The Internet abounds with phony information about what someone can do to prepare for a divorce, some are even perpetuated by family lawyers. These ideas range from the ludicrous to the illegal. What’s important to remember is that if you are planning on applying for a divorce, common sense is still king. If something seems too good to be true, illogical, or dangerous – it probably is. Ultimately a judge is going to take a look at the specifics of your divorce and they are typically very bright people who have, as they say, “seen it all”. The chances of you successfully fooling them are very low and once you’ve lost credibility with the court you will never get it back.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, here are five pieces of very bad advice you should avoid at all costs:
- You’re going to lose the house, don’t worry about it. Wrong. Typically the house is the largest marital asset you will have. In many cases there is a lot of equity built up in the home which will need to be divided in the divorce. That doesn’t mean the house must be sold, but there will need to be an event where the equity is extracted and divided. That might take the form of a refinancing, or an adjustment to other property given to one of the spouses, but rest assured, you are entitled your fair share of the equity in the home. Also, pay close attention to how your mortgage is addressed in the divorce. If nothing is done you will remain liable on the mortgage, even after the divorce, so make sure the agreement requires that your name be removed from the mortgage.
In some cases, it’s emotionally or physically beneficial for the couple to separate and not live in the same home. Be aware that in some jurisdictions it will be more difficult to transfer the occupancy away from a spouse who is still living in the home while the divorce is pending.