Divorce is difficult on the entire family, and dads are no exception. Fathers often have to deal with an uphill battle when it comes to maintaining their right to see their children and be involved in their lives, as well as continue to support them as well as themselves. Because divorce can be so difficult, it’s easy to make a mistake that can easily and unknowingly jeopardize your outcome. Here are four mistakes that dads frequently make which could have harmful consequences on your case.
Driving Up Costs
Dads who are the primary breadwinners in their family will sometimes try to use their financial status to drive up the cost of their divorce in hopes that their spouse will break, back down, and accept a much smaller agreement. Often this means fighting and litigating absolutely everything. Well, this rarely works out. In fact, judges often see what you’re trying to do, and they could punish you for it, forcing you to pay attorney fees for your spouse and even giving you undesirable terms.
Not Prioritizing Your Children
A divorce seems like such a personal battle that it’s easy to forget that others around us are often involved just as much. Children are one of the primary examples: it’s easy to forget that your kids are going to feel the pain during this time as much as you are, and failing to prioritize their needs throughout the process doesn’t speak well for your ability to be a good parent who provides a nurturing environment. Be extremely careful you don’t try to use your kids as leverage to influence any child support or alimony payments as well: judges also don’t take kindly to this.
Not Paying Child Support
Money is an unfortunately common cause of divorce, and it’s not all that rare for fathers who have recently lost their job or suffered another huge financial blow to need a break from their child support payments. However, just because you can’t pay doesn’t mean authorities will go easy on you. Missed payments, penalties, and interest can all add up, leading to a huge bill that will only add to your stress.
Social Media Faux Pas
Be careful what you say in the online sphere during your divorce proceedings. Always assume your spouse, their friends and family, and their attorney are watching closely, and will be sure to let the appropriate parties know about what it is you’re up to. Posting about your case almost always ends poorly, and being tagged in photos that show you out partying and drinking or seeing a new person while still involved in your case is great leverage for your spouse to hold over your head during litigation or negotiations.
Call Smith Law Offices, LLC today at (636) 400-1177 and let a St. Charles divorce lawyer help you find the successful solution you need to your divorce case!