Couples who get married in the United States have a 50% chance of getting a divorce. In spite of these high divorce rates and readily available marriage statistics, adults are still often blindsided by their spouse’s divorce filings. While there is no sure way to predict that a divorce is inevitable, there are often signs that dissolving a marriage is on your spouse’s mind. There are divorce warning signs that can help you determine whether or not your spouse is seriously considering ending a marriage. Even a small amount of forewarning can improve your ability to plan and prepare for divorce proceedings.

Secret Meetings or Conversations

The average couple does not discuss every conversation that they have throughout the day, but they also do not take steps to hide innocuous exchanges. A spouse who is considering divorce may start scheduling secret appointments or going out of his or her way to have private conversations. These discussions could have nothing to do with your marriage or they could be appointments with local divorce attorneys or forensic accountants. Unexplainable secrecy is one of the earliest signs that a divorce may be in your future.

Avoidance

Prior to a divorce being filed, it is not unusual for couples to start drifting apart. Couples who have later divorced often report that they lived parallel lives with their spouses that rarely connected. When one party does not care about being emotionally connected and spending time together, it is usually a bad sign. Couples who stop communicating and begin actively avoiding each other both in or out of their home have a hard time reestablishing their connection.  Eventually a divorce can seem like an easier option than repairing the damaged relationship.

Unusual Financial Transactions

Changes to the way finances are handled is one of the biggest, and most alarming, pre-divorce warning signs. A spouse who wants to make sure that he or she can afford to manage a single-income household or who is tempted to hide assets may start making unusual financial decisions. Redirecting direct deposits to a new account, suddenly needing more money to pay the bills or complete shopping, and using or acquiring more credit are all behavior patterns of which you should take note.

Negative Interactions

Marriage has its ups and downs with a fair mixture of good times along with arguments. If the arguments and bad times begin to happen with overwhelming regularity, start reevaluating your marriage. Couples who are not happy and have more negative interactions than positive ones will start avoiding each other while reassessing their marriage.

Talk to a Neutral Party

Instead of relying solely on your instincts or the opinions of friends and family members, discuss your situation with a neutral party. A family law attorney who has seen dozens of divorces often has unique insight into relationships. The team at Vayman & Teitelbaum is able to discuss your situation and help you make the legal decisions that are right for you. With offices throughout the Atlanta, Georgia metro area, we are here to provide you with the legal representation you deserve. Contact us today at 678-736-7700 to schedule a consultation.