If your spouse is exhibiting certain types of behavior, it may be a clue that your spouse is going to file for divorce. Here are some of the most telling signs that you need to meet with a divorce attorney as soon as possible.
Major Changes to Your Finances
Changes to your financial situation—whether that's moving around assets, selling property, or large financial withdrawals/purchases—may be a sign that your spouse is thinking about a single life.
Here are some examples.
- Suggesting that you sell your home and downsize
- Selling a timeshare
- Applying for a large loan or mortgage
- Changing a will or trust
- Arguing about or hiding money
- An insistence from your spouse that s/he manages her/his own money when this wasn't the way you have been doing things up to this point
- A reduction in investments to joint accounts or retirement accounts
Withdrawal from You and Changes in Habits
Financial changes aren’t the only signs that your spouse may be thinking about divorce; changes in habits and withdrawal from you can also be signs the marriage is coming to an end. Withdrawal from you doesn’t mean withdrawal from the world in general. In fact, a recent study revealed that frequent Twitter use leads to cheating and divorce.
Look for these signals of withdrawal.
- A lack of interest in being intimate
- Changing passwords on cellphones and computers
- Refusing to commit to big plans: family vacation or a family member's wedding
- Changes to physical appearance: a new workout regimen or a new style of dress
- Using hobbies as a distraction to avoid dealing with you, such as playing video games on the phone: this is especially useful for cheating spouses as they can interact with the other man/woman while ostensibly innocently playing a game.
Changes in the Way Your Spouse Interacts with Your Children
Sometimes, when a person is thinking about divorce and is afraid of losing custody of children, his/her habits toward the children may change dramatically.
If your spouse suddenly begins one of these behaviors without discussing it with you, then look critically at your relationship and consider why this is occurring.
- S/he shows an increased interest in your children’s lives: when s/he used to come home from work, it was straight to the TV, and now s/he wants a full report on each child's day
- S/he starts spending one-on-one time with your child when before you had to cajole him/her to do so
- S/he takes on a childcare duty that you usually perform: picking up your child from school or preparing dinner
Common Reasons for Divorce
- Poor Communication. It may come as no surprise that couples who don’t communicate well may have difficulty staying together. Failure to communicate is a root source that can lead to a wide array of other problems, many of which could be a reason for divorce.
- Infidelity. Along with failure to communicate, infidelity may quickly lead to a divorce for married couples. According to some statistics, infidelity is strikingly common; a TED Talks guest author on ideas.ted.com asserted that, according to studies, between 20 and 40 percent of heterosexual married men and 20 to 25 percent of heterosexual married women will be adulterous in their lifetimes.
- Domestic Abuse. Sadly, another reason for divorce is domestic violence or abuse. And that abuse doesn’t strictly come from men and isn’t always physical; both men and women can be perpetrators or victims of abuse -- physical or verbal. After abuse, the abused spouse may wish to seek a divorce immediately.
- Unrealistic Expectations. In some cases, spouses may have views in their heads that don’t align with the realities of their relationship or marriage in general, which could lead to discontentment within the relationship.
- Marrying Too Young. The average age at first marriage is approximately 26 and 28 for women and men, respectively. Although this is much older than even a few decades ago, it still could be too young to last for many couples.
Get Legal Help for a High-Asset Divorce
All of the signs listed above do not mean that your spouse is absolutely preparing to file for divorce. However, they may be clues that your spouse is thinking about divorce. If you suspect that your spouse is considering divorce, and you’re worried about what might happen, you should consult with the attorneys at the Law Offices of Molly B. Kenny.
Our high-asset divorce attorney can explain how the divorce process works and what you need to know about asset division and child custody. To learn more, contact us today at 425-460-0550.
