After Your Florida Divorce

As if the divorce itself weren’t overwhelming enough, once your divorce is final you may find yourself feeling a bit lost. Additionally, you may have some post-divorce legal issues which need cleaning up, meaning you are divorced—but not. Of course if you have children, it is likely you will be dealing with your ex for many, many years to come. Even if there are no children of your marriage you may still be dealing with post-divorce issues, and you will certainly be dealing with the best way to begin your life following your divorce. Whatever the issues following your Sarasota divorce, the attorneys at The Law Place want to help. Regardless of whether an attorney from The Law Place handled your divorce, we can now offer our assistance in a variety of post-divorce legal matters.

What are Post-Divorce Legal Issues?

After your divorce is complete, you may still find there are legal issues which need to be resolved. Some of the most common post-divorce legal issues you may find yourself facing include:

• If there has been a significant change in your financial circumstances, you may request a modification of spousal support.
• If you are contemplating moving out of the state, you will have to file a motion through the court to request such a move. If your ex contests the move, you will be required to convince a judge that the move is not only in your best interests, but in the best interests of your children.
• The division of assets may take a long time to fully resolve. You may think it was all taken care of, then find that a property item was overlooked and must be addressed.
• Property inheritances and issues related to wills, trusts and estates may crop up long after your divorce is finalized, creating the necessity to return to court.
• If your children’s other parent is not following the orders of the court regarding visitation or child support, you may be forced to return to court.
• Should any new information surface regarding a jointly held business following the divorce, you may need to ask the court for a modification.

Post-divorce issues definitely require the assistance of a qualified family law attorney who can best advise you regarding on how you should proceed with these issues, offering valuable legal advice. Aside from post-divorce legal issues, there are a number of things you should be aware of following your divorce, including:

• Life will go on following your divorce, and the feelings of anger and sadness will fade. On those days you feel like pulling the covers up over your head and staying in bed all day, do your best to get up and simply put one foot in front of the other. Life will get easier, and by this time next year you will feel much differently than you feel today.
• Don’t waste precious time on regrets about your divorce. Grieve for your marriage if you feel the need, then move forward.
• Let your children see that you are strong enough to survive your divorce and that you will be there for them. When children see a parent who is curled in a ball crying, day after day, they feel very vulnerable, as though there is no adult to take care of them. Discuss the divorce with your children and let them express their feelings. Don’t, however, disparage the children’s other parent in front of them. You can talk about your ex all you want to a friend or trusted family member, but don’t put your children in the position of taking sides.
• Make a plan for your future. Include your financial situation, your career, your goals for your life. Having a plan of action can make you feel much safer, and can give you something to work toward.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help—you will need emotional support during this time, and there is no shame in asking for the help you need from those you trust.
• Make time for yourself. If you have children, this can be particularly difficult, but try your best to carve out small slices of time just for yourself. Take a class, begin a new health regime, or reconnect with a hobby you’ve long forgotten about.
• Find what you are passionate about, what makes you excited for your feet to hit the floor every morning. If you were married for a significant length of time, you may have been a “couple” for so long that you will need to dig deeply within yourself to remember the person you once were.
• Let go of any bitterness or anger left over from your marriage and divorce. Hanging on to these feelings will not hurt your ex in any way, but they will hurt you. Acknowledge the feelings, then let them go.

Divorce is not easy, nor is it fun, but you can get through it. Look at your divorce as a major transition in your life and remember that you won’t always feel this lonely and lost. The attorneys at The Law Place have the knowledge and skills to help you through this time. We will always listen to your concerns and discuss the recommended plan of action with you, clearly laying out your options. If you are having post-divorce legal issues, speak to an attorney from The Law Place today.

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