Steps to Take Before Your Divorce

 Posted on February 13, 2018 in Divorce

Once you determine that your marriage is over, you have a lot to do before and after you file for divorce. One important step is to start working with an experienced divorce lawyer to ensure that your rights and interests are protected and promoted through the divorce process.

The other steps you take before you file for divorce can make a big impact on your divorce’s progress and its ultimate outcome. During your initial consultation with a lawyer, talk about what you can do to streamline the divorce process. Every divorce is unique, but most benefit from taking the following actions:

Separate your Finances and Create Preliminary Property Division Plans

Your marital assets and debts will need to be divided between you and your spouse in your divorce. You can let the court handle the division process on its own or you can be proactive and make your own property division choices. This latter route generally enables the couple to retain greater control over how their property is divided.

One of the simplest steps to take before your divorce is to divide your bank accounts and credit card debt on your own. Transfer the balances on your joint credit cards to separate cards and close the original accounts. You can also do this with checking and savings accounts.

Talk to your spouse about what you want from the marital estate and where you are willing to compromise. By agreeing about your property division, you can avoid drawn-out, contentious court battles regarding your assets, which ultimately cost you money without guaranteeing any specific outcome.

Budget for the Divorce and Life Afterward

A divorce is expensive. So is life after the divorce because you will have to adjust to living on a single income while potentially having to find a new place to live and losing a significant portion of your assets.

Create a budget to follow while your divorce is pending and one to follow once your divorce is finalized. Doing so can help you avoid accruing debt and creating a financial hardship for yourself in the months and years that follow the divorce.

Get in Touch with the Professionals Who Will Help with the Divorce

Your lawyer is not the only professional who will aid in your divorce. Depending on the types of assets you have to divide and if you need help determining an appropriate parenting plan for your children, your divorce could involve a child custody evaluator, a child psychologist, or a business or real estate appraiser. An accountant may also be part of your divorce team to provide guidance regarding your asset division.

Work with an Experienced St. Charles Divorce Lawyer

Contact Shaw Sanders, P.C. today to set up your initial consultation with an experienced Kane County divorce lawyer. During your consultation, we can discuss what you have already done and what you should do next to make the divorce process as straightforward as possible for yourself and your children. Call us at 630-584-5550 for help.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59