A Few Helpful Tips To Guide You When Filing A Divorce

The divorce process isn’t always straightforward; it can involve nasty lawsuits, a mountain of paperwork, and the added stress of custody. When it comes to filing for divorce, there are a few important aspects to consider. While divorce is a difficult process, you must protect yourself and take care of a few things ahead of time. The best thing you can do is be aware of what’s coming up and prepare accordingly. Here are a few pointers to consider before and during your divorce filing process to assist you.

1. Organize Your Finances

Since divorce is an emotional whirlwind, finances are probably the least important thing on your mind. However, the divorce process ends up dividing marital assets and debts and should therefore be your primary concern. To get a clear picture of where you and your spouse stand on a financial level, you’ll have to go through a ton of documents and credit reports. Assets can also include your house, car, financial accounts, and other belongings. The next step would be to determine the debts you owe, which would also need to be divided between you and your partner. Your credit report will have a list of all debts you owe.

2. Hire A Good Divorce Lawyer

While some divorce cases can be handled without the assistance of a lawyer, it is always a good idea to hire one to guide you through the process. A divorce attorney isn’t required if you and your husband can handle the procedure without going to court. If even one of you is facing charges, finding adequate legal representation to litigate your case in court is critical to the success of your case. Suppose that you and your spouse live in Brisbane; getting in touch with a local professional lawyer will make sure you are aware of all the rules that govern the divorce procedure in your state. Because this is a sensitive case for you both, you must choose an attorney who is eager to assist you in obtaining a rapid settlement without compromising your deserved rights. A good rule of thumb is to interview at least three attorneys before you decide on one.

3. Get Individual Credit

If you and your husband shared credit, it might be difficult to make purchases once the divorce is finalized. As a result, it is preferable to establish credit in your own name. After your divorce, you’ll most likely have to make large expenditures on things like houses or cars, and it’s essential to be prepared ahead of time. Make sure you get a credit card and start building up your credit score so that you don’t have any problems making future purchases.

4. Close All Joint Accounts

After learning of an imminent divorce, it’s not uncommon for an enraged spouse to withdraw all funds from a joint bank account. In these situations, you’ll want to safeguard yourself and your assets. So, before filing for divorce, remove half of the funds from your joint accounts to ensure your financial security. However, avoid making large purchases before the court proceedings are completed, and if you do, make careful documentation of every dollar you spend so that you can present them in court if necessary.

5. Serve The Divorce Petition 

After you’ve taken care of everything else before filing for divorce, you’ll need to serve your spouse with the petition. This is known as the service of process, and it is the first major step in the divorce process. If you and your spouse agree to divorce, your partner will simply be required to sign a form of consent. Otherwise, you will have to go through a court hearing if your partner refuses to sign the paperwork. A court hearing, on the other hand, will take a longer time and cost you more money in attorney fees.

6. Custody Of Children

If you and your spouse have children together, you’ll also have to consider a custody battle for your children. Which of you obtains custody is determined by a number of circumstances. If required, you can choose joint custody or separate your children. The entire custody process is difficult and often necessitates further court proceedings.

Divorce processes can be straightforward and get settled in a few weeks at times, while some may be messy and might take months to come to an end.  What matters is that you have the right representation to help you through the whole ordeal. Ultimately, divorce is never an easy thing to deal with, but being prepared can help make the process easier for everyone involved.

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