In the past fifty years, women have gained a lot of independence and have increasingly started working outside the home in Sugar Land, TX, Houston, TX, and Cypress, TX. This means that they are less vulnerable during a divorce. Nevertheless, around four in ten families in Texas have a stay-at-home mom, which means that there is a great demand for a good divorce attorney for women.
Whether you are the main breadwinner, you share this responsibility with your partner, or you have been staying at home and raising the children, you will face many challenges during your divorce. These include financial worries, social issues, and difficulty juggling all the tasks you now have to complete on your own. Let’s have a look at some of the issues that could come up and how you can prepare for them beforehand.
7 Common Challenges Women Can Face During a Divorce
1. Guilt and Shame
Divorce is nothing to be ashamed of, and it affects millions of people around the world. By separating from a partner who is abusive, manipulative, or simply no longer a good fit, we can enjoy a greater quality of life and make sure our family is not at risk. Despite this, many women still feel guilt and shame when they think about getting a divorce.
Most likely, this is a result of our values and of your upbringing. Whenever you start to feel these emotions, you should validate them and then let them go. If necessary, your attorney will recommend a great counselor or therapist, who can help you work through your issues. That way, the divorce process won’t be affected by your negative emotions, and you will be able to make more rational decisions.
2. Worry About the Welfare of their Children
One of the biggest concerns women have when getting divorced is the welfare of their children. How will divorce affect them, and what changes will it bring to their living situation? Of course, their parents splitting up will have a big impact on children, but it doesn’t have to all be negative. In fact, many families report happier relationships once the strain of keeping up a failing marriage has been taken away.
In certain cases, the children will also be safer once an abusive spouse has been removed from the home. With the help of your lawyer, you can negotiate full or partial custody and make sure that your children grow up in a stable, loving environment despite the divorce. It is reassuring to know that the judge will consider the welfare of children the primary concern when making decisions about custody.
3. Financial Difficulties
Although some men are stay-at-home parents while their women work outside the home, this is still more uncommon than the other way round. In Texas, many women either work part-time while the husband is the main breadwinner, or they look after the children full-time. If this is the case, they need to receive alimony and child support to maintain their standard of living after the divorce.
Unfortunately, not all spouses are happy to agree to a fair arrangement. Instead, they attempt to cut these payments to the bare minimum. For this reason, you need to work with a highly experienced divorce attorney for women in Sugar Land, TX, Houston, TX, or Cypress, TX. They will analyze your situation and figure out what the fairest outcome is.
4. Financial Difficulties if the Former Spouse Stops Paying
Even if you’re able to negotiate fair payments, there is no guarantee that your former spouse will pay them reliably. In some cases, they will stop transferring the money after a few months or years, which can lead to financial difficulties for you. As long as your arrangement is legal, it is also binding, which means that your spouse will face serious consequences if they don’t meet their obligations.
Child support debt is considered permanent, and it is very difficult to write it off. If your former partner files for bankruptcy, it’s likely that they will still have to pay. Thus, you are well-protected legally. You can always get back in touch with your lawyer if you’re having issues, even after several years. They will be here to advise you on the best course of action should your spouse refuse to pay.
5. Difficulty Completing All Household Tasks
When you split up your household, you will need to start taking on all tasks. In many cases, this includes things that you have never tried before because your spouse used to do them. For instance, many women who were stay-at-home moms are not optimally informed about the finances of their household and have never learned investing and money management skills to the same extent their husbands have.
Similarly, there might be yard work or other household tasks that were the other spouse’s responsibility. Now that you are living on your own or with your children, you will have to do everything on your own or hire help. This can come at a significant cost and cause you more stress. Fortunately, there are support groups for divorced people you can access, which offer helpful advice about this issue.
6. Changes in the Situation of One or Both Parties
Over time, your life and the life of your former spouse will change. For instance, you might lose your job, making it difficult for you to survive on the current alimony and child support payments. Similarly, one of your children could develop special requirements such as the need for therapy, the need for extra assistance, or the desire to attend an expensive school.
In such a case, your former agreement might no longer be fair, and you may struggle to cope. You should get back in touch with your lawyer and ask whether your alimony and childcare agreements can be adjusted. In many cases, this is possible, so you will be able to benefit from stability even when your circumstances don’t remain consistent.
7. Trouble Finding a Great Divorce Attorney for Women in Sugar Land, TX, Houston, TX, or Cypress, TX
Finding the best attorney for your needs can be difficult, especially if you don’t have any experience hiring legal help. You can start by browsing the internet and finding law firms in your area.
Have a look at their website to discover which lawyers have fought cases like yours before. You should also check out the testimonials, which can give you valuable insight into the attorney’s work. Former clients can tell you whether they were reliable, responsible, and easy to communicate with.
In the past, divorce was devastating for women because they lost their social status and financial security. Fortunately, this is no longer the case nowadays, and many women earn just as much as their husbands. Nevertheless, anyone going through a divorce should prepare for some big challenges, both emotional and financial.
A highly experienced divorce attorney for women local to Sugar Land, TX, Houston, TX, and Cypress, TX can help you navigate the challenges of divorce. They will help you achieve a fair outcome, so you can keep the assets that are most important to you. If necessary, they will also negotiate alimony and child support that covers all your expenses. Contact us now at Skillern Law to book your first meeting with one of our top attorneys.