5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ask Your Friends For Divorce Advice…

Through life’s trials and tribulations, it is important to have a tribe– friends you can count on to help overcome any hardships that may come your way. As you navigate your divorce, you will probably think the best advice you can get will come from your friends. And while they might have provided you with sound advice in other situations, their advice about your divorce can cause more harm than good. This is especially true when it comes to any legal or financial matters about the process. When it comes to your divorce, avoid asking your friends for advice. Below are some reasons why…

#1: Friends Tend To Forget That All Divorce Proceedings Are Different

Sure, you and your friends know each other’s stories. You’ve been there for each other through the ups and downs. There’s no doubt that they have your best interest at heart, but your situation is just that– yours. If your friends have gone through a divorce or separation, what worked well for them might not work for you. It is important that you do not make choices based on theirs as it could lead to serious legal or financial consequences before all is said and done. Any advice that may raise or lower your expectations in your settlement is not good advice. You are already going through a lot, the last thing you need to do is complicate the process emotionally. Even if your friend has been divorced or they are a financial or legal professional, if they do not work specifically in family law or asset division, you should leave the divorce advice to the experts.

#2: Friends Often Fail To See The Whole Picture

We tell our friends a lot but that does not mean that they know everything that goes on behind closed doors. Regardless of how close you are with someone, the only person who truly knows what you are going through is you. Even if you break down all the financial aspects like how much you both earn, the value of your home, how much money is in the bank, and what other valuable assets you have together, they don’t know how you will have to distribute those assets in your divorce. They also will be unsure about how to process all of your financial information objectively or legally. As nice as it is to have another person’s perspective, a biased one might not help you get everything you are lawfully entitled to.

#3: Friends Aren’t Aware Of Divorce Laws

If your friends aren’t practicing family law in Kentucky, they don’t know divorce law. People tend to think because they have watched friends or relatives going through a divorce and gained secondhand knowledge or because they spend their weekday afternoons watching divorce court, they are filled with all the advice you need. Unfortunately, what you see on television is not the same as actual law– family law in Kentucky can be quite complicated. You’ve probably heard that Kentucky is a 50/50 state, but it is not that cut and dry. Between child custody and dividing assets, each divorce is unique and comes with its own set of issues.

#4: Friends Lack Objectivity 

When you hire an attorney, you are choosing them not only for their knowledge and experience, but also because they are objective and inclined to see the bigger picture.
Friends are not usually objective. Family law attorneys, on the other hand, will serve as your advocate while taking a fair, impartial look at the situation as a whole. Your attorney wants to see you win and they understand how hard what you are going through is, but they are not emotionally tied to the divorce. Friends have a hard time doing this as they only want you to be okay. That’s the kind of friends you want but it won’t get you the settlement that you deserve or are expecting.

#5: Friendly Ties And Fine Lines

Even the most agreed upon divorces can be stressful. As your friend, they will do their best to keep things positive by sharing stories of better days and giving you the best advice that they can. However, sometimes their advice might not turn out so well and that could have a negative impact on your friendship. You might get upset when things go awry after your friends assured you they would. And when times are hard, it is nice to have the support of your friends, even if they have always liked your soon-to-be-ex. They may have already gone through a divorce of their own but remember that every experience is different, and this is your journey.
With all of this said, please do reach out to your friends for support and sympathy as you navigate your divorce. They are there for the good and bad times. But when it comes to advice, that is best left to an experienced divorce attorney; so, hire a good one and listen closely.

Contact (954-451-0050) Akilah Harris, PLLC for a Consultation!


Are you going through a divorce or trying to retain custody of your child? Do you need help with Estate Planning? Maybe you need help with something else that involves your family? At Akilah Harris PLLC., we understand that family law cases are uniquely stressful and often take a heavy emotional toll on families. Our family law offices in Pembroke Pines and Fort Lauderdale Flordia offer compassionate and thorough legal counsel to our clients. Consult with us when you need to protect your finances, assets, and time with your child. In these highly personal disputes, you need to rely on an experienced Broward County Attorney who knows how to defend your rights.