Filing For Divorce Checklist
Divorce is more than just filing the petition or complaint with the court. You can achieve a better outcome to your divorce proceedings by following a few pragmatic tips.
Attorneys at SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) law firm provides professional legal advice and services to clients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and surrounding locations.
Organize Paperwork
You should gather all important documents you can find and make several copies of them. Look for bank statements, past tax returns, investment statements, check registers, employee benefits, retirement account statements, family trusts, Social Security statements, mortgage documents, financial statements, credit card statements, stock grants, life insurance policies, and automobile titles among others.
This step is particularly important if your spouse is self-employed. You need to gather as much information as you possibly can about their finances and business.
Don’t Neglect Your Children
You need to find ways to reduce the impact of your impending divorce on your kids. Your children will remain together and balanced if you are. You should plan with your spouse about dividing parenting time. Do not get your children involved in the divorce or use them as pawns. You shouldn’t ask them to take sides either. It is unfair on your kids to create unnecessary emotional problems.
Get At Least 3 Months of Finances Ready
You should ensure that you have saved enough to pay for at least three months of expenses at the same lifestyle. This is especially important if you are the spouse that has limited access to funds. It is common for spouses to become spiteful once the divorce proceedings start. They may try cutting you off financially.
Confirm If You Have Available Credit
Apply for a credit card if you don’t have available credit. Do not depend on your spouse to keep paying for your finances. They may cut your access to their finances when you file the divorce petition. Having working credit cards will help you pay for things while your lawyers work to get you temporary financial support.
Keep a Safety Plan Ready
This is important if you are at a risk or have been subjected to domestic violence. Violence can escalate quickly when you take the fateful step of leaving your spouse. Do not file a protection order unless it is absolutely necessary. This can cause your divorce to become highly contested. Protection orders may cost you in the long run.
Seek Experienced Counsel
You should get the best legal advice you possibly can. Do not cut corners or trust everything that the other spouse tells you. Make sure your lawyer has the reputation and skills to help you attain a seamless divorce. You need to have the best representation if you want to get a clean divorce. Make sure to check their online ratings on third party websites. Do not trust your spouse if they ask you not to get legal representation.
Lawyers at the SBEMP law firm serve clients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and nearby locations for a range of legal practice areas.
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SBEMP LLP is a full service law firm with attorney offices in Palm Springs (Palm Desert, Inland Empire, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells), CA; Indian Wells, CA; Costa Mesa (Orange County), CA; San Diego, CA; New Jersey, NJ; and New York, NY.
DISCLAIMER: This blog post does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed by reading it. This blog post may be considered ATTORNEY ADVERTISING in some states. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Additional facts or future developments may affect subjects contained within this blog post. Before acting or relying upon any information within this newsletter, seek the advice of an attorney.
