Realizing that the relationship between you and your spouse is not working is rarely easy to accept. The fact that you have kids makes the end of the marriage even more challenging to contemplate.
Before you go your separate ways, there are steps you should take to prepare for the formal divorce process. Performing these tasks may prove beneficial for you, your children and the legal road ahead.
Open a Bank Account
If you and your spouse are like most married couples, you share almost everything, including bank accounts. While this is not problematic during the marriage, when going through a divorce, it may become an issue of contention. Before you separate, you should establish your own bank account. If you work outside the home, have a portion of your paycheck directly deposited to the new account. You do not want to leave your spouse strapped for cash as the court does not look kindly on this type of action.
Gather Important Paperwork
Make sure you have copies of all important documents. These include your marriage license, any kind of prenuptial agreement, investment accounts, stocks, mortgage notes, and the like. A financial disclosure is required in all divorces, so having account numbers and most recent balances can help expedite that portion of the process. You will also want to take a copy of insurance policies and anything that you will need to change a beneficiary designation on. After your divorce, it is unlikely that you will want your ex to inherit things should you die.
Shut Down Social Media
Before beginning a divorce, you may want to take a break from social media. While these platforms help keep friends and families linked across the miles, they can also prove detrimental in court. Anything posted to your account can be used against you during your divorce. Pictures of fancy meals or comments about your spouse may all come back to haunt you, even if they are innocent. You may also want to ask those friends and family you confide in to refrain from posting anything about your divorce.
A divorce, even when you and your spouse agree, is something that may elicit strong emotions throughout. Before separating, you may also want to consider finding someone who can help you cope with the ups and downs the process will bring. Your children will also need a strong shoulder, so preparing yourself mentally will benefit them as well. A lawyer, like a family lawyer in Fairfax, VA from May Law, LLP, can be a tremendous ally throughout the process.
