Preparing for a Divorce.
by Heath Hillman on Jun.09, 2009, under General
During these tough times many people have decided that divorce is the only solution for them. If you are considering a divorce and love the cliché of giving your spouse the divorce papers as a present or leaving them on the kitchen table there are a few things you should take into consideration before you act. As with any divorce you should always try to discuss things with your spouse to try to make the separation as amicable as possible. Whether you decide to get a Pro Se uncontested divorce or hire an attorney to handle your case you should begin protecting yourself early. The divorce papers are final outcome of your preparation. You have lots to consider like your home, children, and assets.
1. Research the laws and your rights. Look for information on divorce online and speak to friends and family that have been through it as well as consulting an attorney if you are unsure.
2. Secure your accounts. Write down the numbers of all of your accounts including bank, credit cards, loans and securities. Write down the balances and histories of your accounts for your records. If you can print them out. Don’t run up any credit cards right before a divorce as this can come back on you later on.
3. Income history. Collect all the information you can such as pay stubs, income taxes, and dividends.
4. Document everything you own. It is a good idea to write down and take pictures of everything you own so that nothing goes missing during the divorce in case you are not living in the residence during the divorce.
5. How will you take care of yourself or children? During the divorce you need to make sure you have an income to be self supported if you don’t already have a job. Work on your resume, the sooner the better.
Once you have all of your paperwork in order you will be more informed when it comes down to speaking to your spouse about the division of property and assets and how to divorce. Even though divorce is stressful knowing that you are not relying on anyone will help out even if you have to hire an attorney.
