Get 5 Pieces of Advice from a Family Law Attorney for Anyone Consider Divorcing
Posted on: December 27, 2019
There is no way around it: Divorce is stressful for everyone involved. Even if both partners agree that it is time to move on, lives are turned upside down, and it is difficult to keep a clear head. Keep reading to ensure you know as much as possible about the divorce process by reading our top five pieces of advice. Then contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 to speak to an experienced family law attorney.
- Always Be Ready for a Battle
- Talk to an Attorney Before Filing for Divorce
- Think about the Timing
- Take a Look at Vulnerabilities
- Take Steps to Protect Your Credit
Even if you and your soon-to-be-ex agree that it is time to divorce and you believe you are on the same page, you should walk into this process expecting a battle. You may both begin with the best of intentions, but when it comes time to decide on custody matters, property distribution, spousal support, and other potentially loaded issues, a battle may spring up out of nowhere.
If you have gotten into a huge fight with your spouse and have decided that it is finally time to file for divorce, you may be tempted to do so right away. We strongly recommend that you do not do this. Talk to a divorce lawyer. We will talk to you about your options, answer any questions you have, and ensure that you have all your ducks in a row before making this move.
It is easy to come up with excuses to put off your divorce, but there are many situations in which it would be wise to file sooner rather than later. For example, if you are due for a bonus or a substantial raise, you may want to consider filing before it comes through. If you are about to hit the ten-year mark on your marriage and are considering divorce, it may be best to wait until you hit that landmark. Why? Because then you will have access to more Social Security income and may be owed spousal support for a longer period of time.
Before you take the next step and file for divorce, try to take care of any vulnerabilities. For example, get your name on all bank accounts, investments, deeds of trust, utilities, and other important documents. Make sure that all joint accounts require joint signatures. This makes it much more difficult for your spouse to remove funds from your account.
You will need it after a divorce to find a new home, buy a new car, or otherwise start over. Do not co-sign anything with your spouse. Take your spouse off of any joint credit cards you have, and then pay them off or close them. Note that even if the court requires your spouse to pay a debt during the divorce, if they chose not to do so your creditor can still hold you accountable.
