Are you thinking about filing for a divorce in Connecticut? The decision is sure to be life-changing, no matter how you go about it. Before you dive in or get ahead of yourself, you should have a solid game plan and the help of a professional divorce lawyer. To get our clients started in the right direction, our New Canaan divorce attorneys at Bayer & Black, P.C. have compiled this helpful list of the top 10 smart divorce tips. Please read over it and feel free to contact us if you have any more questions, comments, or concerns.
- Copy everything: Now would be a good time to invest in a good copy machine at home, or familiarize yourself with the local print shop. Anything and everything that could be pertinent to your divorce needs to be copied in duplicate and saved for your private records.
- List all accounts: Start making a list of any and all accounts and balances, such as credit cards, bank accounts, life insurance policies, retirement plans, and more. You will need it readily on-hand as your divorce proceeds.
- Do not leave: Unless you are facing spousal abuse and other forms of violence, you should not leave your marital home. Doing so could concede control of the property to your spouse when you have just as much say in it.
- Check your identity: Will relevant organizations and agencies recognize you after the divorce is complete? Double-check to make certain your name, address, and other identifying information will remain accurate.
- Understand marital debt: Money owed by both you and your spouse should still be owed by both you and your spouse after a divorce. Understand your marital debts now so you do not get the entire burden unfairly dropped on your shoulders.
- Cancel joint credit lines: Speaking of shared money, you should cancel any joint lines of credit as soon as you know divorce is in the future. That does not meant the account is dead, though. Watch it closely to ensure your spouse's late payments do not bounce back and affect you.
- Secure your income: Few things can be worse than going through a divorce and realizing you do not have the income to take care of yourself or your children. Plan child and spousal support payments fairly.
- Catalogue property: If you followed tip 2, you listed your accounts. Now you need to do the same for your property. Record anything major that is either marital property or something you owned solely before the marriage began.
- Talk to your children: Children are often affected more by a divorce than anyone else. Talk them through the changes that are coming, encourage them to reach out if they have more questions, and check in with them often.
- Embrace change: Lastly, not much is going to feel entirely the same after your divorce. The best advice we can give you in that regard is to keep an open mind and try to be ready to accept the changes for what they are. Who knows what you will discover when things are different!
Call Our Experienced Family Law Team for Help
Of course, all the hints in the world cannot do much if you do not plan ahead accordingly and correctly. If you run into any sort of legal trouble during your divorce, or if you just are not certain where to begin, allow our Fairfield County family law attorneys to help you. We are compassionate, responsive, and highly-knowledgeable – three critical components in any divorce case. If you still are not sure you need help, you can fill out a totally free online case evaluation form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.