What To Do If Your Spouse Surprises You With Divorce Papers After A Long Marriage
Somewhere there is a worry wart who, ever since she read about Divorce Monday online, dreads the first business Monday of the year, since she is sure that her loving husband will spring divorce papers on her. She jumps out of her skin every time the doorbell rings or she receives a text message from an unfamiliar number, certain that it is a process server coming to break the news, and she breathes a sigh of relief when she wakes up on Tuesday morning, still married. For every one of her, though, there are ten people who have never entertained the thought that their spouse of many years would divorce them. They have an okay marriage that has lasted for decades, and it would never cross their mind to break their marriage vows. Your wife doesn’t smile and laugh as much as she used to, but between Parent PLUS loans, menopause, and caring for elderly parents, who would? Your husband is grumpier than he was when you married him, but maybe he is just stressed about work and fearing old age and death. Once you see the divorce petition, though, even if you are completely blindsided, it’s time to snap out of your denial and face reality. A Boca Raton divorce lawyer can help you navigate an unexpected divorce and focus on the future.
Your Lawyer Is Prepared for This Moment, Even If You Are Not
If you have been married for decades, and your spouse has just told you that she wants a divorce, your mind is probably full of questions. What about your children (who are adults now)? What about your in-laws? What about your mutual friends? What will you do on Christmas? It is only human to think about how divorce affects your relationships with the people in your life, and not to know how to approach the subjects that people who have been planning their divorce for a long time seem to have figured out.
You don’t have to pick up the pieces of your life; you can feel angry, devastated, confused, and lost. All you have to do is contact a divorce lawyer, who will help you draft a response to the divorce petition that took you by surprise. These are some questions the divorce lawyer will discuss with you:
- Can you survive financially without your spouse’s income? How much would you have to trim your expenses to do this?
- Which marital assets do you care the most about keeping? If the court awards you these assets, can you afford to keep them?
- What is the fairest way to divide the debts that you and your spouse owe?
You have to act quickly to respond to a divorce petition, which is why you should contact a lawyer promptly. After that, there is time for you and your spouse, with the help of your lawyers, to work out the details in mediation.
Contact Schwartz | White About Unexpected Divorce
A South Florida family law attorney can help you have the most painless divorce possible, even if you were sure that you and your spouse would be together forever. Contact Schwartz | White in Boca Raton, Florida about your case.
Source:
sasforwomen.com/your-surprising-divorce-after-30-years-of-marriage/
