Getting a divorce can be a stressful situation. There are ways to help prepare for divorce negotiations that will hopefully mitigate overwhelming feelings once you and your partner have decided to split. Sometimes, what one person perceives to be fair in the divorce is not what the other person thinks.
By taking steps to gather as much information, records and data about your married life, as well as some things about your life before you were married, you can help prepare yourself for negotiations and make things go as smooth and quick as possible.
Some things you may want to do and documents you may want to gather before filing for a divorce are:
- Basically all records to do with any financial products, accounts and statements
- General legal documents that most people have or should have such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney,
birth records, marriage certificates and agreements - Gather insurance policies and information and negotiate coverage for you and your children
- Make sure you have your own bank accounts and credit cards without your spouse as a joint owner
- Seek help from professionals including attorneys and accountants to make sure you don’t divide assets
and make mistakes that will be hard to undo - Take steps to preserve the wellbeing of your children
- Consider the costs of keeping your house
- Seek advice on the fair division of retirement accounts
Many times divorce can seem like a daunting task, but the right professional help and a proactive approach can help keep things moving.
Source: Huffington Post, “We’re Getting A Divorce, Now What?,” Linda Descano, Feb. 1, 2012