You may be putting off getting a divorce for fear of the expenses it could raise, but there are some reasons you shouldn’t delay. Is the thought of the cost of a divorce worth the expense of staying in a toxic or unhappy marriage?
There are seven ways to know if you should get a divorce instead of putting it off. One is if there is no chance of reconciliation. If your marriage won’t be saved, then staying longer will only entwine your finances further. Another is that each year, your divorce could become more expensive; you may end up paying more in alimony the longer you’re married, for instance.
If your physical health is suffering, then that’s another reason to consider divorce. If it’s stress-related, the added stress of an unhappy marriage can begin to wear on you. If depression sneaks up on you, that can be a sign that you need to step away from the relationship, too.
A good time to seek a divorce is when you know it will be amicable. Not all divorces end up dragging out over the course of years or go to trial over petty things. Divorces between couples who can work together cost less and can happen relatively quickly.
If you don’t need to divide the marital home, which can be the most complicated asset in a divorce, then you’re also in a good position to go through a divorce now. If you have a steady income and are employed, this can help you pay for extraneous costs during the breakdown of the marriage and divorce process.
Source: The Huffington Post, “7 Reasons You Can’t Afford NOT To Get Divorced,” Jason Levoy, June 20, 2016
