3 things you’ll need if you’re planning to file for divorce
Choosing to pursue a divorce will mean a lot of big changes for your family. Your daily life will change, from how you interact with people to where you live in many cases. It can be hard to make that final decision and move forward with filing the paperwork with so much uncertainty.
Those who take the time to learn about the process beforehand and plan carefully before submitting paperwork to the family court will have a better chance of achieving an appropriate and favorable outcome for custody matters and other divorce concerns.
What should you use obtain before you inform the courts and your spouse of your intention to divorce?
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Copies of financial records
You need accurate copies of tax returns and household financial paperwork so that you can request a fair portion of marital assets and appropriately address any outstanding financial obligations from during the marriage. If you don’t obtain copies of these papers on your own, you may have to request them from your spouse later, which can be a frustrating process.
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An inventory of personal property
The items that belong to you and your spouse will be part of your marital estate, and those assets may potentially be worth tens of thousands of dollars. From your wardrobes to your personal collections and household furniture, the property that you acquired while married is subject to division. Even if you don’t want certain assets, you need to know of their existence and their approximate value if you hope to secure an appropriate resolution to property division matters in your divorce.
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Outside support or a place to stay
Perhaps you intend to remain in the marital home because you know you will have primary custody of your children at least in the early stages of the divorce. In that scenario, your most pressing immediate needs may include someone to confide in during this stressful process and family support or matters like child care.
While you may not necessarily want to tell people specifically that you plan to file for divorce, letting them know that you have been going through a hard time and may need to lean on them a bit more in the future is a smart move before you make any surprise announcements. You need to take your practical and emotional needs into consideration to ensure you can easily meet them in the early stages of your divorce.
Planning before you take any major actions will set you up for a better transition in the early stages of your divorce and make it easier for you to achieve an overall more positive outcome.