Adoption 101: The Legal Fundamentals

5 Things To Do Before Filing For Divorce

13 October 2015

Brayden Miles

When you decide that you want to get divorced, it can easily make you become anxious to do it right away. However, there are many steps that you will have to take to be sure that the divorce moves smoothly and in your favor. Here are five steps you should take before you even file for divorce:

Meet with an Attorney: The first thing you will want to do is meet with an attorney, like those at The Law Offices of Muro & Muro. This is important because you want to be sure that you end up with a family law attorney you can trust and feel comfortable with. Plus, once you have selected an attorney, you can be sure that you have someone to give you advice every step of the way during the divorce process.
Put Financial Documents Together: The next thing you will want to do is put together all financial documents. This includes pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and more. When you have all this information put together and organized, you can present it to your attorney who will be able to determine exactly how you should plan financially for the future after your divorce. This is also going to help put together just how much spousal support and division of income you should receive as a result of the divorce.
Divide Your Accounts: For any joint accounts that you and your spouse have, you should be sure that you divide your accounts. This is important to ensuring that your money is secure in your own name and your spouse cannot take advantage of you.
Calculate Your Monthly Expenses: It's important that you are able to determine how much you can afford when living on your own, especially if you want to move out during the divorce process. By calculating your monthly expenses, you can be sure that you are able to afford and maintain a comfortable lifestyle even during the divorce process.
Make a Plan for Your Children: Any minor children that you and your spouse have need to have a plan for where they will be living during the divorce process and who will pay for what when it comes to certain needs that they have. By putting together a plan now, it can help when it comes to resolving the custody situation for your children. If you and your spouse can agree on the arrangements, it can make this process a bit easier.

By doing these five things before you file for divorce, you can be sure that you are as prepared as possible.

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About Me

If you've decided that you want to adopt a child, the first thing you should do is reach out to a family law attorney. While it may not seem logical to get an attorney involved from the start, it's important that you protect yourself legally from the beginning. After making the decision to adopt, I have been through the process several times. I created this site to help other adoptive parents understand what they can expect from the entire process, including the legal support you're likely to need. I hope this information helps you feel more confident in this major life decision.