If you have never been through a divorce before, it can be hard to know exactly what you should expect. How is this going to play out? What how are you going to feel? What challenges lie ahead that you haven’t even considered before?
Finding specific answers can be hard, as every situation is unique. However, it is possible to look at what other people learned while going through the same thing, and their experiences can be educational. Here are a few things they learned:
- Money is important, and it drives about 40 percent of the court process. Make sure you fully understand your financial situation. In many marriages, one person has far more control over the money than the other. If you’re the person who never thought about money before, it’s important to learn all you can.
- It’s fine if you find the process emotionally difficult and you don’t recover from it as fast as you want to. Take your time and focus on the future.
- Changes to living expenses may be a surprise. Remember, you now have one income but you may have most of the same costs. You need to make a budget and have a plan.
- You’re probably going to run into costs you don’t anticipate. Don’t make your financial plan too rigid. You need to be prepared for the unexpected.
- If you have kids, the holidays are often one of the most trying times of the year. You’ll need to learn how to work with your ex and you may need to accept seeing the kids less than you want.
These insights can help you start working toward a positive outcome in your own divorce. Make sure you know what steps to take.
