leverage the other. Courts use different methods to calculate child support including income shares or percentage of income. Judges will allow deviation from these depending on the case’s unique circumstances. But, child support is a moral obligation of the parent who did not get custody.

Paul Petersen