How to Prepare for Divorce

Divorce is not only a difficult time emotionally, there are also a number of legal, financial and physical considerations. Everything from living arrangements to who gets the bathroom towels will have to be decided. The better prepared the divorcing parties are, the quicker and less expensive the divorce will be.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Make plans for the living arrangements. In many cases, the house is sold in a divorce and the proceeds are split. If one party wants to keep the home, they may have to purchase half of it from the other spouse. If the divorcing couple is renting, one party will need to be removed from the lease. If one spouse has primary custody of the children, that spouse may be the one staying in the home in order to minimize the amount of change for the children.

2. Separate your finances. This is often one of the most complicated aspects of a divorce- especially if one spouse is not working or makes much less than the other. Bank accounts should be closed and new accounts opened for each spouse. The amount of money required for each spouse to live independently should be calculated. This may affect the eventual alimony and child support payments after the divorce. Sometimes it's found that the divorce has to be postponed for financial reasons.

3. Decide on child custody. If the couple can't make this decision, the judge will generally give both spouses joint custody with primary physical custody going to the spouse who takes care of the children more often. If there is abuse or another serious issue, however, this will strongly impact the custody decision. When deciding on custody, remember custody of pets as well.

4. Think about the physical division of furniture, kitchenwares and other household items. Fighting over household items, cars, appliances, etc., is often what drags out a divorce and makes it much more expensive. With moving costs and the cost of replacing items, it is in everyone's best interest to decide as much as possible before the divorce to keep attorney's fees lower.

5. Get counseling if you think you need it. If you are having a hard time with the emotional issues, consider seeing a counselor for a few months until things settle down into a more predictable routine.