3 Steps To Take Before Getting A Divorce

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While marriage is supposed to be for life, that often isn’t the case anymore. More and more people are getting a divorce, and it’s gotten to the point where this is unprecedented. As common as it’s getting, it doesn’t mean that it’s an easy process to go through.

You’ll go through countless emotions, many of which can feel overwhelming. And that’s before you even think about the steps you have to get through to finalise the divorce. To say it’s a complicated experience for many people would be an understatement.

That doesn’t have to mean you need to settle for being overwhelmed, though. By taking a few steps before filing, you could make it a bit easier for yourself.

Getting A Divorce: 3 Steps To Take First

1. Evaluate Joint Bank Accounts

Over the course of your relationship with your partner, you could’ve created joint bank accounts. You’ll need to think about these when you’re getting a divorce. Some of it will be legally yours, while some of it will legally be your former partner’s. You’ll have to figure out what belongs to who with this.

While this could take a bit of time, it’ll be worth working on from as early as possible. It’s possible this could end up needing to be sorted out by a judge or another legal professional, but try to sort it out amicably.

2. Decide To Stay Or Move

One of the more notable decisions you’ll need to make when getting a divorce is who stays in the house you and your partner were living in. For many people, this can be relatively straightforward, but that isn’t always the case. You’ll usually have the choice of you staying there, your partner staying there, or you both leaving so the house can be sold.

Remember there’s no wrong choice with this. Go with whatever is best for your circumstances. While you’ll need to speak with your former partner to come to this decision, it’s a conversation you’ll need to have. Get it out of the way early.

3. Hire A Great Attorney

Getting a divorce is a legal process, which often means you need a legal professional to help you with it. While this comes at a cost, it’s often worth it to have someone by your side to help you. Family lawyers can get rid of a lot of stress and hassle for you, making the process easier.

At a minimum, they’ll help you understand exactly what’s happening while helping you divide up your assets with your partner. They could help make sure everything goes as smoothly as it should and you get everything you’re entitled to.

Getting A Divorce: Wrapping Up

Getting a divorce isn’t exactly a pleasant experience, and you’ll struggle with it. There are countless emotions to feel, and more than a few steps to get through. Thankfully, you can make this relatively easy by getting a few things sorted before filing for divorce. It could end up being more straightforward than you’d think.

Ellie Dickinson