Property division and other divorce issues should not be rushed

Ontario residents who are considering divorce might feel that getting it finished as quickly as possible will limit the trauma and stress that typically go hand in hand with ending a marriage. However, rushing the process may have the opposite effect, because important issues may be left unaddressed that might be more difficult to resolve post-divorce. Going through property division and other processes step-by-step is typically considered the best approach to securing a comprehensive settlement.

Each party to a divorce needs a support team, and while friends, family and support groups can form a protective shield, legal advice is best secured from an experienced family law lawyer. Conversations between the parties are important — even if handled through mediation. If there are children from the marriage, their future lives will continue to involve both parents.

Another issue that needs addressing before filing for divorce involves buying or selling items of significant value. Such activity after filing for divorce may indicate to the judge that the buyer or seller is negatively manipulating marital assets. While divorce proceedings are pending, each party is typically barred from selling any marital property or using marital funds to purchase items of substantial value unless the parties jointly agree to do so.

Many Ontario residents have found that the support and guidance of a skilled divorce lawyer were instrumental in smoothly navigating their divorces. This includes property division, child custody and the drafting of parenting plans, spousal support and more. If direct communication between the two parties is a problem, formal mediation may help ease the process.