Before we finish our discussion of military divorce and benefits, let’s take a quick detour in this blog entry into a more general subject. For as much as we encourage our Dallas readers to understand certain financial issues relevant to the divorce process, we should also acknowledge that at a very basic level, money just isn’t something many are comfortable discussing in any situation. Divorce is unlikely to make it any easier — quite the opposite, in fact.
Whether they were raised not to talk about money, or find the subject uncomfortable or perhaps too personal, there are fortunately a few steps our readers can take to help prevent this discomfort from harming their interests in a divorce. For one thing, simply enrolling in a basic financial literacy class at a community college or YMCA can help empower Dallas residents to overcome awkwardness or fear about the subject. Subscribing to a financial magazine can also help them get familiar with general concepts and terminology at their own pace.
It’s also important to keep in perspective that the goal is to be able to discuss money openly with your spouse and with your divorce legal team, not to become a professional overnight. It’s not a bad idea to express to your legal professional that you have a hard time talking about money, if that’s the case. A Dallas family law professional will make sure to ask you the questions necessary to understand the situation, rather than relying on you to be forthcoming with that information.
Finally, if the thought of an adversarial courtroom divorce process is triggering anxiety, remember that there may be other options. A legal professional can help discuss what concerns you have and what choices you can make moving forward.
Source: Forbes, “How Women Can Become More Comfortable Discussing Money,” Jeff Landers, March 10, 2015
