When the divorce is over and the paperwork is finalized, most believe the hard part is finished. While it is true that most of the litigation and negotiation is finished, there is still work to be done. Both parties must grow accustomed to living life as a single person while simultaneously adhering to their court ordered divorce agreement. Failing to comply with the agreement could lead to serious consequences for yourself, your children, and even future spouses. It will take time to get used to the new arrangements, but keeping these common post-divorce mistakes to avoid in mind can help prevent most major blunders.
Paying Your Ex Directly
After your divorce is finalized and any alimony or child support payment amounts are determined, the court will determine how these payments should be made. In Georgia, the Division of Child Support Services typically manages child support payment collection and disbursement while alimony payment methods may vary. While making payments immediately to your ex or his or her attorney may seem like the easiest way to avoid a problem, that is not always a good idea. If the proper government entity is not monitoring your child support collection, it may appear as though you are not making your payments. The last thing you need is to be placed in a situation in which you must rely on your ex to verify that you are not violating your court order.
Not Transferring Property
Once the divorce is over and your spouse is awarded specific property, it is vital that you transfer that property immediately. Waiting to sign over deeds to real estate, titles to vehicles, or items that are in your possession could lead to problems, especially if that property is somehow damaged. Failing to transfer property could be viewed as a violation of a court order. No one who has gone through a drawn-out divorce wants to go back to court to fight a contempt motion because of an oversight.
Dating or Remarrying too Soon
Expanding your social circle is usually a good idea after a divorce since it can help keep you from shutting down emotionally. Unfortunately, expanding a social circle can quickly turn into serial dating, which has its own downsides. After going through a rough divorce, a person who is vulnerable runs the risk of growing too attached to a new romantic partner too quickly. Dating too soon after a divorce can lead to problems if a person is not truly emotionally ready for a relationship and remarrying too soon can create a situation for a person to end up back in divorce court while they are already emotionally and financially vulnerable.
Vayman & Teitelbaum
If you are going through a divorce or have recently finalized a divorce without the assistance of an attorney, it is a good idea to have a qualified divorce lawyer go over your decree with you. An attorney who is familiar with family law can advise you on how to proceed in the months immediately following a divorce. The team at Vayman & Teitelbaum understands that a divorce will often leave you with many questions and we are here to provide you with the answers you need. Contact us today and schedule a consultation at one of our four Atlanta metro area locations so that we can begin providing you with legal advice.
