Dealing with court orders and postponed court dates with courtrooms pushing back dates.
A divorce process is something that each individual wants to resolve as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, every process globally is on a standstill. During this COVID-19, pandemic families in marital discord are living in anxiety, stress, and fear and emotional turmoil. The coronavirus has affected professional and personal life. In private life, couples amid their divorce proceedings have been affected mentally, financially and socially. On the professional level, divorce procedures have been affected by postponed court dates and upholding of the given court orders. So here the areas you need to take action as you go through a divorce
- Safety First
Think about your safety during this coronavirus by embracing to the given rules while adhering to court orders. The primary concerns for a family living together and undergoing divorce proceedings are their safety and health. In the case of physical abuse or domestic violence, it’s advisable to ask for protection orders to preserve your well-being and safety. The courts have been issuing protection orders for emergency issues during COVID-19. Don’t allow the fears of COVID-19 force you to stay in an abusive home.
Avoid toxic environments during the current COVID-19 situation, divorcing couples need to establish their rooms in the house. This creates an opportunity for a person to spend time alone, and it shuns unwanted arguments. It doesn’t mean ignoring your spouse, ultimately making an effort to coincide, which may greatly benefit your daily life, negotiations, and long-term decisions regarding your divorce.
- Think about finances
The economic instability brought about by COVID-19 has left many people in financial distress. The court relies on both parties’ income figures to determine child and spousal support. Division of assets may go on a standstill since most of it is tied up in business interests, investments and retirement accounts.
Virtually everyone’s finances have significantly been affected, with debts being negotiated and the value of properties shrinking. Mediating your divorce financial settlement during COVID-19 may become more hardened.
Enlist experts to create the best divorce settlement regardless of the coronavirus situation and outcome. Look for tax planning and rebalancing opportunities. Keep a tab on your spouse’s finances and spending.
Find out a separate property and marital property. Separate property includes anything acquired before marriage like gifts or inheritance, and it’s not subject to couple asset division.
Speak to your divorce attorney on the potential of hidden assets and allow them to uncover them during the divorce process. In case you feel covid-19 effects on the economy will affect your financial settlement, you may renegotiate for a future date to divide the assets.
- Take care of your mental Health
Marriage ends due to various reasons others being more dramatic and emotional, thus becoming a stress trigger. Reasons like domestic abuse, infidelity and desertion lead to innocent parties dealing with separation hence giving rise to psychological distress. Divorce leads to emotional and mental aspects high enough to cause depression. Additionally, giving the current COVID-19 stressful situation, the stress situation gets compounded daily, creating dangerous side effects on your physical and mental health. To overcome coronavirus and divorce stresses, engages in different activities that may help to mitigate your situation. Such activities include:
- Finding social support
The most challenging obstacles of coronavirus are social isolation, curtailed social lives, anxiety, and fear of the future. Embrace online social support network of friends and family to beat loneliness, prevent alcohol use, suicide thoughts, altered brain function and cardiovascular diseases. Alternatively, join different divorce groups online or attend psychologist’s virtual sessions for informational and instrumental support. Social support encourages healthy behaviours and choices, ways of coping with stress and improves motivation.
- Embrace exercising
Exercising improves a person’s well-being during hard situations. Physical activity gives a person a chance to go out and interact with others, but with lockdown, it’s advisable to follow different online exercising channels and groups. Exercising helps to trigger endorphins chemicals that stabilize and improves the overall mood of an individual.
During the divorce process, emotions run high, and things may get pretty tense, leading to high levels of stress.
While getting a good therapist and talking to your counsellor or trusted friend may help vent out, exercising releases endorphin chemicals, thus reducing stress levels. Controlling your stress levels means sleeping better, feeling energetic and improving your concentration level.
Physical activities push you to stay healthy by controlling your appetite and allowing your body to burn extra calories. During coronavirus, lockdown and divorce issues, food and alcohol may become your comforter. But, exercising regularly will push you to embrace proper diet, making you feel more energetic and healthier and more focused on the obstacles coming your way like pushing back of your divorce date.
- Keep Tab of your Legal Proceedings
During COVID-19 lockdown and uncertainty, many people are wondering whether their legal procedures are moving forward. With postponed divorce dates and orders, the divorce situations are becoming trickier. Most of the divorce attorney has opted for remote services; thus, you can communicate easily with your solicitors via email or via phone or video calls.
For urgent issues, some States have opted for virtual courts via video conferencing to issue their judgment and court orders. Reaching a divorce agreement during this period will make the process simpler. You can file a motion with your lawyers for any charges on court orders like the reduction of financial payments or visitation rights. Avoid dropping your responsibility or disobeying court orders like reducing spousal payment amount to avoid interest, penalties and being ruled to having arrears.
Conclusion
The uncertainty of your divorce proceedings, COVID-19 destructions and shaky future may become a recipe for physical and emotional turmoil. To increase the sense of control and stability, understand the coronavirus’s impact on your divorce bill and timeline. Reassess your financial security, settlement proposals and revisit your divorce goals. Breathe and embrace patience to maximize your safety and health of yourself and loved ones.