Things to Consider Before a Divorce

Filing for divorce is a stressful, traumatic time.  It is certainly something that should not be taken lightly or done rashly.  However, if it is determined that filing for divorce is your best option.  There are certain steps you can take to help protect yourself.  Some things to consider are:

  1. If you have children, try to disrupt them as little as possible and keep them in the family home;
  2. Make a list of all marital assets;
  3. Do not let you spouse take the children and leave;
  4. Cancel all jointly owned credit cards;
  5. Keep important papers safe and make a copy of them;
  6. Reduce all unnecessary expenses;
  7. Secure your valuables
  8. Obtain a copy of your credit report and monitor activity;
  9. Make sure bank accounts are secure, especially those that are joint accounts (you don’t suddenly want it to be drained of funds);
  10. Don’t sign anything; and
  11. Retain an attorney.  This may be the most important step of all.  Way too often, people have gone too long without having spoken to an attorney, learned their rights, how the law looks and things, and worst of all, signed something they shouldn’t have.  There are many things a lawyer can help you with, including protecting your assets and helping put you favorable position should your case have to go to Court.  A lawyer can also help dispel many myths about divorce and the divorce process.

The foregoing are just some of the steps you can take to avoid future, unnecessary harms.  Remember to conduct yourself appropriately.  Do no say or do things that could be held against you in Court.

Remember, divorce is not just difficult on you, it impacts the entire family, especially children.  Try not to bath mouth your spouse in front of the children- as this hurts them and your spouse is their parent.  Many parents fall into this trap in an effort to try and get the children on their side.

You also need to take care of yourself.  As I said earlier, this is very difficult time.  Be sure to take time for yourself and go and see a professional if necessary.  You can’t make proper decisions if you are overwhelmed or not in the right frame of mind.

We would love to discuss your options with you.  If you are contemplating filing for divorce, contact our office to schedule a consultation.

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