How to Prepare for a Divorce
Going through a divorce is never an easy feat, and going through a divorce with children can make the situation that much worse. If you have been contemplating divorce for some time now, chances are you’ve already done what you can to try and salvage the marriage. When these efforts fail, divorce is usually the final option. No matter what state you’re in, the divorce process can be very lengthy and very stressful, which means you need to be adequately prepared for it all. From finding the right lawyer to deciding on splitting assets, the following information will help you prepare for your divorce in the best possible way.
Gather information.
Your divorce will require you to provide a variety of documentation, so you need to start preparing for this as early as possible. Collect financial records and legal documents to help your lawyer determine assets. If the reason for divorce stems from abuse, you’ll want to have documentation of this as well, such as hospital records, police records, or anything else that proves there was trouble in the marriage. With all this information gathered ahead of time, you can help move the divorce proceeding forward more quickly. If your divorce is one that has special circumstances surrounding it, you might want to find a lawyer like Stamford family lawyers who specialize in those cases.
Find support.
The very first thing you should do is find a support system. Maybe this will be friends or family members, or maybe you need to talk to a professional to help you determine how to keep your head high and move forward. During this stressful time, it’s better for you to have people you can lean on, whether it’s just to have someone to talk to, provide a temporary place for you to stay, or someone to help you take care of your children. When you have people standing behind you, the divorce process can be easier to manage.
Play nice.
Tempers and feelings can skyrocket during a divorce, and it can make you act poorly or say things you don’t really mean. When you turn into a petty whiner during the divorce, it can impact the way the divorce is handled, and you lose the benefits of a collaborative divorce process. You need to understand that you once had a life with this person, and depending on the situation, your assets may be split. So you can fight for sole custody the house, the dog, or whatever you want, but that doesn’t mean it will all rule in your favor. If it doesn’t, acting out because of it will only make the situation worse, so being civil, no matter how hard it may be, is the best way to handle it.
Choose the right lawyer.
A divorce lawyer will help you deal with the proceedings in the best way and help you fully understand what will happen next. In addition, your lawyer will talk with you to help you determine exactly what you want out of the divorce, and they will do what they can to fight for you. According to a family lawyer in Colorado, “An amicable resolution is not always possible in family law, but the right attorney will protect your interests and help you resolve issues through settlements, mediation, advice, or litigation.”
Get your own finances in order.
If you and your spouse share money, you’ll need to be sure you’re prepared monetarily for what divorce will cost. This means opening up a checking or savings account in your name only and starting to put money away for legal expenses. In addition, you may also want to open credit cards in your name only. This will help provide you with the credit and money you need to survive during the legal proceedings.
Change your beneficiaries.
If you have insurance or savings accounts, you’ll want to be sure you change your beneficiary from your spouse to your children or another family member. This way, you can make sure that your ex doesn’t benefit from you in any way after your divorce has been finalized.
Be realistic.
If there’s equality between you and your soon-to-be ex, then you need to be realistic about what will happen after your divorce. For instance, a judge will likely split assets and provide a joint custody agreement, so you cannot walk into the divorce wanting everything with no valid reason as to why. When you’re more realistic about what you can give up and what you can’t, you’ll ensure the divorce goes more smoothly.
Divorce isn’t easy, but when you use these tips to prepare for it, you will find yourself more organized and more willing to work things out.
Awesome post! Definitely some great tips and advice to keep in mind when going through this experience. Hiring a mediator can be a good option, but sometimes
the best is hiring a lawyer to make sure everything is being handled in the best legal fashion. Thanks for sharing!