Experts debate whether shopping can be an actual addiction – like alcohol or gambling. Even so, many do recognize that various factors can lead to compulsive behaviors in shopping.
If you recognize these signs in your spouse, it might already be a cause for concern in your marriage. However, what about your divorce? You may worry about this excessive spending with good reason. Here are a few things to note.
3 steps to take in these cases
Despite the question of whether shopping can be a real addiction, compulsive and excessive buying can become an issue in divorce. Particularly, you will want to make sure it does not affect your marital assets – or the division of those assets. Therefore, it can help to take these steps:
- Make a financial inventory: This is an important step in any divorce, but it will be even more important to have a detailed list of assets, expenses and debts in these cases.
- Discuss debt: On that note, it is also important to address how you will handle debt in divorce. Review statements and accounts to determine who is responsible for any debts.
- Prevent dissipation of assets: One of the concerns in this situation is your spouse potentially spending to dissipate the marital assets. This can have a significant impact on the division of marital property, so it is important to be on the lookout for behaviors that indicate dissipation and take action to stop it.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to have a conversation about this matter with your spouse. Even so, it might help to speak to a legal professional as well to make sure you take the proper precautions to secure your finances and understand your rights under North Carolina law.
Press pause on your own purchases too
During a divorce, it is a good idea to avoid making significant purchases. Of course, this does not include the essentials, such as:
- Groceries
- Necessary household items
- Essentials for your children
You can go ahead and purchase anything you need. However, you may want to put off buying any big-ticket items while your divorce is in progress. You may not be the one who engages in excessive spending, but taking this step can help protect yourself and your finances as well.