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How soon can you start dating after deciding to divorce?

On Behalf of | Jul 7, 2022 | Family Law |

If you and your spouse have decided that you want to get divorced, then you may be ready to move on. Some people feel comfortable dating right away, because their marriages have been struggling for a while. They feel that they’ve already mourned the loss of that relationship and are keen to start a new one with someone else.

If your divorce is not yet finalized, you may want to wait before you start dating. It can complicate the issues you’ll handle during your divorce, especially if you have children. That being said, if you do want to begin dating right away, you can, but you have to be cautious about how you do so.

Everyone’s divorce is different

One of the first things that has to be clarified is that everyone’s divorce is different. You and your spouse may be glad to divorce and happy that each of you can move on. You may also be in the opposite situation with great animosity. Whether or not you date during the divorce may depend on how you feel about the divorce itself.

If you have children, dating during a divorce can be a bad idea if you start bringing the new people around your kids. The other parent may become concerned about the children being exposed to so many strangers, and it’s reasonable for them to bring that up to the court. To avoid a messy conflict over bringing your dates home, you may want to do so only on days when you don’t have your children or skip dating completely until the divorce is finalized.

Dating during a divorce can also become a problem if your spouse has any evidence that you saw the date prior to your divorce. If there is any suggestion that you spent money on another person or could have spent down assets by giving them away to a new partner, your spouse could seek compensation for that.

Many would agree that dating during your divorce is not a good idea. Resolve your divorce issues first and formally separate. Then, make sure you get a good understanding of the legal system and how dating could affect you. Once you understand the risks, you can make a decision and decide if you’re ready to start dating again.

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