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Top Things You Must Do Before Filing for a Divorce

Top Things You Must Do Before Filing for a Divorce

Top Things You Must Do Before Filing for a Divorce

Asking your spouse for a divorce is typically the culmination of lots of thoughts and reasoning because it is a big decision that will affect your life in more ways than one. Getting a divorce involves more than just going to the court to submit a complaint and filing for a legal dissolution of your marriage.

Before you arrive at the final decision to file for a divorce, there are some things to consider in order to make sure that you achieve the best possible result from your decision and forthcoming divorce.

1. Be sure that you really want to get a divorce

This is supposed to be the first thing to be and seems rather obvious. Any family law practice in Orlando will remind you that getting a divorce is almost always an emotional decision and made in the depths of emotions. Before deciding that a divorce is the right thing for you to do, be sure that you have tried all possible means of reconciling with your spouse. The moment you serve your spouse with the divorce documents, it becomes extremely hard to take it back. You should also know that you both don’t even need to agree to end the marriage before a court will grand the divorce. If you are unsure of what to do, try marriage counseling again before you finally decide to file for a divorce.

2. Interview as many family law practices in Orlando as possible

Finding a family law practice in Orlando to use for your divorce case can be very easy because there are many. Finding the right one for you on the other hand takes times. The most effective method to finding a good family law practice in Orlando that is right for you is to speak to as many as possible. By interviewing them, you will get a feel of their organizational style, their goals for suing and how they can help you. Any lawyer that gives you solutions without knowing what the problems are is definitely a bad fit and should be struck out. Be sure that your chosen lawyer is both a good fit for your personality and your pocket as divorces can be expensive.

3. Put together a complete financial document portfolio

Financial documents form a critical part of your legal argument. Everything related to your financial life is important to your argument so you should get copies of all your financial accounts, telephone logs, mortgage documents and car leases. Get everything and study them well before you even file for divorce. This is because you are better having everything you need before the divorce papers are filed which is essentially a declaration of war. If you have online accounts, you should also make copies and find ways to ensure you are able to gain access whenever you need it. Prevent plenty of headache from your spouse by preparing everything you may be needing for the divorce because once you file the papers, some spouses will do their best to frustrate you.

4. Decide what you want for custody

Children are another critical part of a divorce you need to bear in mind. If you have kids, they should be close to the top of the list of what to take care of first. It is always a good idea to know what your schedule is like and how you will deal with the best-case scenario in a custody battle where you get full custody of the children. Most times, you and your spouse will share the custody of the kids and help each other out from time to time. If you are able to understand how your work life will balance with that of handling the children, it makes your decision to file for divorce a better one. This also puts you ahead of the course when going into court as your lawyer is able to start with a good argument for custody.

5. Buy everything you might possibly need responsibly

Most times when a divorce proceeding is getting along, the judge restricts the couple from buying and selling anything that is considered marital property. This is done to prevent the couple from spending all the money in the accounts or spitefully bankrupting each other. In some cases, vengeful spouses take out new loans or credit cards just before filing for divorce. These actions can affect your divorce case. If you are deemed to have drained the marital accounts, it will count against you when the case starts. If you however have a legitimate and reasonable expense like a car payment or critical need to take care of, you can do so before you file for divorce.

6. Draw up a marital balance sheet

Getting a clear picture of your financial situation or marital goals for the divorce is important to coming out of your divorce without suffering significant financial loss. It is always a good idea to secure the services of an accountant or personal financial consultant to help you look through every asset and debt that your marriage has incurred. This includes cares, properties, retirement plans and any asset that will come into consideration during the divorce. Mortgages and credit cards are also not left out so be sure to do a thorough financial analysis of your holdings to know exactly where you stand.

7. Arrange a Support Network

One last thing, you have to take care of your emotional well-being. After all the financial and legal planning, you have to prepare for the divorce by having as many friends and loved ones around you as possible. Getting a great family law practice in Orlando isn’t the only thing that will help you get through a divorce. Friends, family and a good therapist or health professional are important to give you moral support and valuable advice. Emotional stability is required for getting through a divorce and your support group will help you along the way.