Though most of the work involved with getting a divorce might involve the guidance and advice gained from lawyers hired to help, soon-to-be divorcees can do some preparation beforehand, too.
This simple checklist can help spouses consider the future, even before they turn to law firms for legal help.
Working out these four details before filing will also facilitate talks with the lawyers at a divorce law firm and allow them to better understand their client’s position on important factors in the legal discussion on both sides.
- Budgeting - Before filing, it is essential to understand not just current living expenses but also the legal expenses charged by a law firm, as they can really add up in the event that the divorce becomes more complicated than expected. Income level must be considered as well as the potential need for a job for spouses who are not working, where to get health insurance, and how to cover all personal bills and debt. Since this can be a complicated matter on its own, lawyers at divorce law firms recommend that those interested in divorcing start out by first creating a personal budget and then figuring out how they will support themselves afterward.
- Living Arrangements - An important part of budgeting, but also worth separate mention, is the issue of living arrangements and who will live where. Divorcing couples must agree on which spouse will leave the marital home, which will stay, and how each of those living spaces will be paid for. Law firms stress that this one decision can become even more complicated if there are children in the family, as it is good to try to go into a divorce with at least some kind of agreement on where the kids will live and go to school.
- Children - Beyond living arrangements, there are many decisions to be made pertaining to child care as well as custody and how divorcing parents will handle co-parenting. While all of this is subject to further negotiation once a law firm is involved, it is beneficial for parents to begin discussing the decisions ahead of time. Spouses who can work together amicably on the basic, obvious decisions will have an easier time making official ones with their lawyers. If the discussions go poorly, it is an indicator that more help from a divorce law firm will be required.
- Filing Plan - Spouses should also plan ahead as to who will file, where they will file, and when they will do it, once they have prepared by working out the above details.
Divorce law firms advise that getting divorced involves a great deal of planning and negotiation, some of which should start before filing.
By considering and discussing the four essential questions on this pre-divorce checklist, spouses will be more prepared to make efficient use of their lawyers time to get through the process more easily.