Divorce is never an easy process, but being prepared and having a plan can help make it less difficult. Below are some of the steps you may want to take even before you have a serious conversation with your spouse about divorcing.
Get Paperwork Together
From a legal standpoint, marriage is largely a financial arrangement, and in a divorce, those finances must be untangled. This means that ideally, you will have copies of all important financial documents. This could include bank statements, tax returns, investment paperwork, information on your mortgage and more. If you do not know much about the marital finances, you might want to take these documents to a professional for help in creating a financial picture of your marriage.
Talk to an Attorney
In trying to be helpful and supportive, family and friends do not always give the best advice. Even if the divorce is contentious, there are certain acts that may not be permitted. These include changing the locks on the house, removing money from joint accounts or taking a spouse off beneficiary designations. A Tampa divorce lawyermay be able to explain your rights and responsibilities and can also help you start to think about how you would ideally like to see property divided and whether you and your spouse can negotiate the divorce settlement instead of going into litigation.
Focus on the Children
If there are children, they stand to be hurt the most during and after the process of divorce. However, this is not inevitable. If you are considering divorce, you should also think about how to make the best decisions for your children. An attorney, such as one at a firm like Hackworth Law PA, can explain the options for child custody and support. Parents should prepare to try to set aside their differences so they can coparent effectively.
Divorce can represent a fresh start. With advance planning and focus on the children, you and your former spouse can build a better life for everyone.