Getting a divorce will change almost every aspect of your life. Your family relationships, your finances, where you live, and even your employment situation may change after you dissolve your marriage. So, before divorce, there are several things you should do to ensure you are really prepared to take such a drastic step.
Things to Do Before Divorce
Make sure you really can't save your marriage
Sometimes, it can seem like there is no hope and that divorce is your only option, but if there is still love in your relationship and your spouse is willing to work on things, it may be possible to save your marriage through counseling and hard work. While this isn't the best option for everyone, giving up on a marriage too easily would be a major mistake.
Learn about the laws
You need to make sure you can take care of yourself and live with the results of divorce. This means that you need to understand the property distribution laws and custody laws in your state. For example, except in cases of neglect or abuse, most states will allow at least partial shared custody because they believe it is in the child's best interests to have access to both parents. If you cannot handle sharing your child and you know your spouse will ask for joint custody, then think carefully about how you want to proceed. Likewise, it is important to understand the concepts of community property (which means all marital assets are divided in half) and equitable distribution (wherein property is distributed fairly) to know what property you may end up with under the law.
Prepare to be financially independent
You need to take steps before divorce to divide finances. For example, if you know you can't make enough on your own, start looking for a new and better job before divorce. If you have no credit cards in your name because your spouse handled the money, get one. If you have debts in both of your names, refinance them so that they are in the name of the person to whom they belong- don't make the mistake of assuming a divorce decree absolves you of all liability for a debt... if it was in your name, the creditors can still come after you.
Talk to a Lawyer for Legal Advice First
The most important thing you can do before divorce is to speak with an experienced divorce lawyer. He or she can let you know exactly what the divorce process will be like, from how much everything may cost to what you are likely to end up with at the end. This can be invaluable information in deciding how you want to proceed with your divorce decision.
