5 Steps to Help You Be Prepared for Your Upcoming Divorce
Posted on: September 18, 2019
In some ways, there’s nothing you can really do to prepare for divorce. It can be a difficult, devastating thing to live through. However, you are not entirely helpless and there are some specific steps that can help ensure you are as prepared as possible. Do not forget the importance of working with an experienced family law attorney too.
- Get the Facts About Current Laws
- Make Sure Your Expectations Are Realistic
- Embrace the Fact That No Two Divorces Are Identical
- Focus on Yourself
- Don’t Be Unreasonable
There are many laws that affect the divorce process. While you are not an attorney and do not need to know all the laws, you should have a basic understanding of the laws regarding asset division, child support and custody, and spousal support. You can get the basics online – just be sure you are reading reputable websites. Generally speaking, you will know it is reputable if the website ends with .gov or .org. You can also ask your family law attorney for help understanding your options.
Many people are going through a lot of emotions during a divorce. This often clouds their judgment and they are sometimes unprepared for what was really a very obvious likely conclusion. For example, if you created a business after you were married, you should expect that your spouse is going to get a portion of the business – unless you have a prenuptial agreement that prevents this.
It is very likely that you know plenty of people who have gone through the divorce process. It is also likely that once they find out you are divorcing, they are going to want to tell you about their experience. They are going to want to give you advice that you did not ask for. It can be easy to get swept up into horror stories or stories of one spouse getting more than half their assets. Do not fall for it. Every divorce is different and you cannot base what you expect on what others have gotten.
It is easy to go into a divorce thinking about what your spouse has done wrong. This is not helpful. Instead of thinking about what you wish they were doing differently, focus on what you can do differently. If there’s any universal experience in marriage it’s that you quickly learn that you cannot change anyone else.
Of course, you won’t think you’re being unreasonable but if you made more money than your spouse and are requesting spousal support, or if you expect to keep the house and all the vehicles you jointly owned, this is not reasonable. It is up to your attorney to determine what’s reasonable and what you may want to make concessions on. Talk to an attorney now by calling Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free legal consultation.
