Ask
your lawyer before “helping” her or him
Sometimes, your best intentions turn out to be very bad ideas.
For instance, many people try to record their spouse’s telephone
conversations with third parties, or they try to hide income.
These actions may lead to more work on the attorney’s part
and that will increase attorney’s fees. There are many other
examples of how people have tried to “help,” while
only making the situation worse. The important thing to remember
is – always ask your divorce lawyer first.
Keep your cool
Most couples would not even consider a divorce
if their relationship were not already a volatile one. The actual
legal process of a divorce often exacerbates the situation and
sometimes pushes one or the other spouse even closer to the edge
of reason. This is when people smash vases, flatten tires, and
burn clothes… Not only does the property itself cost you
money, but such behavior makes the entire process more time-consuming,
and therefore even more expensive. Even something like changing
the locks without a court order can add hours of work to your
divorce attorney’s schedule and you will pay for that in
the long run. Take a deep breath, and remember that you are hurting
yourself financially and emotionally by losing your temper.
Collect records and keep track
Find and organize receipts for recent purchases.
Avoid spending more than usual. Proving what you have or have
not spent can make a big difference in your divorce settlement.
Keep track of who picks up your children from school and who attends
their events and activities, as this may be useful in custody
cases. Every divorce case is different, so be sure to ask your
lawyer what records you should create and keep.
Promptly do what your divorce attorney asks
Every time your lawyer has to call and remind
you to get those receipts or documents, that’s a little
extra addition to your bill. If your lawyer is forced to get the
records elsewhere, your bill can grow unnecessarily.
Prepare for telephone calls
Rather than calling your attorney’s office
five separate times with five different questions each day, make
a list throughout the day and call to ask all of your questions
at once. This saves time and money for everyone, and will allow
your divorce lawyer to serve you better.
Your divorce attorney is not a therapist
Most people involved in a divorce will have a
lot on their minds. In many cases, your divorce lawyer will know
more about your situation than even your family and friends know.
This may tempt you to discuss the emotional side of your divorce
with your attorney. Depending on how much your attorney charges,
this might be more expensive than seeing a therapist, who would
also be better qualified to assist you emotionally. If you just
need to vent, calling family and friends is probably the way to
go.
Tell the truth
Your divorce lawyer may ask you some personal
or embarrassing questions, or you might be stashing away some
money on the side. Regardless of your reasons, it is never wise
to lie, hide or manipulate the truth when speaking to your attorney.
If something pops up later that should have been known from the
start, it could end up costing more than just your pride.
How much will a divorce cost?
Marital dissolution is like removing a piece of
tape from your skin; the slower you go, the more painful it gets.
When asked how much a divorce will cost, New Jersey divorce attorney,
Karen Meislik said, “The answer is up to you. Divorce attorneys
work on an hourly basis. If you and your spouse can work out some
of your issues and limit the scope of your disagreements, your
divorce will be less costly”.
Now that you know how to keep the time and costs
to a minimum while getting a divorce, you can concentrate on more
important things – like your health and emotional well-being.
This content does not constitute a client-attorney
relationship in any way. It is not meant to be used as professional
legal advice. If you require advice about divorce proceedings,
please contact a divorce attorney.
For more information on divorce and other family law in New Jersey,
please click here.
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