Legal and Practical Concerns for Starting Your Life after a Divorce

Strong family law representation doesn’t just end with the divorce decree, custody orders, the division of the marital property, and support orders. There are many legal issues that can arise after the divorce is final. There are numerous practical issues that former spouses need to be prepared to handle. Our experienced Knoxville divorce lawyers help you plan for an uncertain future after the marriage ends.

Modifications to current orders

Some parts of the divorce decree can be modified after the divorce. The three most common modifications include:

• Changes to alimony orders. These orders are generally subject to modification if the spouse receiving alimony remarries or there is a change in the financial circumstances of the former spouses.
• Changes to custody orders. These orders can change if one spouse wants to move out of state. They can also change if it’s clear that the current order isn’t working out for the best interests of the children.
• Changes to child support orders. These orders may be modified if there is a substantial increase or decrease in the incomes of the parents or the child develops special needs.

A change in the health of the parents is also a cause for modifying orders. Changes to an equitable division order or the divorce order itself normally require some showing of fraud or misrepresentation.

Practical changes after a divorce

Some of the many changes former spouses need to be prepared for, after a divorce, are:

• How dating again can affect your relationship with your children
• Whether the divorce causes you to not only cease to be friendly with your spouse but to lose relationships with the friends of your spouse
• Custody agreements, no matter how well-written, will require getting along with a former spouse for the benefit of the children. For some parents, communication with an ex-spouse can be extremely difficult.
• Women may want to change their name back to their maiden name. There are forma procedures and timelines for making this change
• Your credit scores can be affected. Some former spouses borrow more from credit cards because the cost of living apart is more than the cost of living together. The more your borrow without paying back on time, the more your credit score may drop.

There are numerous life-after divorce magazine articles and blogs. Everyday Health suggests the following:

• Let yourself grieve
• Keep a journal about any emotional difficulties
• Rely on close friends
• Seek professional advice if you just can’t move forward
• Reinvent yourself – starting with doing some things differently than when you were married
• Start dating again
• Try making new friends
• Understand that it’s Ok to have sex again
• Don’t rush into anything
• Get smart about finances especially if your spouse managed the money
• Make a bucket list

There’s no precise formula for moving forward. You still need to take care of yourself and your children first. Just know that most people survive divorce and enter into healthy and loving new relationships.

The experienced Knoxville divorce lawyers at LaFevor & Slaughter understand the emotional and financial trauma of divorce. We work aggressively and compassionately to help position your finances and your emotional well-being so that you can start your new life instead of focusing too much on your past. For help with all aspects of a divorce, call our lawyers at 865.272.4454 or use our contact form to schedule a consultation. Our lawyers advocate forsclients in and around Knoxville.