Buying a House During a Divorce - Renting vs Purchasing Your Next Home

Purchasing a Home During Divorce Process

I do not encourage my clients to buy a house, condo or townhouse etc. during the divorce or within the first year of the divorce. The reason for this is simple. Research has shown that divorce is the second most emotionally traumatic event you will experience in your life. The most emotionally traumatic event is death of a child. If you are in the midst of a divorce or recently divorced, you are not thinking straight. You may think you are fine. You are not. You just don’t realize it, yet.

Renting vs. Buying Following a Divorce

I do not recommend that those in the midst of a divorce or very recently divorced consider purchasing a residence or make any important decisions that can wait. I do encourage my clients to rent until the divorce is over and they’ve had a chance for the dust to settle. Many times, my clients are starting new jobs, or are working long hours just to make ends meet. They don’t need a house with a yard to mow, a roof to fix or garage door that needs replaced. Their post divorce life will be difficult and they will likely be “time poor”. Combining that with being “house poor” is a recipe for stress. Renting will not only simplify their life in the short-term, but also decreases expenses because they will not have expensive maintenance repairs and taxes.

Submit a divorce question to Sandy Arons (Tennessee Advisor)

Child Custody in TN

Child Custody and Divorce - State of Tennessee

During divorce, the most heated debates include money and children.  The money issues are not surprising.  Research has shown that the majority of marital arguments are related to financial issues.   But child custody issues during divorce can also be very emotional.

Custody Options and Child Support Payments in Tennessee

Unfortunately, while some parents profess to love their children and want to share custody 50/50 (joint custody), their underlying motives are frequently financial.  Child support calculations in TN are based on several factors including how much time each parent will be spending with the child/children.  This encourages a parent who wants to reduce his/her child support payments to the other spouse to request joint custody (50/50) even if they have typically spent very little time with their children during the marriage.

I’ve seen this custody scenario play out too many times.  The children are often the innocent victims of divorce, being pulled from both directions.  Nashville judges tell me the cases that require a child to testify as to which parent they prefer to live with are their least favorite type of case.

Advice when You Face a Custody Battle

I encourage parents in the midst of a TN custody battle to reflect on their motives and how their actions will impact their children in the long run.  I always ask my clients “How do you want your children to remember your divorce when they are adults?”  “Do you want to ruin your daughter’s wedding because she is so worried that mom and dad will fight that she can’t enjoy the day?”  Self-reflection is very powerful and I encourage a parent in a TN custody battle to consider the long-term consequences of their behavior. 

I am available to answer your Tennessee divorce questions