When preparing for divorce, a woman can specific things to put herself in the best possible position to be successful in her divorce. Once a woman goes beyond just planning for divorce and she is ready to take action, she should take a step back and get things in order before actually filing the paperwork (or even before telling her husband).
Finances
Getting her finances in order should be the first thing any woman does when she is preparing for divorce. She should have at least one bank account in her own name and she should be putting money in it whenever possible. The longer she has an account in her name, the more slowly she can add money. Each spouse will be required to provide the other with account information during the divorce so the point of the account is not to hide money, rather, it is a way to safeguard money that will be available for the woman to care for herself or her children if her husband cuts off all money to joint accounts once the divorce papers are filed. Money that goes into bank accounts of either spouse during a marriage is usually considered marital property that will be divided in the divorce process.
A woman should also make copies of all bank and investment statements as well as insurance policies. She will need this information to make an inventory of all the marital assets. Her attorney may also need them in order to create a request for more information on the accounts from the husband if he changes the address on the accounts and the woman no longer has access to the statements.
Custody
A woman should be particularly aware of the time she spends with her children. A woman living in an unhappy marriage may be pulled away from home either physically or emotionally and either may work against her in a custody dispute. In preparing for divorce, a woman should get a handle on how much she does for her children as well as how much time she needs for herself. Once the divorce process begins, she will know what kind of custody arrangement would work for the best interests of her children. If she waits until the back-and-forth of a divorce custody battle begins, she may be swayed by emotion or anger in making custody agreements rather than on what really would be best for her children. Giving the issue some thought before the emotional battle begins may help a woman stay focused after the divorce process begins.
Getting Legal Help
A consultation with an experienced family law attorney is an important first step for a woman preparing for divorce. An attorney can advise a woman what specific documents she should be collecting or copying and can suggest what things she needs to do financially and emotionally before filing for divorce.
