During your divorce, you may promise your children they can adopt a puppy or dog from a local shelter for your home. While it might seem like a good idea at the moment, our Colorado Springs divorce attorneys explain why it is essential to wait until your divorce is finalized before adding one more furry member to your family.
Why Wait to Adopt?
Your children may want to adopt that pet now, but it may be best to wait until your divorce is finalized before adopting.
Equitable Division of Property
In a Colorado divorce, any pets acquired during the marriage will be considered as marital property during the division of assets. This means that even if you are undergoing the process of divorce, adopting a pet may complicate your division of assets process. Suppose you have already divided your assets with your soon-to-be former spouse. In that case, you may have to undergo an asset division adjustment before your divorce is finalized to ensure that the division of property is equitable.
Added Stress During Your Divorce
While pets may help reduce stress during this emotional time, adopting a new pet may also add more stress to you as you undergo and finalize your divorce. Not only will you be meeting with your attorneys and heading to court, but you will also be out on walks, up late at night with the puppy, and adding in extra appointments at the vet for the puppy’s wellness checks and vaccinations. If your children are young, you may be the person doing a majority of the pet’s care.
Colorado Springs Divorce Lawyers
Our divorce attorneys at Knies, Helland & McPherson love dogs as much as you do. With our firm, you will not only have one of our partners as your lead attorney, but you will also get our full team’s expertise guiding your case. Our goal is to protect your family’s best interests so you can move forward with your lives after divorce.
Are you undergoing a divorce but considering adopting a pet? Our Colorado Springs divorce attorneys would love to discuss your case. Call us today at (719) 626-8530 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.