Considering Divorce? What You Need To Do Before You File
Have you been considering a divorce from your spouse? A divorce is definitely something that you want a plan for before you jump into it. Here are some tips that will help you through it.
Get Your Financial Documents In Order
A common mistake people make is filing for a divorce and then trying to get their paperwork in order. You should actually start to gather financial documents before you file. You do not want to run into a situation where your spouse starts hiding documents or making it difficult for you to access them once they know a divorce is coming. For example, you'll want to gather documents about bank accounts, retirement accounts, and investment accounts. You'll also want proof of any assets owned by you and your spouse together or assets owned by them individually. This will help you avoid a huge headache when you start the legal process.
Figure Out Your Budget
Another reason to get your financial documents in order is so that you can figure out your budget. You'll want to look at the bills that come into your household and figure out how much you would need to live on your own. This can help you determine how much to request in terms of child support and spousal support.
Protect Your Information
Does your spouse know the passwords to any of your accounts? Now is the time to change them. You do not want your spouse to be able to access any communication between you and your divorce lawyer, and that can easily be done by snooping in your email. Preventatively change your passwords so that you know all communication that you have about the divorce is private.
Don't Transfer Assets
You may think that you are being smart by transferring assets out of your name and to another person before the divorce. This is a huge mistake that can come back to hurt you later on. Transferring money, assets, vehicles, or property is something that can easily be traced back through financial records, so there is no way to hide it. You are always better off being honest with your own assets so that you cannot be accused of hiding anything.
These are only a few things that you should do prior to filing for a divorce. For more tips, be sure to work with a local divorce lawyer who can help you through this difficult legal process.
To learn more, contact a divorce attorney.