Chris Hobson Divorce
Sometimes conflict is necessary during divorce, and sometimes it just gets in the way.
A certain level of conflict in a divorce is expected; financial questions, stresses and feelings that originally caused the divorce tend to spill over into the divorce process.
However, it is important to understand that regardless of your feelings for your spouse, Georgia’s family law courts encourage cooperation. Not only do they encourage it, but in cases involving division of assets, they more or less expect it.
At the end of the day, when the divorce does not have the emotions of children involved, the Courts expect the parties to work out the financial pieces of the divorce.
HOWEVER, that does not mean there will not be conflict when dividing up the assets during a divorce. Often, the breadwinning spouse will use their financial power to control the non-breadwinner and this can cause a tremendous amount of stress.
Just a hint, if you are the breadwinner…this is not a good idea and Judges see right through it.
If you are experiencing conflict around the division of assets, it is best to separate yourself from the marriage and look at the marriage as a business. Envision yourself divvying up “AB Corp” into “A & B Corp”.
That is what we are doing. We are taking the assets, debts, and property from your marriage, or business, and dividing it amicably. This trick will allow you to control your emotions while going through the divorce process.
Now, there are times when conflict is a good thing. In situations where there is a financially controlling spouse, conflict can lead to a better result. When a spouse controls you with their financial power, they are trying to emotionally crush you…make you give up.
We will provide you with the tools to stand up for yourself and step into that voice that has been pushed down for far too long.
If you don’t, your spouse will control the outcome of the divorce and you will walk away with less money and less stability…and they will win. I know that is NOT what you want to do. It’s important to remember that there is a cost to conflict.
Some of the costs are very tangible, like lawyers’ fees spent as a result of extra hours arguing on your behalf. Other costs can be much more subtle, like the emotional cost that you will endure during the long and messy divorce process. BUT REMEMBER, you are willing to go through this cost to ensure that you have financial stability following the divorce.
To put it simply, the emotional and financial costs are far outweighed by the value you will receive from the financial security and freedom you will have after you get out from under the thumb of your financially controlling spouse.
Conflict is also needed when one spouse takes care of the finances, and the other does not. We all have some sort of division of labor within the household, so don’t feel bad if you really don’t know a lot about your finances. However, you don’t want to end up being one of those spouses that end up settling for far less than they are entitled to because you feared the conflict and didn’t educate yourself during the divorce.
At Hobson & Hobson, our team is trained to walk with you throughout the entire journey of divorce, and we will work with you to educate you on what you will need following the divorce, what type of budget you can establish, and we will put you in touch with a variety of financial advisors to assist you depending on your circumstances.
Just remember, don’t search for conflict just because you are going through a divorce. This can make things much more emotionally and financially draining. On the other hand, don’t fear conflict when conflict is the only way to get you to the outcome you deserve.
The only way you can beat a bully is to punch him back. Let us be the one to stand in the corner with you.
Attorney Sarah Hobson at Hobson and Hobson, P.C. are powerful advocates for those who fight for better futures for those going through divorce and custody law matters.