Preparing for Divorce

 Posted on June 20, 2013 in Divorce

1. Contact a family lawyer.  Divorce is generally handled better by professionals.  Contact a DuPage County divorce attorney to help guide you through the process of your divorce.
2. Contact a therapist.  Divorce can take a serious toll on your mental health.  Find a therapist to provide you with support, who can help you grieve and begin to move forward.
3. Get a post office box.  It is best to choose a post office in a nearby town instead of your local post office.  Start fresh and use this mailing address on everything relating to your divorce.
4. Set up your own personal email account with a password your spouse does not know.  Use this email for things related to your divorce and be sure to keep it private.
5. Get your own cell phone.  When doing this, go to a new cell phone company.  Create your own plan and use your new mailing address on the account.
6. Open your own bank account.  Like your new post office box, do this in a neighboring town. Start your own account and again use your new mailing address.
7. Get a copy of your credit report.  A credit report is helpful in divorce when taking a look at any debt you and your spouse may share.
8. Make copies of important documents.  Your divorce lawyer will probably recommend you make copies of various documents for your divorce.
9. Store important documents in a safe place.  It may be safest to have your lawyer or your parents to hold on to your documents so nothing is misplaced or damaged.
10. Apply for your own credit card. Use your new mailing address on this new account at a new bank.  Make all of your monthly payments on time in order to build good credit.
11. Take inventory of your personal property.  Create a list of your personal property.  Make sure to note when you acquired each item and determine value if possible
12. Contact a financial advisor.  Financial advisors or accountants can assist you with child support calculations as well as tax issues, settlement or mediation, and create a strategy for your new financial independence.
13. Start planning now for legal expenses.  Divorce costs. Expenses include a lawyer, court's filing fees, etc. Plan for the worst-case scenario.
14. Consider placing limits on joint credit accounts.  In some cases, putting spending limits on any joint accounts can be beneficial, especially when a divorce gets ugly.  Ask your lawyer about how to do this.
15. Consider freezing joint cash accounts.  Similar to the joint credit accounts, it is sometimes best to just go ahead and freeze your account. There are various ways to do this- ask your lawyer.
16. Finish your education or professional training.  Ask your lawyer about legal consequences in regards to finishing graduate school or professional training before initiating your divorce.
17. Find a job.  If you don't have your own steady source of income, you will need to find a job. You need income, health insurance coverage, retirement savings, and a handful of other benefits.
18. Find a place to live.  If you are financially able, ask your lawyer if it would be wise to find a new home at this time.  If he or she advises you to do so, find your own house or apartment that is comfortable and affordable.

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