Your actions before your divorce can have a significant impact on the process of dissolving your marriage on Long Island. You could put yourself at a financial disadvantage or make it more difficult for the judge to sympathize with you. Here’s what you shouldn’t do before getting a divorce — and one thing you should.

Don’t Continue to Add Money to a Joint Bank Account

Once you decide to get a divorce, it’s important to open a new bank account in your own name and keep your money there. Deposit cash given to you as a gift, paychecks that you earn, and any other money that you make into your new account. Understand that your spouse can legally drain your existing joint bank account at any time, even after you agree to get a divorce, so you could end up losing everything if your spouse decides to be spiteful.

Don’t Hide Assets

Although you want to keep your money in a separate place from your spouse’s, it’s important that you don’t try to hide it or other assets. You’ll need to make full disclosure about any money you have in the bank, as well as what valuable assets you may have, including furniture, jewelry, vehicles, appliances, etc. Hiding assets in a divorce could lead to serious penalties.

Don’t Have Your Spouse Served Publicly

How your spouse is served with their divorce papers (if you’re the one filing the petition) can impact how they approach divorce negotiations. If you have your spouse served publicly, they may be embarrassed by the situation. They may become more bitter toward you and less likely to want to work things out. They may attempt to make things more difficult for you or refuse to compromise with you in anger or to get back at you for publicly humiliating them. Have your spouse served privately, at their own home, if possible.

Don’t Fight Every Battle

When it comes to divorce, few people win every battle. It’s important to look at what you and your spouse disagree on and choose to fight for what is most important to you. Fighting every battle out of spite or simply for the sake of fighting does more harm to everyone involved than good. It also slows down your divorce process and prevents you from moving forward with your life sooner. Time is money, so the longer your divorce takes, the more it is likely to cost as well.

Don’t Seek to Get Revenge

Divorces are painful, emotional situations that can bring out the worst in anybody. If your spouse has hurt you deeply or damaged you in some other way, it may be tempting to devise ways to get revenge. Often, this comes out in little ways, like trying to deny child visitation or refusing to compromise on certain things. Or, it can come out in acts of bitterness, like throwing your spouse’s property out in the front yard or spray painting “cheater” on the garage door.

These acts may make you feel better temporarily, but they won’t do you any favors in court. You’ll appear bitter, irrational, and immature, which can make the judge less likely to sympathize with you or rule in your favor.

What You Should Do in a Divorce on Long Island

Whether you’re in the thick of a divorce or you’re simply considering it as an option, your best ally is an experienced Long Island divorce lawyer. Contact our family law firm today to learn more about how an attorney can help you take the best course of action as you separate from your spouse. Call today to schedule your free consultation at 631-923-1910.