Many people debate whether or not to file for divorce for quite some time before taking action. One reason people may hesitate to file for divorce or feel a great deal of anxiety over a divorce is often related to scare tactics that one person may use against the other. These scare tactics involve myths regarding what one may be entitled to after the divorce. One person may say that he or she will walk away with everything in a Pennsylvania divorce, including the children, and the other will walk away with nothing. However, in today’s divorce proceedings, these are simply just myths.
It is not uncommon for one person to say the other will walk away financially destitute. This is rarely reality as most property division agreements are based on the idea of equitable distribution. While there may be some imbalance based on the assets one party may have brought into the marriage separately, more often than not, equality is the main focus, even if one party has committed some horrible offense leading to divorce.
Another myth pertains to child custody and visitation rights. Aside from one spouse saying the other spouse will be destitute, one parent may threaten the other parent that he or she may never see the children. However, custody is never decided by one parent, and denial of visitation or custody is never to be based on how one parent feels about the other; the courts work to figure out the best interests of the children.
It can become easy to be manipulated or even scared about the future when a major life change, such as divorce, unfolds. However, it is important for every party to understand the facts and to protect him or herself from unnecessary worry or anxiety over myths or empty threats perpetrated by the other party. Pennsylvania courts will work with both parties and establish the fairest decisions regarding divorce, particularly as it pertains to property division and custody issues.
Source: wotv4women.com, “My spouse says I’ll get nothing after divorce: Fact vs. threat“, Gail Saukas, Dec. 22, 2015
