However they put it, divorce and legal separation almost always leave a bad taste in the mouth. To begin with, you need to now stay apart and may be held legally liable if you come near each other. To make matters worse, you will have to divide your fortunes equitably. And yes, that means not divide equally. Then there’s the case of the children.
Unless you’re an aspiring author and your name is MacKenzie Scott (ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos), divorce can mean a nerve-wracking experience better avoided. To digress, MacKenzie is now the richest woman on the planet (net worth: $68 billion) surpassing Francoise Meyers, L’Oreal heiress
But thanks to all the misery the virus is causing everyone, the divorce rate has skyrocketed in America. This pattern has been clearly established in the first four months of the pandemic. Even more surprising, many of the couples who married this year are cutting their ties. It’s unprecedented. Arguably, this goes to show that when the going gets rough, only the tough get going. Marriage is no different.
Strained Ties during the Pandemic
It seems COVID-19 has aggravated marriages all over America. The notion that two people working together is better than one is taking a serious hit. The worse part is many of those who sought divorce during the pandemic are newlyweds.
The number of people who sought divorces shoot up by 34 percent when the pandemic struck America. Compared to last year, there were more couples who filed for a divorce starting in March of this year to June. This is as revealed by Legal Templates, a legal document enterprise.
Of course, this is no ordinary time. A lot of people are grieving. The coronavirus death toll has surpassed 200,000. Worse, that number could double by the end of the year. That certainly puts a lot of strain on the relationship.
Additionally, it’s a financial nightmare. Unemployment is higher than ever before. It’s so high that in the first three months alone unemployment is higher than the Great Depression. Imagine that.
Put in the mix the stay-in-place orders all over America. Staying together with dwindling funds can be a downer. In the process, it can zap the honeymoon stage faster.
Indeed, 31% of the divorcing couples admitted that the lockdown has brought “irreparable damage” to each other. It’s no accident that the separation application came to a head on the 13th of April. That is about two weeks after a lot of states imposed lockdowns.
What’s astounding is how many newlyweds took it. Of the couples who sought a divorce during the pandemic, 20% of them just married within the past five months prior.
Coping with Cut Ties: Consequences of a Divorce
Right off the bat, divorce is a painful process. Many times courts have to intervene for people to come to terms. Indeed, know that there are legal consequences when divorce proceedings are granted. This is especially true if you have kids.
Why? If you have minor children, you will have to make major decisions.
To note, two contentious issues come to the fore.
First up: Who gets custody? Child custody is deciding on where the minor children will live after the divorce. The custodial parent is the parent who gets custody. While the parent who doesn’t get custody is the non-custodial one.
And as things are bound to complicate, consulting child custodial attorneys is wise. Not only will a competent lawyer help you wade through all the legalities, but you will also rest easy your interests won’t be stepped upon.
Secondly, you will have to decide who will have legal custody of the child. According to law, legal custody is the right to make decisions about how the child is to be raised. For instance, we’re talking about deciding where the child goes to school. ; While it’s usually the custodial parent, sometimes legal custody goes to the noncustodial parent. Or it can also be shared.
Then there is the issue of the division of assets. When you get a divorce you will have to determine who gets what. And again, this can easily become a tug-of-war of sorts.
Lastly, divorce leaves an emotional scar that may go beyond childhood. Many studies have shown that divorce can have a negative effect on children. Research revealed that adolescents coming from divorced parents are more likely to get into accidents and illnesses.
The pandemic certainly has placed marriages all over America in a precarious situation. Considering that divorce can have a lot of negative consequences, cutting ties should be weighed seriously. All things considered, it’s a decision you alone can do. In short, it’s your call.
