Going through a divorce can be a messy experience. It’s not just another breakup like the ones when you were younger. There are a lot more emotions involved, and the logistical aspects can be pretty overwhelming. To help you get through such an experience, here’s a quick list of things to remember:
Hire Legal Professionals
First and foremost, you should go over the legalities with a professional. If you are going through this rough patch in your life, the need to have a confidant can be such a strong feeling. But you should also consider talking to a counselor, going to therapy, and hiring a family lawyer who will help you through the entire divorce process. You won’t be able to accomplish the divorce process without the help of a lawyer, so when you and your partner have finally decided, the next step is always to lawyer up.
Sort Out Your Finances
A significant part of the divorce process is determining who gets what in terms of properties and assets. The court will divide your marital assets equitably. You need to have a serious conversation about it with your spouse.
Figure out what happens to the house—whether you will sell it or one of you lives in it. Other properties like vehicles, joint financial accounts, and other personal property need to be divided as well. Apart from this, you must not forget to figure out your debts. Even if you have a joint account, it’s best to know how much you owe by getting a copy of your credit report.
Manage Your Individual Credit
Having a shared credit account can be a good thing when you’re together, but it’s one of the things you should never forget about when going through a divorce. Purchasing a car, a house, or anything substantial can prove difficult without your credit account. So go ahead and make your own.
Obtaining a credit card that’s only to your name is a good start. However, make sure to take care of your credit at this point. Build your credit and spend wisely to have a good credit score.
Collect Your Payslips and Proofs of Income
After talking it through with your partner, you need to gather documents that show both your incomes. Especially if both of you earn a salary, the court might require you to present your payslips and most recent income tax returns for the legal process. This can be another source of arguments, so make sure to breach the topic carefully.
Be calm enough to understand that it’s a critical part of the process. You will have to go over these with a legal officer eventually. It’ll only make things easier for you if you prepare them beforehand and make the process more seamless.
Go Over Your Joint Accounts
Amid a sour separation, you must be able to settle and separate all your joint financial accounts. After all, it’s not uncommon for a spouse to swoop your joint accounts. Whether a selfish act of vengeance or through an attorney’s advice, the best course of action on your side is to protect yourself from your spouse emptying your joint accounts.
Open a new account under your name alone, withdraw half the funds from your joint accounts, and deposit it to your new one. The court might freeze your other financial assets in the meantime, but discuss it with your attorney so you can find the best course of action.
Decide Whether to Cohabit or Move Out
When kids are involved, it could be a more complex situation, especially regarding your living arrangement. Maybe your children need to finish the school year first before you can move out. Regardless, moving out of your current home is something that requires a serious discussion. For one, moving out so soon can negatively affect your case. Therefore, it’s necessary to go through it with your lawyer first.
Dividing your home (https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherineschnaubelt/2019/04/01/dividing-your-home-in-a-divorce/?sh=361fb9c51bcf) and mortgage payments are also other things that need discussing, as both affect the outcome of your negotiations with your spouse. Of course, abusive situations require a drastically different process with different legal personnel involved, so always connect with your lawyer.
Don’t Forget to Be Mature
Going through a divorce is never easy. Emotions and tensions are high, and you have to coordinate with someone from whom you’ve lost your love. Throughout this experience, it’s important to remember to be mature. Don’t go out looking for new relationships before you sort out your situation at home. Don’t forget to arrange custody for your children too. It’s easy to make emotional decisions during this time, so it’s critical to be highly conscious of your behavior to ensure that everything will proceed smoothly.
Nobody ever wants to go through a divorce. But when push comes to shove, you’ll need to have a serious discussion with your spouse to take this last course of action.
To go through a smooth process, remember to talk with your attorney, manage your finances and properties, and keep civil with your spouse for your kids’ sake.
