Each year over 800,000 couples get divorced throughout the United States. The majority of these couples seek the advice of an attorney at some point in their divorce process. Once an attorney is retained, he or she will give you legal advice, work on your behalf, and do everything possible to obtain a divorce settlement that you are happy with. However, attorneys are not always as candid as they would like. There are things your divorce attorney really wants to tell you but often keeps to him or herself to avoid appearing unprofessional.

Not Talking to an Ex Makes Things Take Longer

During many contested divorces, especially towards the beginning, it is common for one or both spouses to avoid speaking with each other. Hurt, anger, or other strong emotions make it difficult for them to communicate in a productive manner. After retaining an attorney, each spouse may start communicating his or her requests through individual attorneys. Unfortunately, deciding to use third parties for all communication can prolong the entire divorce process. If you want to finalize your divorce quickly, you are going to have to speak to your former spouse. Though the average attorney will not press the issue, he or she probably wants to, since getting the client to sit down and speak with a former spouse is the best way for everyone to get what they want so that everyone can move on.

Divorce is Rarely Fair

Hollywood and daytime television often portray the end of a divorce as a way for one partner to triumph over a former spouse. In reality, divorce is not always fair and rarely leads to either party feeling vindicated. Family law is complicated, ever changing, and usually does not make sense to a person with no legal experience. The judge hearing your case is not interested in hearing either partner’s side of a story and makes his or her decisions based on facts instead of feelings. Even after fighting on your behalf, it is unlikely that your attorney will be able to get all of your requests granted. Be prepared for disappointment since it is highly probable that you and your spouse will both feel that aspects of the divorce are unfair.

Your Income Will Plummet

No matter how skilled your attorney is, and regardless of how reasonable the divorce settlement is, your income is going to plummet. After a divorce involving minor children, household incomes typically drop an average of 45% if the parent remains divorced for six years or more.  Women are especially at risk of experiencing a loss of income that leads to poverty after they get divorced. No one should stay in an unhappy marriage because of money, but it is important to understand that your finances are going to be seriously affected.

Get Legal Advice

Even though your attorney may hesitate to be candid with you out of fear for his or her professional reputation, your attorney will always be your most zealous advocate. The divorce attorney you decide to trust with this important task is going to do his or her utmost to guard your rights and get you the settlement you deserve. The aggressive attorneys at Vayman & Teitelbaum are prepared to work diligently on your behalf. Contact our office today to schedule a confidential appointment.