Most of the time when couples divorce, their main concerns are child custody and finances. Alabama courts will tend to seek out the children’s best interests before addressing property matters. When property matters are addressed, the court is required to have a fair property distribution for spouses. However, there are mistakes some may possibly make during a divorce.

One of the mistakes one could make is not making sure unsecured debts are settled before the divorce is finalized. Credit card debts and other loans are under federal jurisdiction, and creditors are not concerned with whether the other spouse does not pay off outstanding balances. Creditors will still go after any spouse who is listed as responsible for the debt. Another mistake some make is not safeguarding their rights to financial entitlements of life insurance or other benefits.

Furthermore, spouses may not properly plan financial challenges, including modifying account ownership and transferring pension benefits. It is generally beneficial when these issues are handled prior to the divorce being finalized. Lastly, some tend to make the mistake of undervaluing their financial needs by thinking they will just decrease their budget without factoring in other expenses.

It is important for spouses to be aware of certain issues before a final order is rendered. It can be challenging for a spouse to re-open a court case unless one can prove that the family court made an error when the divorce case was presented. If no mistake was made, spouses may need to prove that duress or some sort of fraud existed. Alabama spouses who are going through divorce may wish to be certain of their best options.

Source: time.com, “The 7 Biggest Mistakes That Divorcing Women Make”, Lili A. Vasileff, July 9, 2014