Are you worried about keeping your assets and future during a divorce?
Divorce can leave you financially ruined if you don’t know how to protect your interests.
Thousands of Americans go to court each year without a lawyer or the right knowledge… and walk away with their life savings. It happens more than you think.
It’s time to get educated.
Here’s the truth:
Expert divorce attorneys secure your future and provide the guidance you need to protect your assets.
What you’ll learn:
- Why it is important to have legal representation in a divorce
- What do expert divorce attorneys do
- How to protect your rights during divorce
- 5 Key factors to consider when choosing the right attorney
Why It Is Important to Have Legal Representation in a Divorce
The numbers speak for themselves.
Research from Custody X Change revealed that 86% of divorce cases with legal representation for both sides reached a settlement. On the other hand, settlements dropped to 63% if only one side had an attorney.
This is a huge difference, and it’s no coincidence.
A divorce requires a long and complex legal process that involves asset division, child custody, support agreements, and negotiations. The final decisions taken in this process are likely to affect a person’s wellbeing for decades.
With the help of how to protect your interests, a person is more likely to get a favourable outcome. Lawyers know the local laws and the judges. They will also help anticipate and solve potential problems before they become an issue.
But what most people don’t realise is that the cost of not having a lawyer is much higher than the legal fees. Unrepresented individuals often end up:
- Accepting unfair property divisions
- Missing hidden assets or debts
- Agreeing to low child support payments
- Overlooking tax consequences
- Signing agreements without fully understanding their meaning
The bottom line is that good divorce attorneys can pay for themselves through more favourable outcomes.
What Do Expert Divorce Attorneys Do
Picture a divorce lawyer as a person’s strategic partner during this difficult life change.
Legal professionals do more than filling out paperwork. They work on negotiations, attend court meetings, and ensure that all major decisions consider the person’s long-term interests.
Expert divorce attorneys review a person’s entire financial situation. They will look at the assets, the liabilities, the income and cash flow, and even a person’s earning capacity. This comprehensive analysis helps prevent mistakes that could affect a person’s finances for decades.
Another critical service provided by a divorce attorney is the emotional buffer. Going through a separation is emotionally challenging. Hiring a lawyer means that another person will be communicating with the other spouse’s legal team. It will also help keep negotiations more professional, and less personal.
Family law data from Clio reported that 72% of family law cases included at least one self-represented party. Self-represented parties are significantly more likely to struggle with:
- The legal jargon
- Submission deadlines
- Presenting proof in the best light
- Negotiating
If children are involved, the outcome is even more important. Good divorce attorneys will help protect the child’s best interests while also defending a person’s parental rights.
How to Protect Your Rights During Divorce
Protection begins with preparation.
The moment that a divorce becomes a possibility, certain steps become critical. By taking the right actions early, a person can significantly impact their chances of a positive outcome.
Document everything. Financial records, property values, investment portfolios, retirement accounts, business interests. A person needs to ensure that all the assets and liabilities are well documented before negotiations begin.
Know what you are entitled to. Pennsylvania is an equitable distribution state. This means that property division may not always be 50/50. Instead, the judge will try to decide what’s a fair distribution based on several factors:
- Duration of marriage
- Each side’s income and future earning capacity
- Contribution to the marital property
- Child custody and support
- Each spouse’s health and age
Avoid common mistakes. Many people make choices during their divorce that seem rational but create long-term issues.
Never move out of the family house without legal advice. Don’t try to hide assets from your spouse. Don’t go on social media and badmouth your ex. Never sign a document without an attorney reviewing it.
Prioritise what matters. A divorce is a complex negotiation, and not all issues are equally important. Good divorce attorneys will help their clients figure out which battles are worth fighting and where to compromise.
5 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Attorney
Divorce attorneys differ in their level of skill and experience.
Practice makes a difference. Attorneys who have worked on hundreds of divorces will likely have encountered many of the issues that newer lawyers will not.
When searching for the best lawyer, look for the following:
- Specialisation in family law: General practice attorneys simply cannot compete with the level of knowledge that experienced family law attorneys have.
- Local court experience: Attorneys who are familiar with the local judges and the court procedures have an advantage over lawyers from outside.
- Ability to communicate effectively: The legal process is confusing enough. A person needs a lawyer who can explain it all in simple words.
- Responsiveness: Divorce is a process that can happen at any time of the day. People need to make sure that their attorneys will respond to their queries in a timely manner.
- Transparent fees: Potential clients should know exactly how billing works before signing any contracts.
Ask about the potential candidate’s approach to divorce cases. Some lawyers are more inclined towards aggressive litigation, while others focus on negotiations and mediation. Neither approach is objectively better than the other.
Here’s one more thing to keep in mind:
Chemistry matters. Separation is a long process that can drag on for months and sometimes years. The relationship between attorney and client must be built on trust, respect, and open communication. If something doesn’t feel right during an initial consultation, it’s better to keep looking.
When to Contact a Divorce Attorney
Timing is essential in a divorce.
Too many people contact a divorce attorney way too late. In many cases, a person will have already made decisions by the time they make the call that will have complicated their case.
It’s better to contact an attorney when:
- A person is considering a divorce
- The other spouse is considering divorce or separation
- There are hidden assets or debts that a person discovered
- There are concerns about abuse or safety
- A person received divorce papers from the other spouse
If the person is unsure about a divorce, it’s still better to schedule a consultation. With the right advice, a person can make a more informed decision about their marriage’s future.
A timely intervention will also allow attorneys to protect a person’s assets, gather paperwork and evidence, and develop the overall strategy early on.
Wrapping It All Up
Divorce is the event that changes a person’s life in every possible way. Their finances, their place of living, their relationship with their children, and their everyday schedule will change.
A good divorce attorney will protect a person’s rights, help secure a favourable agreement, and make sure they do not make costly mistakes. Statistics and experience show that legal representation leads to more people reaching settlements.
Remember the following:
- Do not go through a divorce alone
- Document everything in advance
- Hire a good attorney with relevant experience
- Communicate with your legal counsel effectively
- Protect your long-term wellbeing above all else
Taking the first steps is always the most difficult, but it will protect the person’s future. The right attorney is what makes the difference between starting a new life on a solid foundation and struggling with the consequences of a poorly handled divorce for years to come.
