If your second marriage appears to be ending, you may be feeling responsible, as though you’re the common denominator in both divorces. The truth of the matter is that second marriages are more likely to fail in general. It’s estimated that approximately 50% of first marriages end in divorce, and the percentage jumps to 67% for second marriages. We provide some ideas to help with surviving a second divorce.
Surviving a second divorce starts with planning ahead. Having been through the legal process once, you know what to expect and things can proceed more smoothly as a result. You also know what to fear and can try to avoid any of the pitfalls you experienced the first time around.
Attorneys that handle second divorce cases understand the added complexity of navigating issues such as child support, custody, and division of assets. On top of negotiating terms with the current spouse, they will need to take into account any financial or custody-related agreements already in place from your previous divorce.
Is it really worse than the first?
There are a number of notable differences from the first divorce to the second. People find that friends and family members tend to be more compassionate and accepting the first time. Unfortunately, when they discover you’re getting a second divorce, they can be less understanding and more judgmental.
On top of all of the emotions divorce brings up, losing the support of your community can be very difficult. Finances also tend to be more complicated as second divorces generally happen later in life when folks have accumulated more assets. And much of the time, at least some of these resources are already tied up with your first settlement.
Calculating the division of assets is tricky in this situation, which is why it’s critical to have competent representation to ensure your best interests are taken into account.
What nobody else will tell you
At JWB Family Law, we believe that honesty and transparency in the attorney-client relationship is the key to long term success. We know that this is a difficult and emotional time for you, and drawing from our experience, we’ll do our best to advise you on how to survive a second divorce.
Second divorces often require a more nuanced approach to ensure a fair and equitable settlement. Due to the extra considerations the second time around, your best bet is to enlist the services of an experienced attorney who can develop an effective legal strategy prior to initiating the divorce process.
