Once you’ve formally filed the paperwork and your divorce is underway, you may think you are free to give love another go. After all, you are no longer romantically involved with your spouse. But is dating before the divorce is final always a prudent idea?
Finding love again before finalizing your divorce is not illegal. However, divorce and dating rarely go hand in hand. So, before taking this route, it is important to understand the potential ramifications.
Here are a few reasons why you might want to go slow on dating during your divorce:
It could prolong your divorce
If your spouse hasn’t come to terms with the divorce, learning that you are seeing someone is barely going to go down well with them. Depending on their current state of mind, they could blame you for the divorce. Consequently, they could resort to making life as difficult as possible for you, and this might involve dragging the divorce process.
It could complicate your co-parenting and time-sharing case
If your spouse cannot stand you seeing someone else before the divorce is over, how do you think they will react to the news that you are dating? They may also have genuine concerns about the child’s safety around your new partner. In fact, don’t be surprised if the court rules in your spouse’s favor in the child custody case.
It could impact your final divorce settlement
In Massachusetts, like the other states, you are considered legally married until the court signs the divorce decree. Thus, an affair could amount to adultery, which may support a fault-based judgment against you.
Additionally, your spouse could argue that you are using marital property to finance your affair. And if the court finds that you have indeed used marital property to advance personal interests, your spouse could end up with the lion’s share of what is left.
Protecting your interests
Divorce is a big deal. It is important that you understand the implications of your actions before searching for love in the middle of your divorce case.