Thinking about the implications of filing for divorce can be overwhelming. While you may realize it is time to leave a relationship which is no longer working you also know that initiating the process will mean experiencing significant changes to your life. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prepare for divorce which can help alleviate concerns about what to expect in the future.
Get Your Documents Together
While divorce is an emotional ordeal, it is also a legal process which involved dividing assets. Often, one partner will know more about where vital documents such as deeds, account statements, and other critical data are kept. You need copies of all account statements, real estate holdings, investments. You will also want essential items such as you and your children’s birth certificates and passports.
Calculate Your Living Expenses
Divorce will probably mean adjusting from living and paying household expenses together to having to manage on your own. Sit down and add up your expenses and income and create an accurate picture of what you are going to need to support yourself.
Credit in Your Own Name
Today, many people have credit on their own, but it can be the case in a marriage that one partner has been the primary wage earner and source of credit for the household. If you do not have credit in your own name, it is crucial that you begin building a score. That way when you are no longer married, you will have a way to obtain credit should it be necessary.
Determine Your Non-Negotiables
When assessing the end of the marriage, you are going to need to think about what assets are essential to you. Get a sense of what property you feel is the most important to you to retain. If you are a parent, you must think about custody, time-sharing, and how you expect to share decision-making with the other parent. Develop an idea of how you want custody to work.
Contact an Attorney to Evaluate your Divorce Case
Once you have done the preliminary work of gathering information, creating a possible budget, and assessing your needs and wants it is time to meet with an experienced divorce attorney. You and your counsel can go through what to expect during your case and determine your next steps.
If you are contemplating or are involved in a divorce contact us today to speak with an experienced divorce attorney, who can provide you with the guidance and support you need. To properly evaluate your case contact the Draper Law Office online or by calling 407.846.0075, or visit DraperLawOffice.com.
