How To Prepare For Divorce?
May 23, 2022
How to prepare for divorce? Is one of the first questions you will ask yourself if you are thinking about getting about this matter. When divorce comes into your life, it turns your life upside down. First of all, as hard as it might seem, you have to start thinking about yourself and your responsibilities.
Today most modern women work, so if you have a job and make your own money, that is one less thing you can stop worrying about. Another problematic situation is your children. If your children are of an age when they fully can understand that mom and dad are no longer together you should tell them as soon as possible.
Next, you have to pull yourself together and start figuring out what is going to happen soon. You have to organize your new life so that it does not feel like your husband left a gaping hole when he left you. Pulling it together means preparing yourself for all possibilities and hoping for the very best outcome. So, what are the steps to take when preparing for divorce you ask? the following divorce checklist written by our trusted family law attorneys in Colorado Springs will help you get started.
Table of Contents
Dealing Emotionally
The arguments are over, he has left, but always the echoes linger on and make you feel down. Right from the beginning, you need to deal with your emotions. Think about what you feel and why this happened in the first place. If you find that you cannot function day to day, but you still have to deal with a lot of responsibility, look for some local support groups.
If you work, you cannot afford to lose your job, and you have to be there for your children. So if you find that your shoulders are feeling a heavy burden, see if you can get help from family and friends. Sometimes it even helps to talk to trusted colleagues at work about what is happening in your life. However, if you feel you need a lot more support, look for support groups for divorcing women.
Gathering Documentation
Divorces always have a paper trail, and you need to be prepared to support your side. Start putting together your financial statements, including tax returns, paycheck stubs, bank statements, and a lot more. Do it systematically and make a list of what you have and a list of what you still need.
Once it comes to seeing an attorney, you want to present him with clear and concise financial statements so he can see what position you are in financially. The more you organize, the easier the process of divorce will be, and you’ll be able to see how financially stable you are.
Educating Yourself About the Divorce Process
Divorcing for the first time, you might have a misconception about what a divorce entails. Sure you’ve read about people divorcing, and you’ve seen it plenty of times in movies and on TV. However, this time it’s different; you’re the one getting divorced, and that makes a world of difference.
Divorce affects your life and the life of your children. You have to learn about dividing property, in whose name the house is, and will you be living there, about all the monthly payments, and bills coming. You have to know about alimony and child support because the more you educate yourself, the better you’ll be able to discuss it all with your attorney. Take notes and jot down questions you still need to be answered.
Understanding Your Finances
You need to understand what financial position you are in presently. If you are working, then you are in a better place than women who don’t work. You need to assess your bank accounts and statements. If you have been putting your money in one joint account, it will be more challenging to know how to figure out how much money belongs to whom.
You should start right away to apply for your bank account and begin putting your salary in there and setting up your checking account if you have a joint one. The division of money can be harder to figure out, but if you begin separating money, now things will be easier in the future.
Make a financial plan and make a list of how much money you need per month. Write down how much money you make, the amount of money you need for bills, and what you need for groceries. Later you’ll also be able to add on alimony payments and child support.
Consider if the money you make each month covers the expenses. However, if you see that you fall short of cash due to only one income, you might have to consider selling the house, dividing the money, and finding an apartment for you and the children.
Consider Your Options
Find out what your options are in the divorce process. What you deserve and what you can accomplish. In the best scenario, the divorce is a friendly one, and you have to go through the legal process. In the worst case, you might be fighting over many things, some trivial and some important, so it is best you find out what your rights are and what you can expect during the divorce process.
Set Realistic Goals
Make sure you know what you hope to get out of the divorce. What you expect your life to be after the divorce is final. Set realistic financial goals and goals for your future life. If you have been taking turns caring for the children and getting them to school, you will now have to take responsibility on your own. You might consider asking family to help at first until you have everything sorted out. Having the children spend a little more time with grandparents while you sort everything out and figure out what is going to happen once the divorce is final.
Dealing With Your Children
You don’t want to traumatize your children, but it is best to try to help them understand what is happening as soon as possible. Your burdens are hard anyway, and you don’t want to have to hear your children ask every day – Where is daddy?
Depending on how old they are, you have to find the best way to explain the situation to them. Younger children might find it difficult to understand that daddy is not going to be around all the time. Older children are easier to deal with, and if you have a mix, then perhaps you can have the older children help you deal with, the younger.
What they have to understand is that you and their father are no longer living together. That they will see their father, but that won’t be all the time. You are going to be the only parent living with them from now on, and your living arrangements are changing.
Accepting the Divorce
One of the essential things is your well-being and accepting the divorce. It happened you and your husband parted ways. Now you have to go on alone, and you have to know how to live from day to day.
Make peace with it all and prepare yourself for good days and bad. Most importantly, tell yourself you are the best there is, and you can make it through the divorce. If you properly prepare yourself, things will be easier to deal with, and you’ll feel better about the whole situation.
Prepare for Divorce in Colorado Springs
Having to prepare for divorce in Colorado Springs can be a very stressful stage in your life that may take longer than you wish for. To make the process as smooth and fast as possible you will need to hire an experienced divorce lawyer in Colorado Springs. Brighter Day℠ Law is committed to providing you with the best representation available in the state of Colorado. Stop feeling overwhelmed and contact us today! we are here for you.