The following is a guest post from Lars Walker.
No one wants to think about getting a divorce, but it’s also one of those unfortunate occurrences in which you want to be prepared. The reason? Quick or rash decisions can have long-lasting impacts – few of them good. From taking care of your will immediately to putting off a new romance, here are several tips to help you sail through these murky waters:
Do Not Move Out Hastily
When you and your spouse have finally determined that you want to file for a legal divorce, it may almost seem natural to immediately move out of the home to quickly start the separation process. However, this is actually a major mistake that you do not want to make. A team of legal experts from LegalZoom reviews these types of cases rather frequently and encourage all clients and customers to seek legal advice first before doing anything or moving anywhere once this type of decision has been made. Otherwise, you could very well be surrendering a major tactical advantage whenever you need to access financial resources, spend quality time with your kids or even use your home in the future.
Change Your Will Immediately
Even though you want to wait before moving out, do not delay when it comes to changing the conditions of your last will and testament. If you have children, make sure that you replace the will that you had developed when you were married to your soon-to-be former spouse with a brand new one that focuses primarily on your kids instead. After the changes have been submitted, a licensed attorney from LegalZoom reviews the changes and will validate them accordingly. Keep in mind that the state does not care if you are estranged from your spouse or not when you die when executing your will. Therefore, unless you do not mind your ex-mate inheriting all of your assets if that should ever happen, an immediate change to this document is required, according to Forbes.com.
Hold Off on Finding New Love
Another big mistake that many married couples going through a divorce seem to make is searching for a brand new love before they have finalized the dissolution of their old one. If you are already seeing someone, legal experts advise putting that new relationship on hold until the divorce has been finalized. Otherwise, your new love can easily become dragged into court proceedings and the deposition process, especially if this marital separation was not an amicable decision. This is one of the reasons why a licensed attorney from LegalZoom reviews your current relationship status and living arrangement to make sure that you are not setting yourself up for a major roadblock along the way. It is understandable for you to want to find love and a new companion, especially if you are ready to move on with your life. However, for the sake of your new relationship, pump the brakes until you have received the green light from the state.
Other Tips to Follow
Make copies of all of your financial documents, including bank statements, credit reports and credit line statements. If you have children, make sure that they are provided for throughout this entire process because it is going to be much harder for them to cope than it will be for you. Proceed with caution when it comes to communicating with your future former spouse. Make sure that your lawyer at LegalZoom reviews and oversees all correspondence between the two of you at least until a divorce settlement has been reached.
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